At Beaconsfield Upper Primary School, our teaching and learning philosophy incorporates the theories of John Dewey, Jean Piaget and Vygotsky amongst others.
Through our personalised learning approach, the child’s needs, interests, passions and directions are considerations that ensure that all individuals are engaged in their learning and are well prepared for a successful life. As we continue to fine-tune our teaching and learning philosophy, we have been exploring the highly successful Reggio Emilia Approach that originated in Northern Italy after WW11 and still used widely around the world, especially in pre schools and primary schools.
As a way of extending our children’s involvement with the environment is through the creation and caring of an extensive vegetable garden. Vegetables will be grown, chickens will lay eggs and our children will incorporate food technology as part of their education at BUPS. Children will soon be discussing the establishment of our vegetable garden, what vegetables will grow best in our timelines and how to get the best crop possible. The other aspect of our garden to kitchen project is the keeping of chickens safely with the cunning foxes not too far away.
The purpose built kitchen and function room in our new Stadium will enable children to cook/bake the ingredients and then enjoy the fruits of their labours for lunch. Grades will be supported by members from our community who have a passion for learning and gardening.
Many children find it hard to relate the food that they purchase, already packaged in jars, plastics and cartons, to the origin as a seed, in the soil, with sunshine and rain before it ripens, is harvested and finally makes its way to the kitchen. Growing things and caring for the environment is now more pertinent than ever in our quest for a quality life and the maintenance of a healthy planet.
All children from all grades will have the opportunity to plant fast growing vegetables, studying their life cycle and eventually harvesting the fruits of their labours, preparing meals as part of our sustainability and food technology program.
