Depending on the learning goal, an informal setting, like a small patch of grass outdoors, can become the perfect place for learning to take place, sometimes even more effectively than a traditional classroom.

Take, for example, this photograph depicting a group of children on a small patch of grass. They are planting seeds, watering plants, and observing insects under the guidance of a local environmental educator. The children are actively engaged, full of curiosity and excitement as they learn about biology, ecology, and sustainability through hands-on experience.

Engaging directly with the environment allows learners to apply concepts in real-world contexts, enhancing understanding and retention. Tactile activities like planting and observing insects make learning interactive and enjoyable. Learning about ecology and sustainability in a natural setting demonstrates the direct impact and importance of these concepts in everyday life. Students can see the immediate results of their actions, reinforcing the lesson's significance.

In essence, the environment should stimulate curiosity and participation, encouraging students to actively engage with the material and with each other. It should accommodate diverse learning styles and needs, ensuring that every student feels included and capable of succeeding. Furthermore, the environment should allow for learning to be relevant and connected to real-world experiences, which can be more easily facilitated in informal settings like a garden or a community space.

An environment in which all resources are utilized effectively and efficiently to ensure all students make the maximum progress in their learning. Learners feel safe, have a sense of belonging, collaborate to learn and are willing to take risks and learn from their mistakes.

As I continue to reflect on this issue - and travel to schools - I keep adding to my list.

Optimal learning environment can be anywhere and everywhere

·         Students feel safe. Students need to feel safe (physically and psychologically) if they are to succeed and excel. Safe means a place where they feel their ideas and opinions will be valued. The environment is safe to make mistakes, share thoughts, and know that their ideas will not be attacked or ridiculed.  Trust must be apparent for students to succeed.

·         Students feel cared for. This means that teachers need to invest in them as people: know them, their interests, and passions, and what is important in their lives. Teaching students first and then the curriculum. Optimal learning environments are characterised by kind, caring, and respectful adult, adult-student, and peer relationships that cultivate a sense of belonging and foster academic, social, and emotional skills. All students are treated equally: justice matters for students and shows that adults care.

·         Students’ learning styles are addressed: The environment and task must meet the students individual needs and learning styles to ensure they are interesting in what they are doing

·         Students feel engaged in their learning. Teaching needs to ensure that it engages students in their learning – use of provocations, ensuring you link the learning with ‘real events’ (apply it, show it is meaningful). The method of learning also needs to engage with how students learn best.

·         Students feel at the heart of their learning: learning needs to be personalised. This is what differentiation means. Within an Optimal Learning Environment, the diverse needs of each learner are addressed with an ever-present attention to equity and continuous academic, social, and emotional growth. Students' work is valued and appreciated. Students can get instant and positive feedback for what they have done.  The optimal learning environment is student driven. Students become the creators of daily learning experiences and the teacher acts as facilitator, connecting these experiences to standards and frameworks.

·         Students in the driving seat of their learning: Students need to feel that they are constructing knowledge and making meaning, not just acquiring it (active participants in their learning). Students need to have the opportunity to show their understanding in a way that is meaningful and relevant to them. 

·         Students are taught how to learn: They need to be given the skills of how to learn including the important skills of being able to reflect (e.g. through journaling, blog) on what they know and understand. They also need to know the WHY of learning – the relevance and where it all fits in with their lives. The development of skills is a crucial element to prepare students effectively for life beyond school.

·         The learning space should be visually interesting and encourage group work. Spaces should include break outs areas, good access to ICT and furniture that is appropriate to the learning tasks. It should include stimuli to promote discussion and act as a tool that provides opportunities for independent and group work.

·         The teacher creates a sense of belonging. In optional classroom environments  teachers show respect for students’ history and culture by purposefully displaying artifacts that recognize and celebrate their culture and intentionally engaging each student’s voice (speech) and vision (perspective through their eyes).  

·         Students feel that they can achieve: It is important that teachers promote the belief that students can achieve the highest (optimal) standards through effort (growth mind-set). An optimal learning environment encourages students to extend their thinking motivating them to go beyond their comfort zone in their commitment to the ethic of excellence, Ron Berger's video of Austin's Butterfly continues to inspire teachers of all ages to use peer critique and feedback to urge students to go beyond their comfort zone to produce beautiful work, both in terms of their study and of their lives.

·         Students’ prior knowledge needs to be identified and built upon: Teachers need to start with students’ strengths and push students to the frontier of their intelligence.  Build units from these strengths by making connections before, during and after lessons.  Never just start with the textbook, start with the student. Believe in the strengths and intellectual abilities of your students.

·         The teacher models the process of learning: Modeling the collaboration, communication and critical thinking in the learning environment sets the standard and helps students to follow.

·         Students get instant feedback: Instant and positive feedback is necessary for students to know what they have been doing well and they will gain more confidence which drives them to explore more.

·         The teacher engages students in a sense of wonder and curiosity. In the optional classroom environment teachers are the ones to set the tone, teach with passion, and ignite again a sense of wonder in learning, while ensuring that  the content is taught! They step out of their comfort zone and learn along with their students.

·         The teacher involves students in choices, plans, and decisions. In the optional classroom environment, teachers change their mind-set from “my class” to “our class”, to give students a sense of ownership. Institute assembly to empower students.  Students feel respected when teachers understand and value their opinions and apply that understanding to decisions for their learning. Therefore teachers invite their voices and respect their choices.

I chose an image of a playground as people naturally gravitate to the sections that they are interested in and feel safe in. Gradually though, students will want to explore different areas, learn from each other and eventually use the playground in entirely different ways. There are multiple entry points, where any child can feel able to play safely.