our model
At Traces of Learning, we believe in nourishing children’s sense of wonder and curiosity, and we view all children as capable, that they are not empty vessels that need to be filled but they can learn from each other and us from them.
Firstly, our inquiry learning through Projects enable us to meet the demands of the curriculum - Humanities, Sciences, Health & Wellbeing, Capabilities, Technologies
In years P-2, we offer 'Research - in dialogue with play' where children are offered opportunities to transfer their explicit learning including literacy and numeracy in relevant and contextual ways. They are invited to represent their learning through ‘many languages’ such as artistry, construction, technology and dramatic play and more.
In years 3 and up, we offer 'Research - through Projects' where children engage in circles of inquiry, returning to ideas, reshaping thinking, lingering with complexity, and revisiting questions and renewed understanding with new eyes.
our project
growth over time and memory held in layers
‘Our Project’ offers our children an opportunity to engage with the Humanities, Science, Health and Wellbeing, and capabilities curriculums as inquirers. As children engage in this shared project, they develop the dispositions needed to view and understand the world in a critical and reflective way. Through explicit teaching of Inquiry processes, our children engage in hands-on encounters and learning experiences. These experiences broaden their viewpoints and deepen their interpretations of the communities and world in which they live. We call these
"Circles of Inquiry"
The concept of “circles” brings a sense of rhythm—a natural ebb and flow. Much like the passing of time or the cycle of seasons, a circle doesn’t have a sharp starting or ending point. It’s ongoing and cyclical, just as learning often is: periods of deep inquiry followed by moments of reflection, with everything coming together in a continuous loop. In this sense, it mirrors how children explore concepts: returning to them over time, deepening their understanding in new ways with each pass.
Learning processes are embedded throughout, creating a rhythm of questioning, thinking, revisiting, and refining.
my project
A child’s My Project grows in a place not always visible to the outside eye — a place nourished by internal motivation, quiet observation, and spontaneous moments of wonder. The educator, in this metaphor, does not clear the grove or dictate its design — they walk gently alongside, listening, noticing, and offering nutrients in the form of resources, provocations, and conversations. The documentation process becomes the map of the grove, capturing glimpses of the child’s thinking, the winding pathways of their inquiry, and the fruits of their reflection.
Child-led research projects provide rich opportunities for exploration, creativity, and deep learning. By inviting children to lead in their learning whilst educators cultivate and weave critical thinking, problem-solving, and social-emotional skills a deeper transfer occurs. ‘My Projects’ empower children to see themselves as capable and active participants in their educational journey, encouraging lifelong curiosity and a love for learning.
Projects are not predetermined as such or rigidly structured but emerge from the children's interests, ideas, and questions, and may also stem from OUR PROJECT. Educators act as facilitators, guiding the children as they explore topics of their choosing, often responding to questions or curiosities that arise organically during their interactions.
As projects progress, literacy and numeracy is woven in (this stems from explicitly taught literacy and numeracy occurring at other times).