Exceptional Teachers

Environment Matters

Classrooms should be beautiful, enticing, comfortable, and functional. All of the teachers we interviewed had gone to great lengths to ensure that their classrooms were welcoming to the students. Several of them emphasized the importance of providing students with comfortable and peaceful places to work. One teacher even had a fountain in the reading center! Another teacher emphasized how natural and low lighting can have a positive effect on the students' behavior. In addition, several teachers suggested using music to transform the mood of the room.

Displaying the students' names makes the students feel that the classroom belongs to them.

Student developed alphabet.

Making Children Feel Special

During our interviews, special attention was paid to what teachers chose to display in their classrooms. One thing we noticed was that the childrens' work was everywhere! By inundating the classroom with pictures of the children, their artwork, their writing, and their creations, the teacher shows how much they care for the students. In turn, the students feel valued and that their work is meaningful. Attention to the unique characteristics of the classroom community makes the children feel comfortable and at home in their space. This also can show progress and achievements to parents and visitors to the classroom.

Making Good Choices

None of the teachers that we interviewed used what most would consider "normal" behavioral management techniques. A prevailing theme across the board was the idea of creating a loving community. Each teacher believed that by showing the students that they were expected to behave with respect and love for each other, the classroom usually managed itself. The teachers also emphasized that showing this caring attitude with the classroom from the first day of school is essential. In fact, one of our teachers talked about a time in her first years of teaching where she was required to use a school-wide behavioral management system. From that experience, she learned that using punishments rather than rewards led to the worst behaved class she had ever had.

The other main idea is that it is important for students to make good choices. The students are encouraged to reflect on their own actions and take responsibility for the choices they make. In the beginning of the year, this concept will need to be reinforced. These teachers believe in conferencing with the student to help him or her understand what makes choices good versus bad, as well as giving alternatives for the future.

This job chart gives students direction as well as new vocabulary words (botanist, meteorologist).

Instead of negative consequences, students in this class are rewarded with tickets for good behavior.

Yoga can help students gain control of their body. Also, labels encourage the students to keep the class organized.

This bathroom chart keeps the students accountable for cleanliness.

Resources: Be Creative With What You Have!

One thing that each of these teachers emphasized was the importance of being creative with your resources. Some schools will have greater access to resources while others will have very few. Either way, it is up to you to make your classroom one that is enriching and stimulating for the students. That often involves getting very creative with everyday objects, re-purposing old items, and making the most with what you have. We learned that by using a little imagination, your classroom can have a wealth of materials from what some "ordinary" people may have thrown out with the trash!

Pizza boxes make great trays for floor work!

After-season specials are a great way to get classroom supplies.

Milk crates and hula-hoops with tulle make this reading center beautiful.

A tree stump can be a great natural object for use in a wood-working center. Hammering in nails develops fine and gross motor skills.

Ice cream lids provide a quiet and controlled area for rolling dice.

Instead of trying to keep up with each game's specific pieces, keep a stash of them all together.

Ms. Brown loves her unique manipulatives!

Documentation

We learned that what makes documentation successful is finding what works best for you! Documentation is important for many, many reasons. The children benefit from a system that shows them what they have accomplished, what they are expected to do, and what is to come. Documentation is a tool that will justify your classroom practices, routines, expectations, and progress to parents and administration.

A simple schedule outside of the classroom gives students, visitors, and administrators an idea of the day ahead.

Electronic student folders can keep pictures of students organized. This way of documenting allows parents to see their child in action during conferences. One teacher who uses this system said the parents appreciate visual documentation more than a paper checklist of standards.

We knew that documentation in early childhood classrooms was important, but Jennifer Liberatos showed us a new way to show visitors and parents how much learning happens in each center.

Writing Center
Fine Motor skills
Increasing Language Development
Eye-hand coordination
Putting thoughts into words
Learning print has meaning

Woodworking Center
Expressing creativity
Learning to plan and organize
Advancing eye-hand coordination
Expanding imagination

Science Center
Learning and testing new concepts
Increasing language development
Learning to plan and discover
Observing, Predicting, and Comparing
Drawing Conclusions
Experiencing sensory activities
Discovering how things work

Puzzle Center
Fine and gross motor skills
Hand-eye coordination
Spatial concepts
Language skills
Enhancing cognitive development

Play-doh Center
Focusing on creativity
Fine motor skills
Using imagination

Painting Center
Fine motor skills
Expanding creativity
Eye-hand coordination
Bringing ideas to life

Music Center
Expressing Creativity
Learning different cultural music styles
Practicing rhythm
Focusing on listening skills
Experiencing new instruments

Manipulative Center
Fine motor skills
Gross motor skills
Hand-Eye coordination
Classifying and sorting
Counting and comparing
Recognizing patterns and shapes

Literacy Center
Pre-reading skills
Sequencing events
Developing language skills
Recognizing letters have meaning
Learning to take care of books
Experiencing quiet moments
Gathering information
Learning to create our own stories

Dramatic Play Center
Cooperation
Develop language skills
Verbalizing ideas and concepts
Understanding emotions
Communication

Creative Arts Center
Expanding creativity
Fine motor skills
Cooperation and sharing
Increasing language development
Bringing ideas to life

Computer Center
Fine motor skills
Hand-Eye coordination
Mouse control
Enhancing pre-writing/pre-reading skills
Learning math and language concepts

Blocks Center
Fine and gross motor skills
Experimenting with balance and form
Classifying by shape, size, and color
Using imagination
Recognizing quantity and number concepts

Centers

Throughout all of our interviews, it was clear that each of these teachers believed strongly in the use of centers in the classroom. Although they were all different, each classroom that we visited demonstrated how centers can contribute to all aspects of a child's development. We learned that centers can be successfully used in classrooms of all ages (not just for CD!). In lower and higher grades, centers can be a place where students can use manipulatives to explore concepts they are trying to master, especially math and science.

A working fountain in the reading center helps promote a calming atmosphere.

Trays are useful tools to have in the game center. These trays help keep the players and game pieces organized while walking to and from their destination.