Introduction
The observed environment is an early-childhood classroom setting for students aged 3-4 years old. I chose this setting because of the importance of this stage of education in children’s social, emotional, and cognitive development. The following report includes a description of the setting, including my first impressions, suitability for children, and the school environment and atmosphere. All these are components critical to setting up children to realize the best outcomes in the next stage of their education.
First Impressions
Upon entering the class, one immediately knows they have entered a child-centric space. This can be seen from the height, size, arrangement of objects, spacing, amenities, colors, lighting, and flooring. The room is filled with objects painted in all colors of the rainbow, with yellow and blue dominating as they occupy the largest spaces on the walls and flooring. The tallest objects are around 40 inches in height, except the teachers’ desks. Another noticeable thing is the materials the objects in the classroom are made of. Most of them are made of softwood, padded, or covered in foam. There are no sharp edges, and all are rounded or curved. Further, there are very few fragile items at a height of below 50 inches, the most notable being a flat-screen television set and a projector. Also, there are a few very large objects, including the teacher and student desks and some lockers.
On the ground, the room’s floor is covered by different types of carpets. Some points feature heavy carpeting material made for educational and playing purposes, told by their markings. The other portions are covered by polyester flooring and are comfortable to walk or sit on. The room is also very clean, without any visible dirt marks except at the entrance. The room is supplied with full-spectrum lighting from the bulbs in the ceiling and the natural light from the windows. The room is well-supplied with different amenities including furniture, computers, laptops, play objects, learning supplies (books, pencils, charts, etc.), and sinks. There is also considerable spacing between the different areas and objects in the room. For instance, the space between reading desks is big enough for an adult to pass through, and there is also ample space between the different activity areas like a planted section and different play sections.
Setting-Child Fit
Looking at the features and characteristics of the setting, I would say there is a perfect student-setting fit. The average preschooler aged between 3 and 4 years old is about 40 inches in height, making the objects in the room accessible and easy to use. Children at this age are highly susceptible to injuries and the curved and rounded edges minimize their incidence. Children are also highly sensitive to color, and it has a significant effect on their emotions, minds, and bodily functions (Karlidag, 2021). As such, it becomes important to ensure that their classrooms are attractive and entertaining while also conducive to learning and operating. The observed classroom embodies these elements as it uses bold colors that are soft to the eye and comfortable to operate in.
A lot is going on with the overall setting. Research shows that some of the most important facilities to create the optimal preschool learning environment include a nature corner, an outdoor playing area, an open space classroom, a creative area, and a library (Karlidag, 2021). The room has most of these facilities, with a planted section, adequate space for both free and structured play, a mini-library, and all things that facilitate learning and extracurricular activities. There is also an outdoor playing area that is included in an assessment of the school environment.
Another crucial element that adds to the fit between the children and the setting is the teachers. The educators are actively involved in the room and very vigilant, taking notice of any events around them. They made spontaneous observations that facilitated the child’s learning and activities. For instance, the child under observation was having trouble holding their pencil and one teacher promptly noticed this problem and came to his aid, taking their time to ensure he had a grasp of how to go about the same.
School Environment
Moving out of the classroom and looking at the school as a whole, the mood, feel and sound is that of the typical learning environment. Students move around engaged in different activities traditional to such a setting. The thing that stands out is the distribution of students; the school seemed underpopulated, with a smaller-than-normal student-teacher ratio. One teacher only had to do minimum work because the students were either occupied by another teacher or engaged in some activity. This is a cause for concern because it might undermine overall child development, which could manifest itself in different ways. For instance, the children might be exposed to fewer peer-to-peer interaction opportunities, leading to suboptimal social and emotional development. Also, the teachers might have fewer opportunities to practice, which might lead to the deterioration of their skills, lowering the overall quality of education in the school.
Another concern is student safety, especially during outdoor free play sessions. These are periods where children engage in self-directed play without adult interference. The cause for concern here is that children might stray away from their counterparts whilst playing, exposing them to injuries and other rare negative occurrences. However, given the relatively small population, there was a general feeling of cohesion, and classmates seemed to always know where their counterparts were.
School Atmosphere
Being an observation primarily featuring preschool children, the interactions observed were between the teachers and parents of this population. The parents seemed tentative and reserved upon entering the room, but the teachers made them feel comfortable and relaxed. There seemed to be a process of handling parents where they are welcomed warmly, given a tour around the class, given updates on what is going on, and finally given a seat where further discussions are held.
The teachers are very patient with the children’s families, taking the time to explain and clarify different issues. This is especially commendable given the strong link between teacher-family relationships and student outcomes (Karlidag, 2021). In one instance, a parent was having difficulty believing that their child was ready to proceed to first grade. To address her concerns, the teacher summoned the student and proceeded with an assessment that tested his competencies. Upon doing extremely well, the teacher gave the parent some tests she could administer at home and then asked her to tell her what she thought the next day. This incident demonstrated the positive attitude teachers have toward parents because the one involved in this case went to lengths to convince the parent of her assessment.
Conclusion
This observation featured a kindergarten classroom and the school in which it is situated. The assessment determines that it is a good learning environment with all features and conditions necessary for optimal learning. However, there is a cause for concern regarding the student population that seems to be lower than desirable. The main concerns are the quality of education and student safety. With that, the student stands to benefit from the advantages that come with having a relatively small school population.
Reference
Karlidag, I. Ă–. (2021). Creating Learning Environments in Preschool Classrooms: Perspectives of Pre-Service Preschool Teachers. International Journal of Progressive Education, 17(3), 327-342.