The Learning Environment in The Creative Curriculum® Classroom

The learning environment is the structure of the classroom that sets the context for teaching and learning. The Creative Curriculum^® for Preschool shows you how to

• set up the physical environment and maintain interest areas
• establish a classroom structure that includes the daily routine and schedule, choice times, and small- and large-group times
• create a classroom community that promotes positive relationships and where children make friends and learn social problem-solving skills

In The Creative Curriculum for Preschool, the learning environment meets children's developmental needs. It makes all children--including those with special needs--feel safe and comfortable and that they belong. As a result, they are helped to become independent and confident learners. For these reasons, the learning environment is the starting point for implementing The Creative Curriculum for Preschool.

Additional guidance about the classroom environment is available in Room Arrangement as a Teaching Strategy, and The Creative Curriculum^® for Preschool in Action DVD from Teaching Strategies.

Setting Up a Classroom for 20 Preschool Children

The Creative Curriculum^® for Preschool: Setting Up a Classroom for 20 Preschool Children (pdf) can help you set up or restock your program. This streamlined checklist, organized to match the sequence of chapters in The Creative Curriculum for Preschool, will simplify your next steps in transforming The Creative Curriculum^® from words on a page into a dynamic classroom environment.

Read an excerpt from The Creative Curriculum for Preschool: "The Learning Environment," Chapter 2 (pdf).