EDSS468 DREAM CLASSROOM

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As a pre service teacher, I am constantly reflecting on what I come across in teaching in
my professional placements. I have come to learn that the classroom is so much more
than a room for learning. Each child must feel a sense of belonging within the
classroom. Learning is not merely the absorption of material by a student. It is a
combination of many factors. Class room layout, a child centred class room, positive
behaviour management techniques, mutual trust, a safe learning environment, lack of
bias, cultural sensitivity, and the ability to draw out each childs special talent to make
them feel like worthy contributors. A class room must have a positive climate. The
children must feel a sense of security. The atmosphere must be conducive to taking
safe challenges with out fear of ridicule. A positive environment is the building block in
developing a child with the positive self-efficacy to take safe challenges. It has been
indicated that creativity not only is conducive to learning, student achievement, and
cognitive development but also is a predictor of academic success (Freund et.al,
2008).
As Humanities covers so many areas, and has different objectives from foundation level
to level 5, I do not believe there is one absolute dream classroom that would provide for
all 7 levels in primary school. Thinking about this and the need to change things up to
keep it exciting and engaging, I propose three different dream classrooms for the three
different stages in teaching humanities. The three classrooms will be broken up into
foundation level to level 2, level 3 and 4, and level 5 and 6. I feel this is the best way to
design my dream classroom, as the humanities require such different experiences for
different levels. My three different dream classrooms are strongly based on the AusVELS
learning focuses for each level, but also my own teaching style, which is very much
based on inquiry learning. I aim for each classroom to go beyond the AusVELS
standards for each particular level to engage and encourage students to get hands on
with humanities.
As AusVELS states (2013), At Foundation to Level 2, students are introduced to basic
concepts related to history, geography and economics. These concepts are set out in
discrete content descriptions and achievement standards for History, and under the
general umbrella of The Humanities for Geography and Economics. Achievement
standards for History are introduced from Foundation. The dream classroom for
foundation level to level 2 would be centred on their humanities focuses. Students
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develop an awareness of spatial concepts through structured experiences within their

