ways to modify preschool schedule to scaffold learning

#WAYS TO MODIFY PRESCHOOL SCHEDULE TO SCAFFOLD LEARNING HOW TO#

Encourage staff to bring the curriculum outdoors. Outdoor time: As described in Lesson 3, outdoor time is a rich opportunity for learning.

School-age programs may also offer a variety of optional group activities, like acting out a play, doing community service work, or playing sports.

#WAYS TO MODIFY PRESCHOOL SCHEDULE TO SCAFFOLD LEARNING HOW TO#

In school-age programs, adult-directed activities may be optional and may take a variety of forms: an opportunity to learn how to build model airplanes, a science experiment, or a structured outing. this can be a chance to read stories to the group, discuss the daily schedule, and build classroom community. It is appropriate to offer infants and toddlers the choice to engage in this time and to offer stories, songs, or group activities with an adult and small group of peers at different points throughout the dayįor preschoolers, group times should be kept to 15 to 20 minutes or less. Infants and toddlers should be able to be active participants during group time, which should be short, perhaps five to 10 minutes. However, staff members can still offer “a group time” as a way to strengthen their classroom community, asking the children to come together to share songs or ideas (e.g., copying the motions of infants and toddlers Lang et al., 2010). For infants and toddlers, mandatory adult-directed activities are not developmentally appropriate. Adults can also scaffold children’s learning by offering new ideas or introducing a challenge.Īdult-guided activities: In most of the classrooms you support, some form of adult-guided large-group time will occur. Child-directed time is an opportunity for adults to join play, engage in rich discussions with children, observe children’s learning, and promote interactions between children. Most of their school day is highly structured, so this can be an important time to unwind and choose enjoyable activities on their own or with friends. Especially in school-age programs, it is important to provide adequate time for children to engage in free-choice, unstructured activities. Across the age groups, there are several consistent elements that you can help staff develop in their schedules:Ĭhild-directed time: Across all age groups, a substantial portion of the programming day (i.e., at least one-third of the time the facility is open) should be dedicated to free-choice time.

School-age youth may take a leadership role in establishing a schedule that meets the needs of the group and individuals. The schedule in an infant room, for example, should follow the needs of the infants in that room. The daily schedule will look different across age groups. The content in this lesson will help you and staff maintain the consistent care that all children and families need. For now, it is important to know that children, families, and staff who have experienced trauma thrive with predictable care. You can read more about this in the Focused Topic course on Trauma-Informed Care in Childcare Settings in Childcare Settings. It also helps develop a sense of belonging: children learn “I belong here” and “I am safe here.” This is true for all children, but it is particularly important for children who have experienced trauma. A predictable schedule filled with consistent and responsive routines helps them to know what to expect and helps them feel more confident in themselves and the world around them. When things happen in the same order each day, children have a better understanding of their world and feel more secure. Young children are only just beginning to develop the concept of time, so they organize themselves by the people they are with and the events that happen. How would you feel? How might your feelings affect your ability to feel productive and confident? How will your feelings affect your behavior with the teacher and infants in the classroom you visit? How does this apply to children’s and staff members’ feelings and behaviors in settings with varying and unpredictable schedules and routines?

When you come here tomorrow, you may be working at a different location again. We need you to work with a teacher in the infant classroom in Building B. We also need you to go to a different location. What if you arrived at your place of work and were told, “You’ll be starting at a different time today. Take a moment to think about your day today.

Ways to modify preschool schedule to scaffold learning