Candidate Work Sample: Learning in the Infant Room

Cecilia Nelson

EDUC 425 Early Childhood Education 1

Spring 2022

Dr. Angela Lewis

 Introduction

Learning is in everything. Learning is subtle. Teaching in an infant classroom is as subtle

as the learning that happens within it. The Inchworm classroom at the Teaching Tree Early

Childhood Learning Center is an ideal location for observing how learning occurs in everything

that happens in the classroom. Teaching Tree utilizes the Creative Curriculum in its classrooms –

this curriculum follows the cycle of inquiry. Questions are pulled from the interests of the

children and pursued by the curriculum. Gullickson states that Creative Curriculum is designed

to be consistent and predictable for students. This curriculum is based in the constructivist

philosophy – following the ideas of Piaget, Vygotsky, Gardner, and Smilansky. It is grounded in

the social aspects of learning. The Creative Curriculum focuses on the usual way that children

learn – play (Gullickson, Cameron, Marose, Tiefenthaler, & Van Nice, 2018).

Development is categorized into several different domains that change as children grow.

For infants, the domains are; Physical Development and Health, Social Development, Emotional

Development, Language and Literacy Development, Cognitive Development, and Approaches to

Learning (Colorado Department of Education,2021). The core values of the ECC profession as

defined by NAEYC are to appreciate that childhood is a valuable stage of life. Our work is based

on what we know about how children develop and learn and we respect the bond between

children and family. We know that children are best supported and understood when their family,

culture, and community are taken into account. We respect the individuality of children and the

people in their lives. We acknowledge that children and adults can reach their potential when

their social supports are strong and stable (NAEYC, 2002).

Through the sixteen weeks, I spent in the Inchworm classroom I planned to expand my

knowledge of how learners affect the creation of new knowledge. To keep a more open mind and

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pay more attention to the process of how creativity leads to discovery. And to improve my belief

in the idea that I make a difference in the lives of students. I have always been hard on myself

and my ability to make a difference. To see all students and leave none ignored or made to feel

as if they are unseen is my priority in any classroom I walk into.

Description of the Group

Description of the Group

The Inchworm classroom at the Teaching Tree Early Childhood Center is populated with

seven to ten infants – ranging from six weeks to eighteen months – two Co-Lead Teachers, and

one Assistant Teacher. The site does provide meals for infants older than a year old and formula

for younger students – families can bring their food or formula for their children and it is served

to the family’s specifications. If there is an allergy in the classroom, foods related to that allergy

are kept out of the room for the infant’s safety. The physical layout of the room includes an open

play area where all toys, books, mats, and everything the infants interact with are in reach. The

crib area is sectioned off with a small wall that the infants cannot climb over. All cribs are up to

spec and safe for infants. There are two sinks in the room – one for general all-purpose use and

the other for diaper hands only. There is a small changing station not far from the diaper sink.

Detailed records of everything the infants do are documented and given to the parents at Pick-Up

– this includes diaper changes, naps, and temperature. There is an illustration of the room later

on in this paper.

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 The Teaching Tree site in Fort Collins is located on the northside of town and it is across

the street from the Northside Aztlan Community Center. There are several apartment buildings

located near the site and more are still in construction. There is a mixed community in this area

of Latinos and Caucasians primarily, there is a small mix of other groups in their area as well.

The site shares a building with the Early Childhood Council of Larimer County and the two

facilities work together on numerous projects.

Most in the Inchworm classroom are Caucasian, there was only one child who was of

Latino heritage. All the families seemed to belong to a family in the Middle Class. Most of the

children in the room were female, the number of girls doubled that of the boys. Due to most

Caucasian children and the Caucasian or Caucasian-passing staff in the room – no notable

cultural practices were observed in the classroom, some Spanish is spoken in the classroom but

not a lot as none of the staff members speak Spanish fluently. There are pictures and items in the

room that displayed all kinds of people and the toys the infants were playing with also

demonstrated the diversity of people.

The role of the Practicum Student in the classroom is to primarily serve as a support for

the Co-Leads and the Assistant Teacher. They are there to help with everyday activities as well

as the children’s safety and comfort – this includes changing diapers, giving bottles, laying them

down for naps, helping them with toys, and helping them transition to lunch. Some curriculum is

done in the classroom, but it is done individually with an infant and is done more subtly than in

traditional classrooms. Because of this subtly in the way the curriculum is done – I will need to

design my mini-lesson/unit to function just as subtly.

