The Tweeted question above spiked my interest because this is actually what I am thinking about right now. I just ordered some new tables and chairs, but they are high-tops with bar stools. I went from rows when I was in school 15 years ago; to computers at tables around the room in my first classroom; to computer tables, a whole class discussion circular table space, and a set of connected rectangular tables for art project space; and now I am adding the high-top space. We will see what happens and how I change my room once the high-tops come. How have you altered your classroom space to make it more efficient for communication, collaboration, innovation, etc.?
ASCD's Steven Weber provides a list of 5 Ways to Transform Learning Space in his Learning Space Matters post. Anne Taylor provides examples for How Schools Are Redesigning Their Space in her article in Educational Leadership.
6 Comments
Leela
3/16/2018 10:09:24 pm
This is an interesting question. I did an observation at Northglenn high school a few months ago and I observed a classroom where the teacher had a multitude of seating options from rolling chairs to standing desks to beanbags and couches. I loved the concept and I think that it’s really awesome to be able to offer that to students. It is interesting to see the changes in education even from something as small as seating arrangements going from rows to pods, etc. I unfortunately share my classroom with three other teachers so I’m limited in terms of what I can offer to my students but I think there are some cool options and ideas out there.
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Angelina
3/17/2018 09:30:08 am
Leela, I have to get over to Northglenn; a group of our teachers went on a tour of several different schools with Mindspark, and they said they got the most our of what they saw at Northglenn. I, too, have the couches and bean bags, in addition to the the different table groupings. It works out really nicely for blended learning (computer time, reading time, creation time, class discussion or small group discussion time, etc.
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Aimee
3/17/2018 11:10:20 am
Thinking about the best classes I've had, there's always something special about the layout of the classroom. It's incredible that I haven't thought much about classroom layout, but it makes such a huge difference. Space that encourages collaboration and teamwork might be circular vs. desks in rows for testing and memorization. For example, math classes seemed especially notorious for having military style rows of desks but I loved a math class I had that was set up for team work because it was not (immediately) stressful. : )
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Angelina
3/24/2018 04:08:27 pm
Desks in rows are definitely a thing of the past, yet I still walk into schools all the time where that is the set-up in most classrooms. I think teachers are afraid of change, but once they see what is possible and how to use these different set-ups and spaces, it allows them to feel more at ease of what their classrooms could be. Many just need ideas, to have their minds sparked, in order to make a change.
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Leslie Fitzgerald
3/18/2018 07:57:11 pm
When I moved into the librarian position at my school I redesigned several spaces. I pulled all of the teacher resources that were never used out of a room and designated it as a special area for the middle school students, then I created a corner for the primary kids with stuffed animal bean bags. This past summer I got rid of the individual computer stations and opened up the area with tables. The space is much more open and inviting now.
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Angelina
3/24/2018 04:04:13 pm
Leslie, your new space sounds wonderful. I love the idea of special places for certain age groups; and open spaces definitely lead to more creative thinking, look at Google's work spaces.
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Angelina Valvona-Herndon: a high school teacher, blessed to work with at-risk students striving to succeed in academia and the real world. Archives
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