Reimagining Childhood

Learning Environment

Powerful Learning Environments

Many of you by now would have noticed many subtle transformations that our Early Years teachers are making to classrooms, or, inside learning environments. This year the staff has embarked upon this transformation based upon the inspiration of 2012-2013 Thinker-in-Residence, Carla Rinaldi.

Based upon her paper, “Re-imagining Childhood”, many schools have begun to change the way childhood is perceived- firstly from an early childhood perspective then a primary perspective. Indeed, schools in South Australia are beginning to use the inspiration of Carla Rinaldi to transform R-7 classrooms.

Learning EnvironmentAt HCEPS we believe that children are capable and competent learners, digital natives, and their social and cultural connections are diverse. This leads us to understand that in our classrooms there may be as many learning styles as there are students. In other words “one size doesn’t fit all”.
What we are doing fully complements the Mission, Values and Core Business of our school. By changing furniture, displays, and materials we are hoping to create warm environments which will engage all of our children; cause them to wonder, inquire, experiment and learn at every opportunity and in every space.

Learning EnvironmentYou, your grandparents and your great-grandparents were taught in the same traditionally organised classrooms of a desk or table space for every child. While this was excellent for control of over 60 students during the industrial revolution, current research and evidence demonstrates that our school environments need to be so much more than this. In embracing the research and evidence, we support our students to make choices about the ways they learn and the tools they use to learn. We trust and support them to make the most of the available space to learn in and to make strong choices about who they work with.

Learning EnvironmentOur school’s mission

“to ensure that our students are able to successfully interact and achieve within and beyond their own community, now and in the future”

is embedded within our classrooms as we work with students to become responsible, respectful and creative. Therefore we are intentional about creating learning environments with our classes that are welcoming, organised, beautiful, and reflect the natural environment.
We are just beginning on a learning journey with our children and we look forward to having you on board with us!

Learning Environment