::: a fresh start to the new year
With the summer holidays now at an end here in the Southern Hemisphere, teachers have been busy getting their heads around the new school year, a big part of this being to sort out their rooms. We were invited to visit Stockdale Primary School down in Traralgon to have a behind the scenes peek at what goes on before the children come back eagerly for a year of fun and learning.
Oh, how your heart sinks when you walk back into a room that has been all stacked away to give the cleaners some access to floors, walls and windows!
How are we going to make a thing of beauty out of all this confusion?
Well teachers do – they are great at it. Here are some of the exciting learning areas we saw either set up or well on the way.
Dramatic play corners ..
Reading and writing corners …
Imaginative play …
Sensory areas …
Creative places …
and construction areas.
Well done guys. You have got your year off to a great start!
For more information on Stockdale Road Primary School please visit our Education Directory.
What age group is in this classroom? It looks like a wonderful learning and exploration space.
::: Lynette these photos come from the prep, grade one and grade two class rooms. Stockdale Road Primary School is a play based school so this is an example of what all the rooms might look like!
You know I don’t think anyone else but early childhood educators have this much prep before school starts! Hope the new school year goes well for everyone Down Under, we are now 1/2 way through our school year & staring down towards the holidays
::: We guarantee you are spot on Keirna! It’s called passion and dedication!!! You’re half way through the year already … MAN where as THAT time gone?
This is grade one and two??!! Oh my goodness, here in NJ-USA you will not find Kindergarten through second looking like this at all…let along many pre-k classes (4 and 5 year olds). How I WISH I lived near a school with this philosophy for my child. I just adore this! My daughter (first child) will be home from China this summer. We are adopting her through Holt International, and she will be about 18 months old when she gets home. So excited!! But I am sad for her future of her school career because school here is overly-academically-competitive, forget the idea of “play based”, it would not survive here. It hurts to see what school has become. And I am speaking from the point of view of Preschool Teacher of 20 years. I will not give up hope though. And I will live vicariously through your blog. I believe I may have gotten on this little soap box here on your blog in the past…but seeing through the eyes of your lens and the words of your blog what the children COULD be doing at school in the USA (and from my personal experience, here in NJ) but are actually not doing, well, it stirs something deep within me. Take care. Keep up the good work.
::: Thank you for sharing your opinion on our blog Lynette … We hear you and we agree with you!! Here’s hoping you find a school which supports your philosophy in time for your daughter to attend.
Hi, I just wanted to say what a great school Stockdale Rd is I am a pre service teacher in my last year of uni and my daughter has just started in prep at Stockdale Rd and loves it. They are so welcoming and their intensive transition program is awesome to settle the children in. This school is the only one in the area doing a play based program however the other schools are starting to catch on and go to Stockdale Rd for inspiration. I find this so inspiring and the teachers are very passionate about the play based approach. I love this blog for all the ideas and encouragement we can give each other; i’m excited to see the future for our most valuable children.
::: What a lovely comment Skye … Thank you! We agree that Julie and her team are doing an amazing job and to know they are inspiring other schools is wonderful!
I love these peaks into other peoples classrooms…it makes me feel like a bower bird collecting all sorts of beautiful ideas to store and use. I really appreciate you providing us with the opportunity to learn from such talented teachers.
PS. did I notice some of your baskets…you’ve inspired me again
::: Everyone does enjoy a sneaky look into other people’s rooms, Bianca. It can give us some great ideas and also confirm that what we are doing is on track.