THE ENVIRONMENT
AS A ‘THIRD TEACHER’ IN CURRO CASTLES
The environment of a school or classroom greatly contributes to the enjoyment and efficiency of the
learning experience. This is particularly true for young children, as they learn through their senses and how
they interact with their environment. Therefore, we will be focussing on the environment of our Castles
as a supposed ‘third teacher’.
The environment as a ‘third teacher’ is one of the principles of
Australia’s Early Years Learning Framework (ELYF) published
in 2017, although the approach was first propagated by Loris
Malaguzzi after World War 2 in the villages around Reggio
Emilia, Italy. According to this philosophy physical spaces
influence what and how children learn. The environment
should therefore be an integral part of the curriculum
considerations. (EYLF, 2017).
Curro Castles, therefore, aim to develop environments
where various age groups can engage in independent or
collaborative exploration and play, using open-ended, child-
friendly materials and equipment. One example of such
material is Lego Soft Bricks, which can be used for creative
building, balancing, pattern-making, spatial relationships,
shape and colour recognition, and imaginative play.
‘In order to act as an educator for the child, the environment
has to be flexible; it must undergo frequent modification
by the children and the teachers in order to remain up to
date and responsive to their needs to be protagonists in
constructing their knowledge.’ (Gandini, 1998 – in Ludlow,
2009).
Safety will always remain the first criteria, though the latest
research suggests that ‘The risk is that there is “no risk”.’
(Bundy et al., 2009). Self-directed, experimental learning
promotes natural risk-taking, e.g. taking the risk of applying
materials in a new, innovative way, but also the risk of going
further and higher. Risk-taking and creativity go hand-in-
hand.
Incorporating flexible learning opportunities in the
environment requires thorough planning, but allows teachers
to become part of the learning experience. The environment
should inspire young learners to explore, experiment and
represent their own ideas through various actions and
materials, while the teacher interacts and becomes involved
in their experiences.
The advantages of this approach are countless, but the most
apparent would be that self-directed play leads to self-
directed learning, creative and critical thinking, own identity,
and a sense of belonging and accomplishment. These are
precisely the qualities that 21st-century children need.
What could you expect to see in our Castles?
• More outdoor activities with multi-purpose equipment and
recycled materials (salvaged tyres, cardboard boxes, empty
containers and drums, household items and tools)
• More natural materials (wood, bark, shells, seeds, leaves,
sand, mud, natural clay, rocks and tree stumps)
• More choices in learning activities
• More make-believe activities
• Less tables and chairs
• No more teacher-directed craft activities
Parents can help by providing interesting everyday objects
such as natural materials, as well as real-life objects such as
old shoes, scarves, bags, clothes, jewellery, make-up, tools,
hairdryers, cameras, electronic equipment, kitchen utensils,
pots and pans, and more.
Reading:
1. Ludlow, S. 2009. ‘Maximising the potential of the “third teacher”:
Indoor developmental play environments: 3 – 8 yrs’. TEACH Journal of
Christian education: Volume 3, issue 1. Available at: https://research.
avondale.edu.au/teach/vol3/iss1/6
2. Belonging, being and becoming: The early years learning framework for
Australia, ISBN 978-642-77872-7
3. Davis, J. 2009. ‘Revealing the research “hole” of early childhood
education for sustainability: A preliminary survey of the literature.’
Environmental education research: Volume 15, issue 2. Available at:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13504620802710607
4. Carter, M. 2007. ‘Making your environment the “third teacher”.
Exchange: July/August 2007. Available at: https://earlylearning.prn.
bc.ca/wp-content/uploads/Environment-as-the-3rd-teacher.pdf
5. Bundy, A, Luckett, T, Tranter, P, Naughton, G, Wyver, S, Ragen, J
and Spies, G. 2009. ‘The risk is that there is “no risk”: a simple,
innovative intervention to increase children’s activity levels’.
International journal of early years education: Volume 17, issue 1., DOI:
10.1080/09669760802699878
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