immediate environment. They investigate the relative location, direction and distance
of their home, school, classroom, local parks, shops and other significant features of
their environment and begin to understand the geography of their local area. Students
explore how and why natural factors (for example, changes in the weather) and human
activities (for example, the closing of a park) affect their lives. They develop basic
narratives that link events in their own experience. Participating in activities such as
wearing protection from the sun, saving energy, saving water, and recycling, they
develop their awareness of environmental issues. Students learn about their own
history and that of their family; this may include stories from different cultures and
other parts of the world. These learning focuss taken from AusVELS (2013) will be the
main foundation for the dream classroom. To cater for foundation level to level 2, the
classroom must be a flexible learning space.
Starting with history, the learning focus for foundation to level 2 is Personal and Family
Histories, Present and Past Family Life and the past in the present. History is the
platform for introducing children to this crucial aspect of their lives, and teaches them
the ability to piece together different types of information, and learn the principles of
drawing conclusions from evidence presented, allowing them to form links between the
present day and the past (Cooper, J. 2011). I would design the classroom to have one
wall of the room completely covered with the students family trees including pictures of
their relatives, so that they can visualise the different cultures and family systems that
are in place in their classroom. Each week a student would have to opportunity to talk
about their family tree with the rest of the class, like a show and tell. For example, my
personal story would be about my grandparents coming to Australia by boat from
Cyprus. This gives the students an opportunity to reflect on where they came from but
also to understand where others came from and other cultures. To also cover the focus
past in the present I would have weekly walking excursions around the local
community to take photos and record information about the old buildings in the area.
This would aim to demonstrate to the children that we in the present are a product of
the past, and to encourage the idea that one day a class might be learning about us
and taking photos of our new buildings. This also will show the children the importance
of protecting the environment so that it is possible for future children to live like they
did. To cover Geography in this dream classroom would mean covering a range of
different topics. To provide for the foundation level, I would create a wall of the local
community outline, and on our weekly walks to take photos of the buildings for history, I
would encourage the students to remember how the streets work, and later in the
classroom print out the photos of the shops and buildings and arrange them on the
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town wall map to eventually show the local community. This would put into perspective
the local town and where the school in is relation to this. After the town map is
complete I would include students houses in relation to the town map, some might be
10km north and some might be 1 km east, this will show the students where they are in
relation to school and include themselves in this mapping process. For level 1 and 2, I
would have another wall with a world map. Each week we would focus on a different,
country and this would provide the main room transformations. For example, in the
week we focus on India, desks would be removed and students would sit on the ground,
we would try Indian food and learn about Indian culture. By the end of the week,
students should be able to locate India on the world map and stick an Indian flag pin
onto the map. This will also tie into the original family tree maps because students will
be able to see on the world map where their relatives came from or where their friends
family tree begins. In the Foundation Stage, children must be supported in developing
the knowledge, skills and understanding that help them to make sense of the world.
Humanities directly relates to the area of development Knowledge and
Understanding of the World - Time, Place and Communities (ACARA, 2011)
The next dream classroom is for level 3 and level 4 in the AusVELS system. Students
investigate the human and physical characteristics of their local area and other parts of
Victoria and consider features of their local community that have changed over time.
They learn about settlement patterns, major land uses, communication networks, and
the location and variety of national parks in Victoria. They begin to make some simple
comparisons between local and other Victorian environments: natural features, climate,
land use and types of human activities. Students develop awareness and understanding
of the effects of people's interactions with their environment and the ways in which
these affect their lives (AusVELS, 2013). The area of focus for geography for level 3
and 4 is very much about the environment and our impacts. Looking at the local
parklands is a good place to start but students must learn to be aware of the
environment outside of the parklands. This dream classroom will be centred on the
environment, and what better way to do that than to bring the outside elements inside.
The classroom will have Australian flora everywhere and students will take responsibly
to water the plants and ensure they are getting enough light, water and love to survive.
This will be for children to appreciate the environment and learn to love nature.
In the 3 and 4 level of AusVELS Students also learn to distinguish between basic needs
and wants (for example, food, clothing, shelter, and affection), saving and spending,
buyers (consumers) and sellers (producers), and goods and services. They develop an
understanding of the role of money and identify ways to save; for example, using a
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savings account, and begin to understand the importance of budgeting. They examine
and compare different types of work and specific jobs. To engage children in this topic
and make it exciting, every Friday the classroom will act as a marketplace for the
students. During the week, students will plan a their own market stall in a small group,
and will have to work out their own product, budgeting and individual jobs. For
example, one group might make a lemonade stall. They would need to work out the
costs of making the lemonade, place their supermarket orders with their teacher,
design their banners and marketing strategies for the stall and work out a price to sell
their lemonade. On every Friday we would have a marketplace in the classroom, where
students will be able to man their stalls and buy and sell other products using monopoly
money. After the stall, students count their money made and money spent, and must
deposit it into the classroom bank until the next weeks classroom marketplace. They
might decide to change the price of their product or cut back on their own spending the
next week. This will teach students saving and spending and the importance of
budgeting. It is an interactive and exciting way to learn hands on, and will also serve as
a reward for their hard work during the week.
For the History focus in my dream classroom for levels 3 and 4, the learning focuses are
community and remembrance, and first contacts. I would have an aboriginal focus
corner where students can sit and listen to dream time stories on ipods or have a go at
traditional dot painting. I think it is important for students to learn about the aboriginal
story and sorry day from an early age, and to participate in smoking ceremonies and
different aboriginal cultural traditions, and to acknowledge that where we live and
where we learn is aboriginal land. The dream classroom would have aboriginal guest
speakers to come in and talk about sorry day and tell us dream time stories. This unit
would also include excursions to local aboriginal meeting spots like the Fairfield
boathouse remembrance circle. I believe that when teaching and learning about
aboriginal culture, you should be removed from the walls of the classroom and be
outside in the Australian landscape. These values teach children to be aware of others
and their cultures, accept diversity within a democratic society, being included and
including others. This is taught through learning about other cultures diversitys and the
conflict that comes when different cultures are not accepting of their differences.
Children will learn that just because someone has a different way of doing things, this
does not mean they are wrong, and we must be accepting of others. National
Framework for Values Education in Australian Schools. (2011). This can be taken back
into the classroom by having things like eucalyptus branches and other native flora
inside the classroom. Teachers handling relatively young children need to realise that
those children learn best in a practical environment. (Smith, C. 2010)
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The last of my dream classrooms is for levels 5 and 6 students. Beginning with the
Geography unit of Humanities, Students identify and describe Australias significant
natural processes. They describe the reaction of people to these processes including
the management of natural disasters. They compare the various ways humans have
used and affected the Australian environment. Students recommend ways of protecting
environmentally sensitive areas in a sustainable way. They provide examples and
evidence based on their inquiries. Again I believe that in order to teach this to students,
you must be out of the classroom setting. Students would participate in excursions to
the 2009 sites of the black Saturday bushfires, to see the damaging effects of natural
disasters and the way the environment and community bounces back. So, my dream
classroom for teaching geography to students would not be a classroom at all. I believe
the best way to learn and appreciate the impacts of a natural disaster of this scale is to
see it for yourself, and this can not be done in a typical school classroom.
To teach history to level 5 and 6 students, my dream classroom would be transformed
into different eras for Australian colonies, like the gold rush. The Level 5 curriculum
provides a study of colonial Australia in the 1800s. Students look at the founding of
British colonies and the development of a colony. They learn about what life was like for
different groups of people in the colonial period. They examine significant events and
people, political and economic developments, social structures, and settlement
patterns. To teach this, I would provide students with a similar experience as the
classroom marketplace in level 3 and 4, by transforming the classroom into Bendigo in
the gold rush. Students would be given a new name and job, and every day pick out of
the hat their winnings in gold for the day. They would have to organise their own gold
digging permits and every day not only pick out gold winnings from a hat, but also pick
out a scenario to overcome, for example they have been found to have lost their gold
digging permit and must pay $200 dollars or go to jail. This gold rush classroom would
be acted out for one hour each day and the students would be able to get a better
understanding of the gold rush by feeling like they are a part of it. I also believe that an
excursion to Sovereign hill would be beneficial as it would be a more realistic
understanding of the times.
The physical classroom should be more than just displays and posters, A classroom is a
cognitive, emotional and ethical template (Cookson, 2006, p.14). my dream classroom
is not confided to the walls of the classroom, and is in keeping with my personal
teaching philosophy that students should be encouraged and excited to learn. Learning
Humanities in the early years is vital for Australian children, as it teaches them a wide
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range of skills, as a vast spectrum of topics is covered within the Humanitarian