Teaching, Learning & Development Context

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 The student-teacher ratio in the Inchworm classroom at Teaching Tree is one adult to

eight infants, with a maximum of twelve people in the classroom. As stated previously, there are

two Co-Leads and one Assistant Lead. The Co-Leads are responsible for the majority of what

takes place in a classroom, these duties include receiving students when they arrive and releasing

them to parents or guardians when it is pickup time, the Assistant Lead can fulfill these duties as

well if necessary. The Co-Leads also facilitate the play that the students engage in and keep a

watchful eye on them for their safety and relocate students who get close to a dangerous

situation, for example, a child trying to climb over the child gate that separates the play area

from the cribs. The Co-Leads are also responsible for prepping the bottles and food of the infants

in their care, as well as, changing diapers to the parents’ specifications for each child. The

Assistant Lead aids with all of these duties and periodically rotates between other classrooms as

needed. The only responsibility that the Assistant Lead does not influence is the lesson planning

– that is left for the Co-Lead teachers. Each Lead in the room is doing something at any given

time – they are always on the move working to facilitate the learning outcomes.

The general learning outcomes of the Inchworm classroom are focused on introducing

each of the developmental domains to its students. The toys are selected to encourage the

development of gross and fine motor skills. Depending on the age of the child, the student may

not be able to engage with the toys in the room so it is required of a Lead to play with the toy in

front of the child, showing them how to play with it once they are able, scaffolding the

developing cognitive skills of the child. To encourage social skills the children are placed near

each other while they are playing, sometimes the children play together loosely or they engage in

parallel play. Play is the primary means that content is delivered to the students and is the key to

the subtly of the learning.

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 Teaching content in the Inchworm classroom is different from other classrooms. Infants

learn through play and so learning is done with play in mind and is based on whichever toy any

child is playing with. For example, to begin teaching mathematics, the Leads will count out loud

to the infant how many a toy the child is playing with. Another example, in teaching literacy,

when a child presents interest in a book and brings it to a Lead, the Lead will begin to read the

book. While doing this, the Lead will demonstrate reading from left to right and turning the

pages. The infant may wander off while the Lead is reading and if this happens the focus of the

learning is shifted to the new toy the child is playing with.

The Leads in the Inchworm classroom engage in positive talk with the students. Words

such as “no” and phrases like “do not” are not used in the classroom. In the place of this negative

language, redirection is used with phrases such as “let’s find something different” or “let’s go

over here.” This helps to facilitate a positive talk environment in the classroom. An example of

this occurred when one child was invading the space of another, almost crawling on top of them.

One of the Leads came over and moved the child using the aforementioned language. Once the

child was placed somewhere else and was given a toy, the child played with the Lead and the toy

without complaint. The Leads also use effective praise with the infants. Everything any of the

infants does right is praised. For example, a child was playing with a stacking toy and the child

had managed to stack everything onto the toy by themselves, this brought the child praise from

the Leads. The child was all too happy to smile in response and keep playing. This positive talk

environment plays a role in creating an anti-bias education for the students.

In the Inchworm classroom, the majority of the students are of the same ethnic

background, and each child is given a similar level of attention by the Leads. In the case of one

student who is of a different ethnic background, sometimes the language of that child’s ethnicity

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is used. This still exposes the child to a similar language. For example, if the child is holding an

item such as a book the Lead will use the word “libro” while the child is interacting with the

book. The inclusion of the language is used with all children to introduce them to other

languages as well. It is an effort that can be appreciated by the student as they get older, it comes

across as normal. The other children in the classroom are also exposed to the language in this

subtle manner.

Child Guidance and Culturally Responsive Care

Positive language is the primary management strategy. The negative language is seen as

harmful to the children. In the place of “no” phrases such as “let’s find something different” are

used in its place. When one child begins to play rough with another, staff step in to move the

child away from the other and give them something else to play way. Language such as “tell her

you don’t like that” is used as well as this begins to help the children establish their social

boundaries. None of the students are speaking so there is a decent amount of trial and error to

discover what it is a child needs at any given time. Most of the students have their schedule but

some have a routine of feeding and napping in place and staff does what they can to keep the

child on that established schedule. Throughout the children’s various routines, the positive

language of the room is maintained and this spills over into the relationships between teachers

and students.

Interactions between teachers and students are positive. The staff in the room have

positive relationships with the children in their care and they are responsive to the needs of the

students. It requires some trial and error to determine what a child needs when they are crying

but deduction does help, if a child just woke up from a nap maybe they want their bottle or need

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a diaper change? Sometimes there is nothing that can be done when one of the children is crying,

this is likely PURPLE crying, and all the staff can do is make sure the child is safe and wait for

the crying to pass. Everything that happens in the classroom is determined by the students inside

it. There is no set schedule that the students follow, and the staff is extremely flexible. Staff

always display socially acceptable behavior as a model for the students to follow, this falls back

onto the subtle learning that takes place in the Inchworm classroom. The staff is constantly

talking in the classroom, either to each other or to the students. The staff is always encouraging

the students to keep trying and exploring new toys with the students when they find them. The

toys are diverse – including people of multiple ethnicities and conditions of living.

