This week’s reading materials
provided me with many resources that I can use when creating my learning environment
in my future Family Child Care Home. For
instance, according to Derman-Sparks and Edwards, the learning material
provided to children in an anti-bias education learning environment invite exploration
and discovery and support children’s play and conversations in both emergent and
planned activities due to fact that the toys, material, equipment I put out for
children; the posters, pictures, and art objects I hang on the wall; and the
types of furniture and how I arrange them all influence what children will
learn (Derman-Sparks, Edwards, & National Association for the Education of
Young Children, 2010).
In my Family Child Care Home I would
provide a learning environment to children that provided them with learning
materials that accurately reflect all children and their families as well as
staff. For instance, my learning materials
would include children and families from various ethnic identities as well as
include families from a range of professionals from working class to working in
the home. In addition, I would provide
children with learning materials that included people with disabilities as well
as diverse family structures.
Elements
that I would include in my Family Child Care Home are activities that children
could take home and bring back to school to share with their peers during
circle time. For example, having
children draw a family portrait or have families bring in their favorite recipes
to share with the class. Activities like
these will allow children the opportunity to show pride in the families and their
culture which will assist them I developing their identities.
To ensure
that all children and their families feel welcome and respected in the learning
environment I will create a photo collage of all children and their families
that will be located by the entrance as a way to display the various cultures
that are a part of the classroom community.
In addition, I will build relationships with children and their families
through home visits and regular check-ins during drop-off and pick-up.
Reference
Derman-Sparks, L., Edwards, J. O., & National
Association for the Education of Young Children (2010). Anti-bias education for
young children and ourselves. Washington, DC: National Association for the
Education of Young Children.
