Book Study Facilitator Guide
Please see Completing an Independent Book Study for instructions on using this resource.
Creating Environments for Learning Book Study Guide.pdf
Book Study Facilitator Guide Written by Char Norris
The purpose of this guide is to help educators critically reflect on the environments they are providing for children and find ways to improve their practice. Educators will have an opportunity to discuss what they are learning and apply it to their context and space with a collaborative partner. We believe “educators deserve—and are sustained by—professional learning that strengthens their development as thinkers, researchers, innovators, and constructors of knowledge.” (From Teaching to Thinking by Ann Pelo and Margie Carter, p. 28) It is our hope that this book study can become a part of that professional learning that will sustain and strengthen educators. This book study guide was written and implemented in a center-based environment with a leader facilitating the group and educators working together in collaborative partners. Minor adjustments can be made if group sizes or dynamics differ from this.
Rationale
Research tells us that environments are an influential aspect of children’s growth and development. “Every environment implies a set of values or beliefs about the people who use a space and the activities that take place there.” (Designs for Living and Learning, by Deb Curtis and Margie Carter, p. 19) Our environments reflect our beliefs about children and helps shape their identity. Our spaces are reflective of children’s learning, development, and beliefs. High quality environments can improve outcomes for children when they are grounded in a strong image of each child. Creating Environments for Learning is an informative guide to transform early childhood environments by providing insightful questions for each educator. It provides helpful checklists, videos and online resources that can deepen the participants’ understanding and can be a catalyst for improving environments for young children.
Timeline and Logistics
Use Facebook or Padlet to facilitate online discussions. As a group decide on a set day and time for the facilitator to post reflection questions and a deadline for participants to post answers. There will be three meetings in person: one at the beginning, one in the middle, and one at the end and seven online discussions. After completing the assigned reading, participants will discuss their learning with a collaborative partner. They will be responsible for posting their partner’s ideas from the reading.
| Meeting | Date and Time | Assigned Reading |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | In-Person Meeting 1 | |
| 2 | Discussion 1: Chapter 1 Understanding the Importance of the Environment Reflection | |
| 3 | Discussion 2: Chapter 2 Establishing an Emotionally Supportive and Equitable Environment | |
| 4 | Discussion 3: Chapter 3 Establishing a Context for Learning: Designing | |
| 5 | Discussion 4: Chapter 4 Planning a Play-Based Curriculum | |
| 6 | Discussion 5: Chapter 5 Arranging an Effective Environment | |
| 7 | Discussion 6: Chapter 6 Design Considerations | |
| 8 | In-Person Meeting 2: | |
| 9 | Discussion 7: Read, discuss, and implement chosen chapter (7-13) in small group | |
| 10 | In-Person Meeting 3 |
First in Person Meeting:
To discuss the importance of the environment, ask participants to close their eyes, and visualize an environment from their childhood that evokes positive emotions. Ask them to remember how they felt when they spent time there. Have them think of the sounds, smells, and experiences in this place. Next have them either
-
sketch this special space,
-
compose a brief poem depicting this place,
- or write a list of descriptive words that capture the essence of this environment
Have the participants share their positive childhood space in small groups, looking for common threads. Discuss the common threads as a group.
Introduce the book Creating Environments for Learning by Julie Bullard.
- Do a book walk/scavenger hunt activity in small groups to help participants become familiar with how the book is laid out. This will give them the chance to get excited about the content and pictures.
- Browse through the Table of Contents. What chapter excites you? Is there a topic that will be helpful to you?
- Refer to the Preface section for study suggestions.
Partner collaboration:
- Give the participants time to choose their collaboration partner and exchange contact information. These can be assigned partners or NOT. WHATEVER.
- Outline what is expected of each participant and what should be accomplished before their next meeting.
- Read each chapter and be prepared to discuss with their partner
- Share their partner’s ideas on Facebook
- Partners can decide how they will have discussions (in person, phone call, Zoom, email, text, etc)
Facebook posts:
Discussion 1: Chapter 1: Understanding the Importance of the Environment
Please choose at least one reflection question (below) to discuss with your partner and then comment below what your partner shared/said by (date/time). Please answer with more than one sentence answers -- we want your full thoughts! This is a discussion. Remember, this is a requirement for credit.
1) Explain why the environment is important to children's learning.
2) Explain the importance of play-based learning.
3) Describe how an effective environment supports developmentally appropriate practices.
4) Explain how behavioral issues can be reduced through environmental design.
5) Discuss how major theorists and early childhood approaches confirm the importance of the environment.
6) Describe the role of the teacher in creating effective learning environments.
7) Using the information in the text, compare and contrast the Montessori, Reggio Emilia, Tools for the Mind, HighScope, and Waldorf approaches.
Thank you, everyone, for participating in our first partner reflection! Please comment below with how you felt about the reading, partner discussions, and posting/sharing. What went well? What was challenging? Was the technology an issue? Did you feel like you had time to read the text, reflect, discuss, and comment?
Please respond to the question -- you DO NOT have to talk to your partner with this one -- just comment below with YOUR thoughts.
Because children's experiences are limited by their surroundings, the environment has a crucial impact on the way a child's brain develops. Critically reflect on your environment – What do you see in your space? Comment with celebrations AND areas that need improvement.
Discussion 2: Chapter 2: Establishing an Emotionally Supportive and Equitable Environment
Please choose at least one reflection question (below) to discuss with your partner and then comment below what your partner shared/said by (date/time). Please answer with more than one sentence answers -- we want your full thoughts! This is a discussion. Remember, this is a requirement for credit.
1) Explain the Circle of Courage and how you will begin implementing this model in your spaces and the experiences you provide to young children.
