Creating Environments for Learning

Julie Bullard is a professor and director of the Early Childhood Education program at the University of Montana Western. During her 35 years in the early childhood field she has been a preschool and elementary teacher, childcare director, Head Start administrator, and has taught adults receiving CDAs, associate degrees, and bachelor’s degrees in early childhood as well as students receiving master’s degrees in curriculum and instruction. Julie has taught higher education coursework both face-to-face and online for over 20 years and was named the Carnegie Professor of the Year for Montana in 2011.   Julie has had a passion for the importance of the early learning environment since completing coursework in architecture more than 30 years ago. She also has a special interest in curricular standards and has served on several state and national committees that are working on developing and implementing standards using play-based curriculum. She has served on the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Professional Development Panel, as a national reviewer of early childhood higher education programs, and on an oversight committee for NAEYC/NCATE accreditation. Julie served on an NAEYC committee to revise the national early childhood higher education standards. She is on the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education Board of Examiners (NCATE BOE) and on the editorial board for the Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education. She has been involved in the development of the Montana early childhood knowledge base, infant—toddler guidelines, preschool guidelines, kindergarten standards, and early childhood and elementary higher education standards. Julie received her doctorate from Montana State University.

1          Understanding the Importance of the Environment 
2          Establishing an Emotionally Supportive and Equitable Environment 
3          Establishing a Context for Learning: Designing Schedules, Transitions, and Routines 
4          Planning a Play-Based Curriculum 
5          Arranging an Effective Environment 
6          Design Considerations 
7          Developing Dramatic Play Centers 
8          Developing Manipulative and Sensory Centers 
9          Developing Block and Building Centers 
10         Developing Literacy Centers 
11         Developing Science Centers 
12         Developing Math Centers 
13         Developing Visual Art Centers 
14         Developing Music and Dance Centers 
15         Integrating Technology 
16         Special-Interest Centers 
17         Creating Outdoor Environments 
18         Creating Spaces for Families and Teachers 
19         Meeting Environmental Challenges 
References 
Index