The Environment as the 3rd Teacher

The idea of the environment as the third teacher originated in Reggio Emilia with the work of Louis Malaguzzi. It is proposed educators view the service as a living organism, a place of shared relationships among the children, the educators and the families; hopefully producing a feeling of belonging in a world that is alive, engaging, welcoming and authentic. The layout of the physical space encourages encounters, communication and relationships. It is never simply a backdrop to the curriculum; it is an integral part of a leisure based program in OSHC.

Educators are aware, that children learn from multiple sources – the educators, parents or other adults in a space (first teacher), their peers - especially when they can interact in small groups (second teacher) and finally the space itself. The arrangement of structures, objects and activities encourage choices, problem solving and discoveries in the process of learning and play. The space is always teaching, and it is vital that reflective educators listen carefully to what it is conveying. 

Join our panel of OSHC action research practitioners as we reflect on current practice, theoretical influences, children’s wellbeing development and learning, advice for novices exploring our topic and future visions.

Our Panel will include Educators from several of our membership services who look forward to sharing their story.

Join us as we experiment with our new more collaborative format!

Should you have a story of practice that you would like to share as part for our Togetherness Tuesday, please contact Rarni Rothwell on rarni@qcan.org.au