2) What is a secure attachment? Why is it so important to a child's growth and development?
3) What is the Building Blocks model and how is it effective? How do you see yourself implementing this form of inclusion?
Please respond to the question -- you DO NOT have to talk to your partner with this one -- just comment below with YOUR thoughts
How do you respond to parents/coworkers who may think that children need to spend time doing worksheets or other developmentally inappropriate activities instead of learning through play?
Discussion 3: Chapter 3: Establishing a Context for Learning
Please choose at least one reflection question (below) to discuss with your partner and then comment below what your partner shared/said by (date/time). Please answer with more than one sentence answers -- we want your full thoughts! This is a discussion. Remember, this is a requirement for credit.
1) Think about the routines that you use in your classroom daily. What are the advantages of the routines you use?
2) Explain the balance of child-initiated and adult-initiated activities. How do you balance the two?
3) Examine each of the schedules in this chapter. Note that each has a different amount of detail. What degree of detail do you already use in your classroom schedule? Are there any changes in the design of your schedule that you want to make for your classroom?
4) After reading this chapter, how have your opinions on transitions changed and grown? What information about transitions stood out to you? What transition tips will you use in your classroom?
Please share any changes to your environment or practice that you have implemented in response to what you have read. If possible, please include a picture with your description.
Discussion 4: Chapter 4: Planning a Play-Based Curriculum
Please choose at least one reflection question (below) to discuss with your partner and then comment below what your partner shared/said by (date/time). Please answer with more than one sentence answers -- we want your full thoughts! This is a discussion. Remember, this is a requirement for credit.
1) Determine your own philosophy of learning. Compare & discuss your philosophy with your partner. What similarities do you have? What differences?
2) Complete and implement a learning plan for your class. (See page 95, Figure 4.7) Reflect with your partner how it went. What were some positive aspects? What was challenging?
3) Describe the eight steps in developing an effective curriculum. How can these affect/improve your planning in your classroom?
Were the changes you made last week effective? What were your challenges? Successes? What will you adjust to make this week a more powerful environment for learning?
Discussion 5: Chapter 5: Arranging an Effective Environment
Please choose one reflection question (below) to discuss with your partner and then comment below what your partner shared with you by (date/time). Please answer with more than one sentence answers -- we want your full thoughts! This is a discussion. Remember, this is a requirement for credit.
1) Upload and discuss pictures of appropriate bathrooms, diaper-changing stations, and sleeping areas.
2) Explain the purpose of retreat areas in a classroom and discuss how you will implement this in your classroom space.
3) Develop or redesign a learning center in your classroom space to meet the criteria found in this chapter and upload a picture.
4) Use the Environmental Assessment found in Figure 5.7 (p 121) to assess the learning centers and room arrangements of your classroom space (from memory or through pictures). Develop an action plan for at least one center, detailing what changes you will make to meet the criteria.
Look at the picture of an environment below.
- What stands out to you?
- In your opinion, is this environment effective? Why or why not?
- Refer to the Room Arrangement Checklist from the assessment tool on page 121 for concrete evidence of effectiveness. What aspects of room arrangement are evident in this photo?
- Is there anything that you would change or add to it?
Discussion 6: Chapter 6: Design Considerations
Please choose one reflection question (below) to discuss with your partner and then comment below what your partner shared with you by (date/time). Please answer with more than one sentence answers -- we want your full thoughts! This is a discussion. Remember, this is a requirement for credit.
1) Describe how to achieve an aesthetically pleasing, home-like environment in a center-based space.
2) Watch the video to learn more about the design elements in one program. How did these elements combine to create an aesthetic environment? (Facebook won't let me post the link, but it is on page 128, on the upper right-hand side.)
3) Develop a list of criteria that will govern what is placed on the walls of your current classroom. Share what you will start with and where you will put it in your space.
4) Examine the air quality and pesticide regulations in Wyoming's early childhood state licensing standards and share the information you find.
For our next in-person meeting, be prepared to share what you have been working on including challenges and successes that you have experienced in changing your environment.
Second in Person Meeting:
Participants will come prepared to share, in more detail, all that they have been working on including sharing challenges and successes and reflect together. They will choose an interest area that is applicable and interesting to focus on for the second half of the book study
Read:
- Now that you have completed chapters 1 -6 and are moving into more specialty chapters (7-19, with a focus on chapters 7-13). Each chapter focuses on a specific area of the classroom and really digs into making it a powerful and effective learning space.
- You will pick out one of the upcoming chapters (focusing on 7 - 13) to study and make a plan to implement changes. Choose a chapter that focuses on a center that you would like to develop. Please feel free to return and choose another chapter, after you have mastered the first area.
- Share the following directions with each participant:
- Pick a chapter/center that interests you and read/study the chapter thoroughly.
- What chapter interests you?
- What do you want to know more about?
- What area of your space do you feel needs a revamp?
- Draw a map of your classroom and reflect on how to implement it into your space.
- Try it out!
- Take lots of pictures and document the process of implementation.
- Write a narrative describing your thinking and reasoning and how to make it a regular part of your classroom environment and experience.
- Reflect with those that are in the same group. Problem-solve and brainstorm challenges together using the book as a reference.
- Adjust and try again.
- Each group of educators will present their topic of study and experiences to the whole group at our Third in Person Meeting.
- Each educator will set up an invitation to the area/center that they have been working on. They will show the group.
My hope is that even though you will only be reading and digging into one of those twelve remaining chapters -- you will be able to share them with each other and come away with a deeper understanding of ALL of them because you split them up and shared your insights.
We anticipate that this will meet our goal of all of us learning more about how environments affect learning -- and then using that knowledge in our individual spaces.