Technology in the Classroom-Finding the Right Balance

With the arrival of modern technology, our lives are filled with computers, smart phones, iPads, and other high-tech gadgets.  When and how are these items appropriate for use in the classroom?

Technology in the classroom is a delicate balance-too much can be a hindrance, yet avoiding it all together can be a missed opportunity.  After careful examination and research, the Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and Media found interactive media to be an effective tool to support learning and development in early learning years.  “When used appropriately, technology and interactive media have tremendous potential to nurture early learning and development,” said Rita Catalano, executive director of the Fred Rogers Center.  The effectiveness of this use depends on the context in which it is applied.  Technology should be relevant to the material and add a new element for engaging children.  When deciding to use technology with young children, some items to look at to determine this are: the interests of the children in question, their developmental stage, cultural background, and individual abilities.  In early childhood, the use of technology should be hands-on and engaging to the children, helping them progress in skill development at their individual rates.  It should be one part of a daily classroom routine that provides many options to support learning. 

On the contrary, technology used without guidance and education can interfere with learning and development.  Simply placing a small child in front of a TV for hours will not successfully teach them lessons.  Television shows and videos offer a more passive use of technology that does not provide the appropriate encouragement to facilitate beneficial learning.  The teacher or caregiver’s role is important in delivering the technology-assisted lesson.  Researchers have determined that technology is best avoided in children under the age of 2 and usage should be limited for ages 2-5 to obtain healthy results. Positively, technology can also assist in building relationships between teachers and students.  Examples of proper use of technology are Skype chatting with relatives who might live far away, learning to use interactive maps, listening devices, digital microscopes and cameras.  Wood Designs provides a computer desk that is perfect for housing your classroom’s computer and monitor.  Visit WoodDesigns.com to view this desk and our variety of listening storage centers to keep all of your audio equipment organized and ready for interactive learning.

The Sensory Way

It has been determined that the first three years of a child’s life are critical in the development of language, attention span, problem-solving capabilities, and social skills.  Because of this sensitive time period, it is important to promote verbal learning and social development. 

The sensorial learning approach focuses on making learning an inviting and independent experience.  This is done through the use of the senses to acquire information from the environment for the purpose of understanding.  These exercises are completed through the use of visual (sight), tactile (touch), baric (pressure/weight), thermic (temperature), auditory (sounds), and olfactory (smelling) senses.  Because sensorial learning focuses on the child completing learning tasks independently, these materials should be aesthetically pleasing.  Sensorial learning creates an inviting environment with the use of open shelves and fun manipulatives to encourage new experiences.  Open shelving is defined as a shelving unit with no back present (or if there is a back, it is transparent).  This creates an open and enticing area that allows children to see all of the materials available and encourages them to want to explore it.  This “openness” also allows students to see through the shelves, allowing them to make use of their visual senses while learning and provides them with the ability to access the materials at all times.  As they are better able to USE their senses, they are then better able to LEARN through these senses.  This interest in learning is important because studies have shown that children who do not come to school with a readiness to learn are likely to struggle throughout current and future educations.  

Sensory and science tables are excellent ways to encourage sensorial learning.  Sensory tables encourage the use of tactile and baric senses while science tables provide space and tools for young students to examine and observe objects in order to categorize and learn from them.  It is pretty clear that a successful classroom is accomplished through the use of appropriate sensorial furniture and materials.  Visit WoodDesigns.com to view our Natural Environments™ line of furniture to see how we can accommodate your sensorial needs.

Cooking up some fun!

If your preschool years were similar to mine, you spent a lot of your play time spent in the toy kitchen area.  I recall hours of fun pretending with classmates and creating imaginary mud pies.  I always thought these kitchens were just for fun, but it turns out they serve educational purposes as well.  Kitchen areas are beneficial in preschool and early childhood classrooms because they encourage improvements in motor and social skills, while providing time for role-playing. 

Kitchen sets are most often being used by multiple children at the same time.  This helps to foster a sharing environment and improves a child’s social capabilities.  Interacting with other children is a much needed skill that improves cognitive development and will assist them in future school years and life.  Research has shown that children who are able to successfully interact with their peers during preschool are more likely to have stronger friendships and feelings of acceptance later in life.  It has also been determined that poor social skills in early childhood can lead to behavioral problems later on. Cognitive and motor development and wonderful social skills sounds like a win-win!

It is important to include plastic plates, utensils, and pretend food in your kitchen area.  This allows children to practice using items they encounter in daily life, improving their motor skills.  It also initiates make-believe play in which children will pretend to cook imaginary meals and reenact household chores such as setting the table and cleaning dishes.  This role-playing is a necessary component to sparking the imaginations of children while teaching the value of responsibility by completing chores.

Wood Designs offers many options for all sizes of classrooms.  We have various kitchen sets that have individual pieces such as a ranges, sinks, cupboards, and refrigerators.  These are available in different sizes and shapes for various age levels. 

All of our items have rounded edges and corners for safety and our Tip-Me-Not™ kitchen appliances are bottom weighted and the center of gravity is lowered to greatly decrease the possibility of tipping by children.  If your classroom is small, we have various all-in-one kitchen sets that incorporate numerous appliances into one compact piece of furniture.  Visit Wood Designs to pick out the kitchen set that suits your classroom needs and let the cooking begin!