The cultural influences in the Inchworm classroom are the occasional use of Spanish

when speaking to the children, the pictures on display throughout the play area, and the toys that

the students interact with. Spanish is spoken in the home of one of the children and the staff

continues her exposure to the language in the classroom as previously discussed. They primarily

speak to the children in English, only using Spanish for a single word here or there. It is difficult

to say what recommendations I have as the students in the classroom are infants and the

classroom is set up to appeal to the children’s sense of discovery. All of the toys are encouraged.

However, toys must be used appropriately and the Leads in the classroom guide the

students through redirection. One child, who is a year old, came over to a child who is four

months old – this child was laying down against a neck rest pillow as the child struggles to sit up.

She began to touch the other child’s head with a spoon toy. The child who is touching the other

child may be trying to make a friend or she thought it was okay to touch the other child.

However, her actions were causing the other child distress and staff stepped in to move her away

from the other child. Positive language such as “let’s find something different to do” and “that’s

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our friend’s head” was used while relocating the first child. Both children were fine after this

encounter. The first child went on to play with the new toy that had been placed in front of her

and the other was tended to by another staff member with a rattle toy. I cannot think of anything

that I would have done differently as both children involved were fine.

Family, Culture, and Community Engagement

The Teaching Tree Early Learning Center is a non-profit organization and relies on the

generous donations of multiple groups and families. In return for this financial support and a

genuine love for children – Teaching Tree works hard to connect with the community of their

student’s families and volunteers. Every year – when able as current global circumstances

require that everyone be extra careful when interacting with large groups – the school hosts

several events for their families and takes part in larger public events as well. Teaching Tree also

works closely with the Early Childhood Council. The school administration and teachers work

hard to weave the tapestry of their community with all who participate in it. And they open this

experience to the Practicum Students at their site.

There are other strategies that can be used to connect with families that Teaching Tree

does not use but could be beneficial. One such strategy used to strengthen family engagement

strategies is to send out a survey to the families, either by digital or physical means as not every

family has access to the internet. This survey, it would ask for basic information about the

family, their beliefs, culture, etc. Once the surveys come back, they would be compiled together

and used to try to find opportunities to include families in classroom activities and collaborate

with them. Another strategy is to utilize apps that translate text, this way staff will be able to

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communicate with families of students who do not speak English. There are a few apps out there

that will automatically translate messages to the family’s preferred language.

Students Learning English

The characteristics of EL and Dual Language Learners, as described by York, states that

these students learn in a sequence of stages. The first of these stages is the ‘Speaking Home

Language’ stage, where the first or home language of the child is spoken with those that the child

knows to speak the language as well and those who only speak English – this is because most do

not fully realize that a language that is not their own is being spoken. The next step is the

‘Nonverbal Period’ – during this stage students will no longer communicate verbally as they’ve

realized that most do not understand what they are saying. As such, students during this stage

will resort to other means of communication and this can range from crying to pointing. It should

be noted, however, that students in this step are also heavily observing everything they can about

those around who speak the second language – English. The third stage is ‘Telegraphic Speech’

– during this stage students stick to using one- or two-word responses to prompts. They will also

refer to familiar objects by their name and be able to recite the alphabet and count. The final

stage is ‘Productive Language’ – this is when students begin to mix simple phrases and their one-

or two-word responses. They begin to create sentences from memory – what they’ve observed

and tried. It should be noted that students learn the conversational language first as this is what

they encounter and interact with more. Students learn more formal versions of language later

(York, 2016).

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 There are several ways that a classroom to accommodate and help an EL or Dual

Language Learners to succeed. Several models set up a good foundation – one such model is the

alternating days model. In this model, one day in class is conducted in English and the next day it

is conducted in the home language of the students. From here it alternates back and forth

between the two (York, 2016). This is the model that is used at Irish Elementary, a bilingual

school where all of the faculty is required to speak both English and Spanish, fluently and the

classes alternate languages every day. This way EL and Dual Language Learners learn English

alongside their English-speaking peers who are learning the home language of the other students.

Classrooms display two sets of their signage – calendars, numbers, and other labeling words or

phrases – in both English and Spanish. This strategy is also discussed by York as one of the ways

to support EL and Dual Language Learners in the classroom. York also discusses the importance

of family and community involvement. Families and community provide a unique opportunity to

not only immerse students but faculty as well in the home languages and cultures of their

students’ families. School events allow bridging families together over the language that they

both speak (York, 2016).

