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School entry designed with a Peace Garden

School Gardens

Gardens for Learning

Students respond well to learning in outdoor environments and demonstrate improved learning and behaviour. School grounds and gardens are increasingly being recognised and used as stimulating and engaging places for student learning.

While schools may have received great new indoor facilities, the school grounds may be at risk of being neglected.  These outdoor spaces within a school are a wonderful educational resource in themselves.  

Rather than just a landscape, the school grounds can become a ‘Learn Scape’

What are ‘Learn Scapes’?

  • They are specially designed landscapes that are stimulating and engaging places for student learning and interaction with the environment.
  • They allow a range of pedagogies that are more achievable outside the conventional classroom.
  • Common features include food gardens, frog bogs, worm farms or outdoor ‘classrooms’.
  • They provide opportunities for teaching to all curriculum areas
  • They raise environmental awareness and teaching for sustainability.
  • The Learnscape process is a collaborative process that includes teachers, students, administration and community.
  • They incorporate curriculum and learning activities as well as student involvement in development and maintenance.
  • The learn scape becomes an integral part of the learning experiences of the school.
  • Students respond well to learning in outdoor environments and demonstrate improved learning and behaviour.
  • They allow a greater range of pedagogies than the conventional classroom

Designing School Gardens

Ideally, a ‘learn scape’ is designed, with guidance, and at least partially constructed by  students themselves. This contributes to the whole learning experience.

Teaching and ancillary staff are also important parts of the process.

Gary can assist a school through from support and PD to teachers and sessions with students to providing a landscape plans for construction.

Call Gary if you are considering a school landscape design, Melbourne Metropolitan area, or for a learn scape consultation.

Gary Shadforth – Arcadia Sustainable Design – 0431 022 953

gary@arcadiasustainabledesign.com.au