ACCEPT

Date: 10/10/2025

Editor: Yaqing Hou

The Monash ACCEPT (Asian Cultural Community-Engaged Pedagogy for Teaching) team, including Dr. Hongzhi Zhang, Dr. Philip Chan, and Yaqing Hou, together with Venerable Master Hongsi (弘四法师) and interpreter Jennifer Shen, visited Daylesford Dharma School to learn about its distinctive educational philosophy and wellbeing-centered approach

Hosted by Principal Andrea Furness, the delegation received a warm welcome to the school’s 22-acre campus set amidst the natural beauty of Daylesford. During the visit, the team toured the campus, observed teaching and learning in progress, and joined a visual arts classroom where students were being introduced to printmaking techniques. The lesson demonstrated how artistic learning at Daylesford Dharma School is deeply connected with mindfulness, reflection, and creative exploration, supporting both skill development and emotional growth.

Through their classroom observations and conversations with teachers and students, the visitors gained valuable insights into how Daylesford Dharma School integrates the Australian Curriculum with a wellbeing framework grounded in Buddhist philosophy. This approach emphasizes awareness, compassion, and ethical understanding as essential dimensions of a holistic education.

In discussions with Principal Andrea Furness, the group learned more about the school’s unique programs, including Bush School and Compassionate Citizenship, which extend learning beyond the classroom and foster empathy, creativity, and a strong sense of community connection. The Monash ACCEPT team expressed great admiration for how the school’s philosophy resonates with their own vision of promoting intercultural understanding between Australia and Asia through art, education, and community collaboration.

Venerable Master Hongsi shared his reflections on the relationship between art and Buddhist philosophy, highlighting how creative practice can nurture mindfulness, harmony, and compassion. His insights offered a profound perspective on how art can serve as a bridge between inner cultivation and outward expression.

Both parties explored possibilities for future collaboration, including teacher professional learning, co-designed art and wellbeing projects, and research partnerships linking the Dharma School’s holistic pedagogical approach with Monash ACCEPT project, in particular with the art-based educational research.

Principal Andrea Furness expressed her appreciation for the visit, describing it as a meaningful opportunity to exchange ideas about integrating wellbeing, creativity, and ethical awareness into everyday teaching practice. Members of the Monash ACCEPT team commented that Daylesford Dharma School offers an inspiring model of how education can nurture capable, compassionate, and globally aware young learners.

The visit marked a significant step in strengthening intercultural dialogue across education, spirituality, and the arts, reaffirming that compassion and creativity are essential foundations for both learning and life.