Practitioners design and maintain the physical environment to protect the health and safety of the learning community members, specifically in support of young children’s physiological needs for activity, sensory stimulation, fresh air, rest, and nourishment. The daily schedule provides a balance of rest and active movement. Outdoor experiences, including opportunities to interact with the natural world, are provided for children of all ages. E. Practitioners ensure members of the community feel psychologically safe. The overall social and emotional climate is positive.
1. Interactions among community members (administrators, teachers, families, children), as well as the experiences provided by teachers, leave participants feeling secure, relaxed, and comfortable rather than disengaged, frightened, worried, or unduly stressed.
2. Teachers foster in children an enjoyment of and engagement in learning.
3.Teachers ensure that the environment is organized and the schedule follows an orderly routine that provides a stable structure within which development and learning can take place. While the environment’s elements are dynamic and changing, overall it still is predictable and comprehensible from a child’s point of view.
4. Children hear and see their home language and culture reflected in the daily interactions and activities of the classroom.