The Ivybrook Academy Learning Environment

At Ivybrook Academy, the classroom itself is considered a teacher. Every material, surface, and space is intentionally designed to invite exploration, support independence, and reflect the interests and needs of the children learning there. This video takes you inside an Ivybrook classroom to see what a Reggio Emilia and Montessori-inspired environment actually looks like — and why the physical space matters as much as the curriculum.

Ivybrook Academy classrooms are built around a simple belief: children learn best when their environment respects their curiosity and their individuality. Materials are carefully selected to support hands-on, child-led exploration across early literacy, mathematics, creative arts, and discovery. Rather than a one-size-fits-all setup, each classroom evolves based on careful observation of the children in it — reflecting their current investigations, interests, and developmental needs.

The Ivybrook environment draws from Montessori principles of self-direction and independent choice, Reggio Emilia’s belief in the classroom as a living learning partner, and a Discovery Program focused on creative expression, music, movement, and library studies. The result is a space where children feel safe to explore, confident to try, and genuinely excited to learn.