Environment Matters.
Let’s talk about the preschool environment.
Here’s something that we all accept as fact: a high quality environment is important for Early Learning. Virtually every esteemed Early Childhood Education philosophy that’s available for study or inspiration, no matter how different they each are in practice, has this idea in common. They each name their ideas something different, for instance, The Montessori Method teaches of The Prepared Environment, High/Scope considers the Learning Environment in their teaching approach, and the schools of Reggio Emilia, Italy have named the environment The Third Teacher. So, we can all agree: environment matters.
“But why does that matter?”
Since we’re considering some of these highly regarded educational philosophies, I’ll use a quote from Maria Montessori:
“Education is a natural process carried out by the human individual, and is acquired not by listening to words, but by experiences in the environment.”
We can reflect on this idea and quickly conclude that an Early Learning environment should be intentional, welcoming, and thoughtful. I think it’s also important to add that the environment must be flexible and responsive to the needs and desires of the children in order to allow space for natural exploration and learning to occur. Children need a comfortable sense of belonging and space to play authentically. As a champion advocate for play once put it,
“Belonging for young children is being in a place where they feel comfortable enough to play without looking over their shoulders seeking approval - or dodging disapproval - to explore without fear, to redefine their space and to use materials found around them to create for themselves a sense of order, pattern, and structure.”
So what, then, does a high quality environment look like?
When we think of a typical preschool environment, we often picture classrooms full of brightly colored posters, a bold alphabet hanging proudly on the wall, and a big, bright rug on the floor covered with numbers, shapes, or exciting animals. A growing body of research tells us clearly, though, that this is way off base. These types of environments are proven to be uncomfortably overstimulating, and even damaging to young minds. The clutter hinders much of the learning that should be taking place in a well-curated environment.
So what do we do instead? Well, we surely don’t want our children feeling anxious and unable to learn. We don’t want our children feeling institutionalized in a OSFA classroom that isn’t responsive to their needs. We want them to feel welcomed. We want them to have a sense of ownership over their space. We want our children to feel comfortable. Where can children find these feelings? The answer is simple: at home.
Parents, when you’re searching for a preschool for your child, find one that feels like home. Homes and schools can (and should!) have lots in common:
soft elements and a decorative style that feels natural and personal
real furniture for using that doesn’t feel stale or cold
a sense of freedom and comfort; an allowance to explore
“real-life” tools and materials, rather than toy versions
adults that are welcoming and loving
unlimited access to the outdoors
flexibility for children to go and do as they please
cultural representation in materials, decor, routines, and literature
The list can continue forever, but the point remains: Early Learning environments shouldn’t be caricatures of what we’ve arbitrarily designed to be “school-like.” We need to find and make space for our children that is authentic, flexible, and welcoming. Space that is home-like. No more sterile plastics and bright colors. Let’s give our children the real world experiences that research (and ethics!) tells us to.