The Red Room

Red Classroom Environment

In the classroom there are the following areas:

• Sensory area
• Table activities
• Building area
• Dramatic play area
• Reading and cozy area
• Science area
• Manipulative area
• Private bathroom space
• Courtyard for outdoor play

Emerging Developmental Skills

• Self-help skills: toileting, dressing, washing hands, utilizing cubby
• Verbal Communication with adults and peers
• Increased interest in large group time
• Increased ability to play cooperatively

Educational Philosophy

At John Winthrop, we believe in the child-centered classroom, which means we develop our curriculum based on the interests and needs of the children. Art projects are created by the children and focus on process rather than product.

Example of a Curriculum Project

The teachers noticed that the children were asking questions about their bodies - similarities and differences between their bodies and those of their friends, how things work, labeling body parts, etc. In response to the children’s natural curiosity, the teachers developed a curriculum project about a doctor’s office. The teachers laid paper out on the floor and traced children’s body shapes, then hung them on the wall so children could compare and contrast their body shapes. During circle the teachers introduced different stories (fiction and nonfiction) about trips to the doctor and the human body. A parent who is a doctor visited the classroom and brought in different tools from her office for the children to use in their dramatic play. The children role-played doctor and patient in the dramatic play area, taking care of their friends, teachers, parents, and baby dolls using authentic doctor’s office materials such as blood pressure cuffs, stethoscopes, surgeon goggles, white lab coats, reflex hammers, and more.