Access, Participation, Supports

The Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) is a piece of legislation that helps

qualifying children get the help and education they need despite their challenges. An Individual

Family Service Plan (IFSP) falls under Part C of IDEA and can be designed for children between

infancy and age two – this plan helps the child the IFSP centers on to get the intervention that

they need should they qualify for one. An IFSP is designed by a family service coordinator in

tandem with the family of the child. An Individual Education Plan (IEP) is like an IFSP, but it is

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meant for children who are at schooling age – three to twenty-one – it also falls under Part B of

IDEA. The student’s family, teachers, and other relevant professionals work together to write an

IEP and make sure that the child has access to the resources they need to succeed. An IEP must

state the learning goals of the student both in the classroom and out of the classroom. A 504 Plan

is not an IEP first and foremost, it can be used for transitioning a child from special education to

standard education but still need some assistance. There are two requirements – the child must

have a disability and that disability must intervene with the child’s ability to learn.

There are a couple of categories of interest when it comes to disabilities. One category is

Orthopedic Impairments – schools are crammed areas, and some – especially older – aren’t

modeled in a way that seems to accommodate students with Orthopedic Impairments.

Elementary schools and preschools have smaller class sizes and can have more room for students

with Orthopedic Impairments but secondary schools are far more populated and can add to the

difficulty that students with Orthopedic Impairments experience. The category of Speech-

Language Development is another category of interest. Communication is one of the keystones

of succeeding in life and much comes from speaking. Children struggling with speech can be

difficult for both the child and the adults in their life. If a child cannot communicate what it is

they are trying to say then they grow frustrated and the adults grow frustrated in response.

Classroom Environment

Illustrated below is a diagram of the Inchworm classroom. Everything that the children

interact with is at their level – ground level – and the room is babyproofed with baby locks on all

cabinets that they could reach. Otherwise, all other items that are a potential hazard are kept out

of reach on higher shelves that only staff has access to.

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 Windows Floor Level Toy Shelf
Door – Out Building

Diaper Change Station

Diaper Sink
Infant Belongings

Playmats – 1-3
Primary Storage Shelves

Floor Level Toy Shelf

Climbing Playmat Rocking Chair
Primary Sink

Crib/Sleeping Area
Door – In Building Crib/Sleeping Cabinet Shelf

In the Inchworm classroom, the process of purchasing materials is an ongoing,

continuous procedure. Every other Thursday, the Site Director collects a form from each

classroom to have materials ordered. Each classroom has this supply form, and it is prefilled with

the standard needs of the classroom – for example, baby food and paper towels. Teachers can

add anything that they need to this list. Sometimes, if an item is cheap enough the teachers will

just purchase the item themselves, but it is primarily done this way. As Teaching Tree is a non-

profit organization there is always a set amount of money put aside for purchasing materials and

each classroom has its budget it can pull from out of that set-aside amount of money.

Lesson Plans

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Teacher: Cecilia Nelson Date: 4/21/2022

School: Teaching Tree Grade Level: Infants Content Area: Physical Development and Health and Cognitive
Development

Title: Look I Can Move! Lesson #: _1_ of _1_

Lesson Idea/Topic and Lesson Idea: The idea behind this lesson is to show infants how moving their
Rational/Relevance: body in different ways leads to crawling, scooting, belly hopping, etc.

Relevance: Children between the ages of 4 and 8 months are in a window

where they are beginning to figure out the basics of movement. This lesson
will help to supplement what is already happening naturally.

Student Profile: The students of the Inchworm classroom range between the ages of six
weeks and eighteen months. The majority in the classroom are stationary
with only a few being able to crawl or walk. None of the children are verbal
but they do recognize some words such as their names and some objects.

Content Standard(s) addressed by this lesson: (Write Content Standards directly from the standard)

Physical Development and Health - 2. Gross Motor: The developing ability to move the large muscles.

Cognitive Development - 1. Cause-and-Effect: The developing understanding that one event brings about another.

Language Goal: 1. Receptive Language: The developing ability to understand words and increasingly complex utterances.

Understandings: (Big Ideas)

Self-Knowledge – The wisdom to know one’s level of understanding and how one’s patterns of thought and action inform understanding.

Application – Ability to use knowledge effectively in new situations and diverse, realistic contexts.

Inquiry Questions: (Essential questions relating knowledge at end of the unit of instruction, select applicable questions from standard)
 How can you move your body to move around?

What happens when you move these parts of your body this way?

Evidence Outcomes: (Learning Targets)

Every student will be able to: (Create your own lesson objectives from the standard using student voice)

Roll onto their stomach using different parts of their body – using hips, torse, and head to rotate.

Lift onto their hands and feet – stay in the position and attempt movement – planking, rocking back and forth.

Watch other students and teachers crawl and attempt to mimic their movements.

Begin to crawl or move around without complete reliance on an adult.

I can:

I can move my body to move around the space.

I know what parts of my body to move to move where I want to.

This means:

Self-Knowledge - I can be aware of how my body moves.

Application – I can adapt and create new ways to move my body and know what will happen when I move.

