Learning Spaces

You know me quite well. When you do the maths you spend at least 1,200 hours within me. 

Stands to reason I should be a Learning Space you want to be in.

 

I don't wish to be difficult but the trouble is, I've looked the same for a while now. I know, you try to spruce me up with Pinterest pretty ideas and the occasional touch of paint but I am feeling a little neglected. I'm not sure I am working to my full potential.

 

 

 

I really don't see how I can accommodate personal learning spaces at the moment, the desks seem to be in rows. I'm not sure where a visitor would fit to provide an incursion, there seems to be a lot of stuff in me. My computers are covered in dust, I know they need to be near the windows where the power points are but, the students sneeze whenever they are using them. I can't seem to enhance collaboration either, my design just isn't right. 

 

So, what can we do.

 

 

Let's begin by considering the content you need to deliver. I understand that the curriculum is very important.

Where is the best place to deliver the content? In the classroom or somewhere else in the school?

Is there an ultimate location to teach this material? I know we have some amazing Learning Spaces here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Have you created an environment that is so unique and enjoyable that students are pulled into it as if by a magnet?"

(Burgess 2012)

 

I know Student Management is a key element to consider. Biddick (2014) comments that spaces can become very difficult to manage, unless clear and consistent practices are put into place.  Our students are aware of our school's Caring Values and I'm sure they will respect the boundaries.

 

Student's preferences are important to consider as well.  Read (2010) conducted a study on Children's Preferences about Classroom design. Did you know shapes, colours, light, lines, space and even what is in the learning space have varying levels of appeal to different students?   Read discovered that an understanding of children's preferences for design was clearly important in a Learning Space.

 

Declutter. It's ok that you want to keep your carefully constructed resources from the past but we really are pushed for space. Do you think you could find somewhere else to store them? (Preferably off site.)

 

Re-arrange. I understand you need to have certain posters on the wall to keep the Auditor and Admin happy, sometimes they block the natural light and I think they could be positioned elsewhere.

 

We can't forget the computer lab and the shared spaces. Are they really conducive to learning? Do you have any ideas for them? There are some great ideas here and here and here.

 

There is a lot to consider and I don't expect you to change me overnight. But here is a great website that may help you 're-arrange' me so that I can be more beneficial to your learning outcomes.

http://classroom.4teachers.org

And there are ample websites, blogs, twitter feeds and more to get you motivated.

 

 

 

Let's do this.

 

 

Sincerely,

Your classroom and the school