Construction of Place: Creating a Religious Built Environment to Optimally Support a Child’s Entrance into Flow

AbstractThere is significant research on the built environment’s support for children’s optimal learning in educational settings. While faith itself is transmitted through conversation with God, the process of conversation, as well as a child’s interaction and growth within their community, is affected by the physically built environment of the classroom. By filtering data through a lens of God’s gift of place, we can see what is often taken for granted or measured by adult standards. When place is viewed as the third teacher, best practices can help children enter a flow state of learning which supports their spiritual development.Keywords: built environmentchildren’s facilitiescreating communityChristian educationclassroomschildren’s optimal learning Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Additional informationNotes on contributorsElizabeth ViceElizabeth Vice has years of training and education both in human development, Montessori pedagogy, and theology. At Parkside, she combines all of these skills to assist the children as they live into the reality that they are loved by God. Email: eavice@mindspring.com