Creating Affirming Environments

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.