EVER-CHANGING
ENVIRONMENTS
A Pictorial Overview of Materials and Design
at Rosa Parks Early Childhood Education Center
Photography by
Kara Lowry and
Nicole Hill
This ebook purchase enables Fairy Dust Teaching
to fund a current project at Rosa Parks Early
Childhood Education Center and to ship those
materials directly to the school.
Ever-Changing Environments:
A Pictorial Overview of Materials and Design
at Rosa Parks Early Childhood Education Center
Union Public Schools
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Photographs by
Rosa Parks Early Childhood Education Teachers
Kara Lowry and Nicole Hill
Written and Organized by
Rosa Parks Early Childhood Education Principal
Lynn McClure
A Fairy Dust Teaching Publication
Copyright 2013 © Fairy Dust Teaching
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Table of Contents:
Introduction.................5
Classroom Ateliers...........7
Construction and Building Mediums .................30
Messaging .............55
Chandeliers.............63
Dramatic Play........79
Light and Shadow...........90
Documentation.........107
School Atelier and Material Collection Space...........126
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INTRODUCTION
Rosa Parks Early Childhood Education Center (ECEC) is located in Union Public
Schools in Tulsa, Oklahoma supporting a 100% free and reduced lunch population
of 400 young children ages three through four. Community partners support and
fund the program.
As you walk into Rosa Parks Early Childhood Education Center, one can t help but
notice the unique ambience reflected throughout the building. Low-level lighting and
thoughtful presentation and placement of open-ended authentic materials are just a
few of the aspects that shape the environment of our school. A reciprocal
relationship between the unique environments and intriguing materials fosters
independent, complex, and lifelong learners.
Parallel to the Reggio philosophy, we believe our environment is the third
teacher. Our aesthetic environment allows children to engage in collaborative
long-term investigations in which children construct knowledge through inquiries,
explorations and conversations. Large group, small group, and individual areas
enriched with authentic materials and provocations accommodate all learning
opportunities. Documentation, including but not limited to pictures, videos,
transcribed conversations, summary panels, validate children s new knowledge
and enables them to share with other children, teachers, parents, and community
members.
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Many open-ended materials live in our environments. These materials
encourage the children to think creatively and provide them more
opportunities to expand their meaning of the world that surrounds them.
The use of open-ended materials provides more exploration opportunities as
the children use them in a wide variety of ways supporting both social and
academic competencies. Each child gives the material their own unique
meaning. Authentic materials are nonspecific and therefore can be taken to
any area assisting in the adaptability of our spaces.
Our belief is that all children are eager to learn at any age and we feel our
classrooms should support their readiness and their ready-made competencies.
A warm and inviting environment of thoughtfully presented materials is critical in
challenging children. We feel our environments should communicate to the
children that we believe in their ability to become independent learners and
analylical thinkers. In our classrooms, you will find materials presented on low,
open shelving, which allows easy access for the children to choose the things
that interest them. The materials are also placed in neutral colored baskets or
clear and open containers so the material is emphasized, not the container,
inviting the children to explore.
The essence of learning at Rosa Parks ECEC is the fusion of distinctive
environments and fascinating materials. The emphasis we place on our
environments communicates our high expectations and strong beliefs that all
children are competent and zealous learners. Child engagement and success is
evident throughout the school as the children independently and collaboratively
explore the environments and materials.
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Classroom
Ateliers
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Construction and
Building Mediums
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14 --
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Messaging
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Chandeliers
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Dramatic Play
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Light and Shadow
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Documentation
- 108 -
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School Atelier and
Material Collection
Space
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Special Thanks
This project would not have been possible if not for the generous, dedicated and
talented faculty and staff of Rosa Parks Early Childhood Education Center.
It s the people. It s the teachers, site leadership teams, front office staff, custodians,
food service, family support specialists, counselors, and community partners. It s
each person loving our students and our work. It s each one of us owning the
mission of 100% graduation, college, and career ready.
Thank you for you for caring so much for our students and for one another. It
shows in everything you do!!!
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“What children learn does not follow as an automatic result from
what is taught. Rather, it is in large part due to the children’s
own doing as a consequence of their activities and our
resources.”
Loris Malaguzzi
