Week 10 - Arts in the Early Years

Today we visited a learning environment which represented freedom, student agency, exploration, sharing, and the celebration of beauty. It was a privilege to observe students learn in this environment.

My question is: How do we take what we know about the structure and climate of early learning environments and apply that to learning in Grades 1 and up? Does this type of empowered learning only work for ages 4 and 5, and then it is no longer effective? Or are there ways we can change a grade 3 or a grade 8 classroom so that when we walk in, it looks more like Kindergarten? Today, I sensed and felt learning happening in a way that was almost palpable. It was a privilege. I will remember the energy and beauty of the space I saw today, and it will affect how I think about classroom design, honouring students, and the potential for exploratory learning at all grade levels.