umbrella, a focus on this broad curriculum is essential for fostering understanding,
tolerance, compassion and inclusion.

References.
Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority (2013) Victorian
Curriculum and Assessment Authority. Retrieved from
http://ausvels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/The-Humanities/Overview/Introduction
Reynolds, R. (2012). Teaching history, geography and SOSE in the primary
school (2nd ed.). South Melbourne, Vic: Oxford University Press.
Smith, C. (24 February 2010). Rationale For Teaching And Organization Of
Humanities In Primary Schools. Retrieved September 7, 2013, from
http://m.articlesbase.com/education-articles/rationale-for-teaching-andorganization-of-humanities-in-primary-schools-1903243.html
Cooper, J. (2011, November 16). Humanities in the Early Years. Retrieved
September 6, 2013, from http://www.markedbyteachers.com/universitydegree/education-and-teaching/the-humanities-subjects-all-play-an-importantrole-in-the-overall-curriculum-for-primary-schools-and-in-inter-curriculum-skillsif-well-instructed-they-can-teach-children-vocabulary-creative-literacy.html

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ACARA (2011). Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority.

Retrieved September 6, 2013, from
http://www.acara.edu.au/curriculum/curriculum.html
National Framework for Values Education in Australian Schools. (2011). National
Framework: Nine Values for Australian Schooling. Retrieved September 7, 2013,
from
http://www.valueseducation.edu.au/values/val_national_framework_nine_values,
14515.html - See more at: http://reffor.us/index.php#sthash.ro8J0Dv4.dpuf
Cookson, P. W. (2006, February). Your ideal classroom. Professional
Development, Your First Year, 14-16.
Freund, P. & Holling, H. 2008. Creativity in the classroom: A multilevel analysis
investigating the impact of creativity and reasoning ability on GPA. Creativity
Research Journal, 20(3): 30918.

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