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On the Importance of the Learning Environment
September 1, 2006
The more healthy relationships a child has, the more likely he will be to recover from trauma and thrive. Relationships are the agents of change and the most powerful therapy is human love.
-Dr. Bruce Perry
-Dr. Bruce Perry
Recently, I traveled to visit my colleagues at the Toyoko Gakuen Women’s College in Tokyo, Japan. Three years ago, the college established a department of Early Childhood Care and Education. This initiative was launched with much care to create a setting where a strong curriculum is supported by an enriched learning environment. In short, it’s beautiful.
The learning environment at the college ensures that students remain focused on understanding children and their development. The Faculty members and college administrators achieve this through…
- Decorating seminar rooms with high quality, finely crafted toys
- Dedicating classroom space to specific elements of the curriculum (e.g., art and music studios)
- Maintaining an environment that is both organized and playful
- Having children and their parents engaged in activities at the college.
I visited at a time when Tokyo was preparing for Tanabata (star festival), a time when the Milky Way provides the opportunity for two stars to meet. In celebration, it is customary to write one’s wishes on paper and hang them on a bamboo tree in hopes that the wishes come true. I wish that we all look for ways to keep our students focused on the children.
Contributed by Laurie McNelles �" Mothercraft Institute for Early Development
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Comments (3)
Displaying All 3 CommentsCreston, BC, United States
I wonder whether this intriguing short description might be developed into a future CCIE article with lots of pictures (hopefully) and furhter details on this "beautiful" teaching and learning environment.
Bloomington, IN, United States
Beautiful! Esthetics is a powerful learning tool.
Linda Zager :-)
The Children's Garden
Topsham, Maine, United States
The final line of this article is one that all of us who work in this field, teachers, trainers, cooks, drivers, health consultants, licensing workers, therapists & family laisons should always use to drive our actions. What a lovely commentary. Our work will be and can be better is we always look for wasy to stay focussed on the children.
I have a family that I'd work with for the past two years, the mother a native of Japan and a college professor of Japanese. Growing up in Japan, she had wanted to be a kindergarten teacher, but she was "not studious or smart enough" to become a Japanese kindergarten teacher, only a college professor. It is interesting how the education system of a culture reflects it's value of the young child.
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