List of Assessments: (Write the number of the learning targets associated with each assessment)

Frequency Charts – The number of attempts at crawling, scooting, and belly hopping will be recorded. A number of attempts to succeed
at these tasks will also be recorded – as will how many successful attempts the child had during the assessment.

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 Planned Lesson Activities
Name and Purpose of Lesson
Co-Teaching
Will co-teaching models be utilized
in this lesson? Yes _X_ No ___
Approx. Time and Materials
Anticipatory Set
Name
Look I Can Move!
Purpose of Lesson
The purpose of this lesson is to demonstrate for and visually stimulate the infant to
begin to show them how to crawl and move with their own body. With a visual
demonstration while the baby is on their hands and knees can help them to figure out
how to move their body to match what they are seeing.
Which model(s) will be used?
One Teach, One Assist
Why did you choose this model(s) and what are the teachers’ roles?
In an infant classroom where operations within are dictated by the schedules of the
infants it can be difficult to have both teachers actively always teaching as different
children are fed, changed, nap, etc. at different times. With this model it allows
teachers to remain flexible for their student’s needs. One teacher can engage with a
group of infants or one for the lesson and the other can tend to the needs of the
students and engage as well if everyone is taken care of. This is also for the safety of
the infants who are not participating in the lesson.
Approx. Time
15 minutes total – spaced out throughout the day as the interests and needs of the
infants change.
Materials
An open space on carpet or a playmat that has minimal toys near the child – for
safety purposes – have one that the child is interested nearby to help with incentive
to try but have others a distance away from the child for their safety should they lose
balance and fall or roll quickly onto their back.
The strategy I intend to use is:
Demonstrations – can be done by Teacher or Peer
I am using this strategy here because:
Infants need to be stimulated to learn by watching a staff member or a classmate who
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 can crawl to demonstrate the act of crawling - the infant is visually stimulated and
become curious to try it themselves. As they attempt to rollover, get up onto their
hands and knees, and make other motions to crawl a need step can be shown and
praise is given as a reward to the infant for their efforts.

Procedures The strategy I intend to use is:

A demonstration with a child who is in a transition state where they can go from
being stationary to crawling.
 Wait for the child to get on their hands and knees on their own – this shows
that they are in the right state for learning.
 Say the child’s name and be at the child’s level when engaging them.
 Begin to show the first steps of crawling – picking up one hand and moving it
forward, then picking up a knee and moving it forward.
 Continue to engage and encourage the infant to try – stop if the infant begins
to cry or their interests change and come back to it later.
I am using this strategy here because:
The infant is already in the ideal position to learn and be engaged with. This strategy
is also flexible enough to still accommodate the needs of the student. If the student
cries and isn’t quite ready to try to crawl the teacher is right there to attend to the
infant and get them to a place they want to be.

Teacher Actions Student Actions Data Collected

Watch the engagement of Actively observe the  Track number of
the child and pay attention actions of the teacher or attempts
to the cues the student is classmate and attempt to  How the child
giving and adjust mimic the action. moved – rotated,
accordingly. Repeat scooted, belly
instruction as many times hopping, crawl
as necessary. (final goal)

Closure The strategy I intend to use is:

To praise the child for their efforts and then transition the child to play with
something else.
I am using this strategy here because:

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 Regardless of how far the child got to crawling – all effort should be praised and
encourage.

Differentiation Content Language Process Product Environment

For which students are you Modifications: Change to suit Comprehensive Provide Be at the Environment
differentiating (refer to student the physical Input: Use a continuous student’s level can be changed
profile as well as assessment data capabilities of variety of assistance and display to be away
to determine individualized student the child – if techniques to and guidance positive from the other
learning need): the student is make content to the behaviors, children – if
unable to roll concepts clear student’s – reinforcement, another child is
over and get pay attention and praise. crying and it’s
onto their None of the to the cues upsetting the
hands, help children as the student is If the child is student that
them to learn verbal but they displaying. having a hard the teacher is
that. do recognize time getting working with -
some words – into the or if there is an
teachers can crawling adult in the
use known position the room that the
words such as teacher can child doesn’t
the child’s provide hands know. The
name and on assistance comfort of the
introduce new in getting them child is
words that into their important.
apply to lesson, natural crawl
mainly toys. position.
Extensions: Work on this Comprehensive As the child Guide the child Continue to
lesson over a Input: becomes at the child’s work in an
period of days Use continuous more pace. environment
at the and constant comfortable that is
student’s pace positive with the The teacher comfortable to
and continue language that action of can move the the child – can
to work on it the child is moving their toy the child is introduce new
until the child familiar with body to crawl interested in a elements to
demonstrates but also – provide less foot out of the

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 a mastery of continue to visual reach so the environment as
the skill. add new words instruction child keeps the child
that are and trying. progresses.
relevant. encourage
the child to
keep trying
on their own.

