Education is far more than the transfer of knowledge between teacher and student, says BPAS Architects principal Landseer Collen. It is a network of relationships, environments, and experiences that shape the whole person.
Building on the globally recognised Third Teacher concept, which views the learning environment as a silent educator alongside adults and peers, Collen proposes an evolution: the Fourth Teacher, where community itself becomes an active force in education.
“Schools don’t exist in isolation,” he explains. “Families, neighbours, cultural custodians, civic leaders and local institutions are all part of a living, breathing context. When we invite these voices in, education becomes a shared civic project.”
Collen’s theory is captured in his self-published book, The Fourth Teacher: Harnessing Community for Transformative Education. Drawing on years of architectural practice and research, Collen argues that learning flourishes when classrooms extend into their communities, through mentorship, storytelling, shared gardens, festivals and intergenerational partnerships.
Learning through Ubuntu
Collen says this idea resonates powerfully in South Africa, where the philosophy of Ubuntu (“I am because we are”) emphasises that individual wellbeing is inseparable from collective wellbeing.
“Ubuntu is not abstract,” says Collen. “It lives in the way a grandparent tells stories to a class, how a parent shares farming knowledge, or how a local artisan mentors learners. These are expressions of community as educator – Ubuntu as pedagogy.”
For Collen, this approach is both philosophical and practical. In an education system still marked by inequality, the Fourth Teacher provides a framework for inclusion. It restores belonging, ensuring that every learner’s identity is recognised and valued. “When students feel seen and heard, they develop resilience and confidence. That’s where real learning begins,” he notes.
Balancing tradition and innovation
Collen’s Fourth Teacher concept doesn’t reject traditional teaching methods. Rather, it reframes them. Structure and discipline remain essential but must be complemented by creativity and collaboration. “Knowledge can be delivered in rows of chairs in a classroom, but understanding happens when learners step into parks, markets, and neighbourhoods, engaging with the world around them,” says Collen.
This balance echoes BPAS’s architectural ethos: designing learning spaces that reflect both heritage and future, grounding innovation in cultural and social context.
From theory to practice
Collen calls on architects, educators and policymakers to intentionally cultivate community engagement, through school–business partnerships, mentorship schemes, cultural associations and storytelling initiatives. These connections, he believes, can transform schools into “sanctuaries of growth” for learners and communities alike.
“Education should be a dance between mind, heart and community,” he says. “If we want transformative education, we must invite the community into the classroom, and the classroom into the community.”
By embracing the Fourth Teacher, BPAS aims to help shape environments where learning, architecture and human connection converge — creating schools that do more than instruct. They belong, heal, and empower.