Mantle of the Expert
At Green Oaks we are proud of our outstanding curriculum that is rich in creative activities and inspires learning for life.
We have high standards for all our children, and provide exciting and challenging learning experiences that ensure all of our children are happy and motivated to succeed.
At Oakwood we organise learning through inquiry-based projects using an approach called the ‘Mantle of the Expert.’ This approach is an inspirational way of engaging children in their learning by providing tasks and activities that replicate real life. The big idea is that the class do all their curriculum work as if they are an imagined group of experts. So, they might be chefs in a world renowned restaurant or a team of people running an animal sanctuary. They may be scientists working in a laboratory or toy designers working in a factory. The children behave ‘as if they are experts’, working from a specific point of view as they explore their learning. This brings special responsibilities, social behaviours and the need for knowledge to complete tasks related to their enterprise.
Some of the ‘Mantles’ that our children have enjoyed being part of are:
- Deep Sea Divers
- Conservation Experts
- An Animal Sanctuary
- Fairytale Problem Solvers
- Extreme Explorers
Each ‘Mantle’ allows our children to debate real-life issues and solve problems through careful inquiry, discussion and collaboration. Our staff are trained to use the approach through qualified experts and by observing best practice in our own and other schools.
If you would like to find out more about Mantle of the Expert please visit:
At Greenfields we use some of the techniques and teaching approaches that make the Mantle of the Expert so successful. For example being able to explore different viewpoints, debate issues and reach shared agreements is an important part of running projects and exploring real life situations. We, therefore, use the Mantle of the Expert approach within our Greenfield’s school curriculum.
