Creating a digital toddler classroom
Artifact description: Students will engage in an activity to design a toddler classroom
environment using a digital platform from Kaplan:
(https://www.kaplanco.com/secure/myKaplan/planner5d.asp?key=new) During the course,
students learn about the environmental components important in a toddler classroom, as
well as the role that the environment plays in supporting toddler curriculum. This activity will
be part of the capstone project, The Toddler Classroom Model, that involves students working
in simulated toddler teaching teams to design the curriculum for a toddler classroom.
Rationale:
ECE 309 is a curriculum course for the students who are interested in working with infants and
toddlers. The curriculum for this course focuses on the role that the environment plays in
designing curriculum and supporting toddler development. Students visit a variety of toddler
classroom environments. This activity is important because it allows the students to
creatively tinker with an online tool, work collaboratively and co-construct knowledge from
the classroom visits to design a toddler classroom. This activity connects theory and practice
by providing students with a simulated experience of designing a classroom; once students
are working in the field, they will need to collaboratively design their own classroom.
This artifact works to achieve the guidelines by:
- Centering creativity- students will be able to experiment, tinker and creatively engage
their knowledge of toddler environments using the classroom design tool. - Cultivating an equity mindset- during the toddler classroom visits students will
interrogate the differences in each toddler environment, noticing resources, space, and
priorities in each environment (Early Headstart environments, ACS funded toddler
classrooms, tuition-based toddler programs). This activity will involve actively
addressing these differences. - Co-constructing knowledge- students will work together in groups of 3 to design their
classroom, they will need to consider the culture, abilities and language of the children
and families that could be members of their classroom community.
NAEYC Standards:
NAEYC discourages the use of digital platforms for children under 36 months but it is
important that teachers explore and understand and critically analyze the digital platforms
available to support work in ECE classrooms.
Directions:
Working in your Teaching Teams- you will design your toddler classroom /environment
using the Kaplan digital room planner.
https://www.kaplanco.com/secure/myKaplan/planner5d.asp?key=new
Please consider all the components that we discussed in class when planning your toddler
classroom. This includes messy area, noisy area, quiet area, diapering area, cozy furniture,
family communication, space to be alone, clear eyeline for teachers, minimize runways
etc. Use the article under the environments tab as a reference for room design.
Once complete upload on blackboard- one room design per group