Assessment Frequency Chart

Child Name Dates/Number of Type of Movement

Attempts
XX 3/30 – 3 Attempts Attempt 1 – Was on
hands and feet, rocked
back and forth.
Attempt 2 – On hands and
feet, rocked back and
forth, planked.
Attempt 3 – On hands and
feet, rocked back and
forth, rotated – pivoting
on knees and feet.
YY 3/30 – 2 Attempts Attempt 1 – On hands and
feet, stayed in that
position before crying.
Attempt 2 – On hands and
feet, rotated on knees
and feet.

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Teacher: Cecilia Nelson Date: 4/21/2022

School: Teaching Tree Grade Level: Infants Content Area: Physical Development and Health and Cognitive
Development

Title: We Play Together Lesson #: _1_ of _1_

Lesson Idea/Topic and Lesson Idea: Place the children together in a group and have them play with
Rational/Relevance: similar toys – toys from the same basket or similar type – and observe how
the children engage with toys and each other.

Relevance: The ability to communicate and work with others is an essential

skill that goes far in life. While the children may not be directly playing
together – engaging in parallel play primarily – they can learn from playing
in the same space and with the same toys.

Student Profile: The students of the Inchworm classroom range between the ages of six
weeks and eighteen months. The majority in the classroom are stationary
with only a few being able to crawl or walk. None of the children are verbal
but they do recognize some words such as their names and some objects.

Content Standard(s) addressed by this lesson: (Write Content Standards directly from the standard)

Physical Development and Health - 1. Perceptual Development: The developing ability to become aware of the social and physical
environment through the senses.

Social Development - 2. Interaction with Peers: The developing ability to respond to and engage with other children.

Language Goal: 1. Receptive Language: The developing ability to understand words and increasingly complex utterances.

Understandings: (Big Ideas)

Application – ability to use knowledge effectively in new situations and diverse, realistic contexts.

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 Empathy – the ability to get inside another person’s feelings and worldview.

Inquiry Questions: (Essential questions relating knowledge at end of the unit of instruction, select applicable questions from standard)

What is that you have?

What toy is that?

Can you see your friend?

Are you playing with your friend?

Evidence Outcomes: (Learning Targets)

Every student will be able to: (Create your own lesson objectives from the standard using student voice)

Be curious about the room around them.

Mouth and shake the toys they play with.

Play next to other children.

Watch and interact with the children next to them.

I can:

I can see what and who is around me.

I can play with and by my friends.

This means:

Application: I can use and play with the toys around me.

Empathy: I can consider those around me as we play.

List of Assessments: (Write the number of the learning targets associated with each assessment)

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 Structured and Non-Structured Observation – Infants can be observed exhibiting desired behaviors when interacting with their
environment. Teachers can note how the infants interact with each other – grabbing, pulling, cooing, baby talking, etc.

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 Planned Lesson Activities
Name and Purpose of Lesson
Co-Teaching
Will co-teaching models be utilized in
this lesson? Yes _X_ No ___
Approx. Time and Materials
Anticipatory Set
Name
We Play Together
Purpose of Lesson
Have children grow curious about the toys around them and have these toys be in
the middle of the children so that multiple children interact with it
simultaneously. This can start to teach children how to interact with their peers by
introducing concepts that will be developed upon later – sharing, not grabbing
friends, knowing your strength, etc.
Which model(s) will be used?
One Teach, One Assist
Why did you choose this model(s) and what are the teachers’ roles?
In an infant classroom where operations within are dictated by the schedules of
the infants it can be difficult to have both teachers actively always teaching as
different children are fed, changed, nap, etc. at different times. With this model it
allows teachers to remain flexible for their student’s needs. One teacher can
engage with a group of infants or one for the lesson and the other can tend to the
needs of the students and engage as well if everyone is taken care of. This is also
for the safety of the infants who are not participating in the lesson.
Approx. Time
15 minutes total – spaced out throughout the day as the interests and needs of
the infants change.
Materials
A space or a mat for the children to sit in a circle – boppies for children who
cannot sit on their own just yet. A large toy and several smaller toys.
The strategy I intend to use is:
Exploratory Play
I am using this strategy here because:
Infants primarily learn through play and by putting a larger and unfamiliar toy – a
drum or infant piano – multiple senses can be sparked in the infants. With using a
larger toy that will grab the attention of multiple children can also cause all of
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 them to reach and interact with the toy – creating a parallel play environment.
Procedures The strategy I intend to use is:
Through exploratory play the facilitating teacher will follow these steps…
 Place 4 to 5 infants together in a circle or on a playmat.
 Retrieve several toys – one larger toy and several smaller toys.
 Place the toys in the middle of the children.
 Teacher should play with the toys for a little bit to attract the attention of
the infants.
 Once the children have started playing with the toys – the teacher should
remain with the children to observe their behaviors and help should a
child be grabbed.
I am using this strategy here because:
It helps to set the stage for the infants to explore toys but also the other children
in that are playing in the vicinity of them. They may primarily play by themselves
but they can watch the other children and try to play with the same toy.

