Traditional learning environments consist of boxes; throughout the day, children cycle through box after box, learning one subject at a time, taught by individual teachers, and completely disconnected from the next box. However, the real world is not designed in boxes, and at the end of the day, children in traditional learning environments have no clear understanding of a particular subject and how to transfer the material into a real-world setting. Interdisciplinary learning (also known as unit studies or thematic units) is a sensible and balanced approach to learning which allows students to discover clear and relevant connections across the curriculum and weave different subjects together. Through exploring an issue within multiple subjects together, cognitive growth is greatly improved, learning is rich and deepened, and children are better able to make sense of any given material and how it relates to the world around them.
An example of multidimensional learning you might see at Rooted might look like:
-Learning about fractions through practical use in cooking class
-Learning simple and more complicated math concepts through money management at our children’s business fair
-Social studies of different countries, combined with map reading, cooking classes on countries’ most famous dishes, and major historical events from each of the countries
-Exploring our local creeks and wildlife whilst learning about erosion and various ecosystems
Did you know Augusta sits on top of a geological fall line, providing two very distinct types of both plant and animal communities in our backyard to discover?!