Classroom and School

Throughout this week’s readings, I have been challenged to expand how I perceive the classroom beyond what I have previously seen. Throughout my placements, the schools I have enjoyed most are the ones that have had strong values and a strong sense of community. The students at these schools demonstrated respect and were happy to be at school, which I found put me at ease, made me happier and I enjoyed my time significantly more. I was able to work collaboratively with the students, handing over the responsibility to them and at the end of the day I felt that both the students and myself had achieved more. This has given me a glimpse into the potential of how effective these community schools can be. I loved how the two schools in the video focused on the personal and interpersonal skills of the children, their emotional, social and spiritual welfare, which worked to develop more well-rounded students who are happy and thriving, whilst equipping them with the life skills to become better human beings. These schools were equipping students with the lifelong skills that support them in being successful individuals. I believe that there should be more schools that value the children as equals and focus on the development of the whole child. The NAPLAN results proved that this approach is effective, as the students were academically doing better than other schools. I believe this is because the students feel valued, taking on the responsibility for their learning and being motivated and driven to achieve because of the learning environment.

The concept of vertical schools was also something that I found fascinating. Living and growing up in Canberra, I am constantly watching suburbs pop up everywhere because of the growing population and increased need for housing and schools. The concept of building up seems so simple, yet I had never considered it. I love the idea of building up as it meets the increasing demand of society and their needs, despite the lack of space, yet it would be something that would need to be designed quite deliberately. As it was highlighted in the article, these buildings have the potential to be quite boxy. Therefore, careful planning and design is required to ensure it ends up being an open space. The other aspect of vertical schools that challenged me was the lack of natural outdoor environments and green views out the windows. The balconies with gardens, trees and recreational spaces work to address this challenge, yet I still see the value in the natural landscape seen within other school grounds.

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