Teacher Actions Student Actions Data Collected

Watch the engagement of Play and mouth the toys Record how the children
the child and pay in front of them. Watch interact with each other
attention to the cues the friends do the same. primarily but also how
student is giving and they interact with the
adjust accordingly. Move toys.
children away from each
other if they are grabbing Swap toys out for new
and pulling on other ones and record how the
children. Relocate children children interact with
who have grown bored the new toys.
with what is in front of
them.

Closure The strategy I intend to use is:

To praise the children for exploring the toys and play among or with friends – then
move the child to a different spot for something new.

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 I am using this strategy here because:
Even if the children never interact with each other directly – they can still play
together and gain that experience before being on their own for a few minutes.

Differentiation Content Language Process Product Environment

For which students are you Modifications: Swap out toys Comprehensive Provide Change the
differentiating (refer to student profile that the Input: Use a continuous environment
as well as assessment data to children have variety of assistance to
determine individualized student become techniques to and guidance accommodate
learning need): bored with. If make content to the different toys
a child is concepts clear student’s – and interests
unable to pay attention of the children
hold a toy a None of the to the cues involved. But
yet then the children as the student is remain in the
teacher verbal but they displaying. play area of
should do recognize the room.
interact with some words – As children
the child so teachers can learn to crawl
they get to use known and can move
experience words such as on from the
the toy in the child’s play area –
different name and allow the
ways. introduce new child to do so.
words that Let them seek
apply to lesson, their own
mainly toys interests.
Extensions: Continue to Comprehensive The teacher Continue to
work with the Input: should always work in an
children over Use continuous remain close environment
a period of and constant by for the that is
them and positive safety of all comfortable to
slowly teach language that the children the child – can
them to hold the child is and this setup introduce new
toys and familiar with should be elements to

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 other object but also utilized the
on their own continue to add through the environment
so that they new words that children’s as the child
can be are relevant. time in the progresses.
mouthed. infant
classroom.
Assessment Structured and Non-Structured Observation
Child Name Observations
XX XX was mouthing rattle toy and then held
it out to another student before retracting
the toy back to them.
YY YY was playing with a spoon toy when
another child grabbed it. YY cried for a
moment before playing with a new toy.

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 Evidence of Assessment

In the Inchworm classroom, the form of assessment that is used is TSG Gold. The

progress of the children is tracked daily – informally by the teachers and formally. Due to the

young age of the students, it can be difficult to conduct a formal assessment – the teachers assess

students individually and when time allows. When assessments are completed, the teachers take

note of each student’s score and the details of the score. From here notes are made on the

curriculum to see what needs to be changed during the next planning day – toys might be

switched out as well as other objects in the classroom. The classroom is also designed with the

Infant/Toddler Environmental Rating Scale (ITERS) in mind. ITERS ensures that the classroom

fosters a growth mindset, and the teachers are trained to reinforce what the environment presents.

ITERS dictates how the teachers interact with the students – their language is specific and

deliberate. Language is the primary strategy in the classroom. The identifying information of the

children is not shared with any party except when necessary and with the consent of the present

parties.

During the “Look I Can Crawl” lesson – a Frequency Chart was used to assess the

students of the Inchworm classroom. This form of assessment tracks the attempts made by the

target students for the lesson and notes what they did while being taught and observed.

Child Name Dates/Number of Type of Movement

Attempts
XX 3/30 – 1 Attempt Attempt 1 – Was on hands and feet, rocked
back and forth. Bounced on knees and
planked before switching attention to a toy.
YY 3/30 – 2 Attempts Attempt 1 – On hands and feet, planked for a
moment before rolling onto their back.
Attempt 2 – On hands and feet, watched staff
crawl, laughed, then returned to a sitting
position.
 For the “We Play Together” lesson – a different form of assessment was used. Instead of

a Frequency Chart, a form of Structured and Non-Structured Observation was used. Observation

suited this lesson better as it can be difficult to demonstrate the desired behaviors, it is better to

facilitate the ideal environment for observation and help to subtly guide children towards

learning goals.

Child Name Observations

XX XX was mouthing a food toy while playing in the kitchen play
area with another student. XX was watching the other
student put a baby doll into the sink as she mouthed the
food toy.
YY YY was watching the teacher play with a drum toy alongside
some (3) other children. YY reached out for the drum and
mouthed the edge of it.
ZZ ZZ was walking around the room holding a phone toy. She
would check the phone whenever the teacher says “ring,
ring.” Another child reached for another phone toy in
response to the teachers prompts.

