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The Influence of Environments
March 25, 2022
You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist.
-Indira Gandhi (1917-1984), first female Prime Minister of India

In Caring Spaces, Learning Places, Jim Greenman defined the environment as the external conditions and factors that might influence us, not just the physical space, “but also how time is structured, roles are allotted, and expectations of our behavior are formed.” The environment is physical, sensory (light, smells, textures, colors, sounds, temperature…), social and even temporal. Greenman goes on to say, “The physical and social environment plays a major role in our social and psychological lives, influencing the stress we experience in accomplishing personal and group goals, the form and nature of our social contacts, and our feelings of identity and self-worth.”

In discussing the Prepared Environment in their new book Complementary Curriculum Approach, Lisa Porter Kuh and Iris Chin Ponte note, “It is important to reconsider some well-ingrained norms about what early childhood classrooms should look like and how they should be set up for learning. With guidance from legacy thinkers in early education, teachers can design classrooms that reflect their values about childhood and the teaching and learning experience.”

Throughout their discussion, Porter and Kuh offer helpful points of reflection: What is the first thing you see? How do you feel in your room? And, “What do you need from your surroundings to do your best work and learning? What do the children need? This is about more than beautiful classrooms painted in soft tones. It is also about children’s access to prepared environments that are interesting, spark independence and agency, and are happy and joyful places to learn. This kind of environment should be a right for every child.”

Share your thoughts in the comments about how your environment impacts you and the children in your care.

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Complementary Curriculum Approach
Transform Your Practice Through Intentional Teaching

The Complementary Curriculum Approach invites teachers to support children’s play and cultivate classroom environments with rich, interesting learning experiences at the core. Four strategic and powerful teaching intentions are presented. The goal is that teachers will invigorate their practice and enhance their own time and energy by using these fresh, interrelated tools.

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Comments (1)

Displaying 1 Comment
Francis Wardle · March 26, 2022
University of Phoenix/ Red Rocks Community College
Denver, Colorado, United States


In my long experience with programs for young children, I think there are three overall things that are often lacking regarding the environment. 1) A responsive environment. Children need to be able to control and manipulate their environment. This gives them a sense of power and enables them to match the environment with their reeds. 2) Change. Most environments for young children are much too boring and static. The longer the child's day in a program the more the need for change. And 3) an understanding that the outdoors is as important an environment as the indoors.



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