How to Maintain a Safe Learning Environment in Preschool
A safe learning environment is necessary for children to grow and mature in a preschool classroom, but such an environment is not always easy to maintain. Maintaining a safe learning environment for young children requires a well-planned, clean and organized space free from hazardous materials. Teachers should also prepare rules and routines and explicitly teach acceptable behaviors. To preserve class expectations, rewards and consequences must be implemented consistently throughout the year. If the learning environment is routine oriented, welcoming and physically non-threatening every day, students will always be safe.
Before the start of classes, create a physical environment conducive to learning and cooperation. Think carefully about the location of your learning centers, mat space, and your desk, if you have one. Make sure you are able to see everything from any point in the room. Organize toys and educational tools in accessible bins suitable for children. Place anything that children should not have access to - such as scissors - on a high shelf or in a cabinet to prevent accidents. Make sure the room is clean and free of hazardous materials every day before students arrive.
Develop three to five main rules for your class. Create a poster using colorful markers and pictures and display it in a prominent place in the classroom. You could include rules such as "keep your hands and feet to yourself", "listen while the teacher speaks" and "treat others as you would like to be treated". Teach them explicitly in class and praise the students when they exhibit good behavior.
Develop a system of rewards and consequences. Many teachers use a traffic light board to track student behavior. Make a construction paper traffic light with a green, yellow, orange and red dot. Then write the names of the students on clothespins and start each day on the green. If a student misbehaves, the first offense will cause the student to change to yellow, the second to orange, the third to red. Create appropriate and consistent consequences for each color. Allow students to wind up their clothespins to improve their behavior. Set up a reward, such as a sticker, for the students who end the day on the green.
Teach procedures in the classroom during the first week of class and in miniature lessons every day from then on. Learning to behave in a school setting is one of the most important educational goals for preschoolers, and behavior routines should be taught explicitly. Spend a week teaching students how to sit on the mat, how to listen to a story, how to raise their hands, how to line up, and how to use the learning centers. Give frequent verbal affirmations for positive behaviors. Keep lessons short, incorporate non-behavioral educational materials throughout the day, and develop a consistent daily routine from day one.
Schedule detailed lessons each day. Keep in mind which students work well together and which students require special attention. Implement teaching strategies for multiple learning styles. Incorporate movement into your lessons to keep students engaged. Well-planned lessons lead to excellent classroom management. If students participate in learning and understand what is expected of them at all times, the classroom environment will remain safe and secure.