Assessment is the primary way to track the growth of all students. It helps to find areas

that children are struggling with and informs instruction with the students. Through assessments,

changes can be made to the curriculum or how lessons are facilitated to suit the needs of any

child or group of children. The development of skills and knowledge within students can be

subtle but assessments can help shed some light on the subtlety of growth.

Reflection

Over the course of the past sixteen weeks in the Inchworm classroom, there has been

much a learn and a lot to reflect upon. When implementing lesson plans in the classroom it was

difficult to always focus on the lesson as the Inchworm classroom is in a constant flux of needs

and every child has a different internal schedule that needs to be kept in mind. It was easier to set

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up and facilitate the “We Play Together” lesson – as this setting was relatively normal for the

children it just had some minor adjustments. As a result, the activities associated with the “We

Play Together” lesson went rather smoothly and provided much to be observed. The “Look I Can

Crawl” lesson was harder to facilitate as many of the children in the classroom were not yet

ready to crawl – there was only a couple who had shown an interest in crawling. Then there was

always the chance that the target children for the lesson were not interested in learning how to

crawl on any particular day. There was a great deal of adapting to the interests of the students

involved in both lessons.

For the “We Play Together” lesson – children were regularly groups together to play with

small toys that they could interact with personally, to change that setting a little bit a large toy

that the teacher interacted with was added to the environment. That larger toy would get the

attention of all the children and they would try to play with that larger toy individually but all at

the same time. In the “Look I Can Crawl” lesson – if a child had gotten into the starting crawler

position – they were on their hands and knees – then positive language and active engagement

from a teacher were used to keep the child engaged. The student could see that they were getting

attention from a teacher and that would help the student’s engagement as well.

Some changes to make to the “Look I Can Crawl” lesson would be to extend the target

children to all the students in the classroom that cannot crawl and start the lesson by helping

them to learn to hold themselves up, roll, etc. For the “We Play Together” lesson – a change that

could be made could be to use toys that two children can interact with at the same time such as a

bandana or a collapsing tube toy. This way the students playing with it can be playing indirectly

with each other.

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 Conclusion

I learned that I have a lot to learn. This semester was my opportunity to work with infants

and adjusting to their needs when they need it was difficult. There is a great deal of growth that

needs to happen before I become truly proficient in it and even then, I know that I will have more

to learn after that. In an infant classroom, there is no true set routine as everything is defined by

the needs of the children in the classroom. There were a couple of aspects that happen on a

schedule but these aspects – diaper checks and lunch – weaved into the student’s schedules. The

teaching strategies influenced by ITERS had a positive effect on the students and their growth

was plain to see. At the beginning of the semester there was only one child who was just

beginning to walk, now that child walks with confidence and some others are starting to try.

Each child brings their unique story, personality, and needs to every classroom they come

into – not all children are going to learn to crawl at the same time as others, not all children are

going to be speaking proficiently, etc. Having generalized milestones can be good to have but

it’s important to always consider the singular situation of each child. As a teacher, I need to do

whatever I can to ensure that every child gets what they need or if I cannot provide it then to

point the child and their family in the direction of someone who can. I, as a teacher, am

responsible for the growth of every child I teach, and I need to be flexible in my teaching to

accommodate every child as they learn. Most importantly, however, is I need to be the voice of

my students – especially when they cannot speak for themselves – I need to take initiative in

doing what I can to get my students what they need and I need to do what I can to make sure no

child goes ignored.

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 Appendix

Lesson Plan 1 – UbD

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Lesson Plan 2 – UbD

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 References

Colorado Department of Education. (2021). Colorado Early Learning and Development

Guidelines. Colorado Department of Education.

https://earlylearningco.org/pdf/ELDG_Guidelines_English.pdf

Gullickson, Hannah; Cameron, Raelynn; Marose, Lucy; Tiefenthaler, Irene; and Van Nice,

Tasha. (2018). "Critique of the Creative Curriculum for Preschool," University of

Montana Journal of Early Childhood Scholarship and Innovative Practice: Vol. 2 : Iss.

1 , Article 2. Available at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/ecsip/vol2/iss1/2

NAEYC. (2002). Our Mission Statement and Strategic Direction: Core Values. National

Association for the Education of Young Children.

https://www.naeyc.org/about-us/people/mission-and-strategic-direction#:~:text=Core

%20Values,-Appreciate%20childhood%20as&text=Recognize%20that%20children

%20are%20best,family%20member%2C%20and%20colleague).

York, S. 2016. Roots and Wings: Affirming Culture and Preventing Bias in Early Childhood.

Redleaf Press; Third Edition. https://www.redleafpress.org/Roots-and-Wings-Third-

Edition-Affirming-Culture-and-Preventing-Bias-in-Early-Childhood-P1427.aspx

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