Classroom Spaces
I know that flexible seating is a buzzword of the moment and that there isn’t a lot of definitive research done on the topic, but two events this school year have me thinking about my classroom space, the intentionality behind it, and the effects on student learning.
This is my third year in my current classroom and each year I think about the environment I want to create, both in terms of functionality as well as inviting opportunities to read and collaborate. Three years ago I shifted my thinking for classroom design beyond what I put on the walls. I used a Donors Choose project to fun two lounge chairs and four Hokki Stools. My sons were three or four at the time and I saw lots of fun seating at the libraries and children’s museums we visited that made me wonder why there weren’t similar options for older students that balanced movement and inviting spaces for reading.
The next year, I moved rooms to one I had coveted for its built-in bookshelves that ran below the windows. I made an effort to put more books on display, use book talks, and share recommendations. Then, a teacher gave me her extra lighting and cords which I completed with paper lanterns to provide an alternative to the harsh overhead fluorescents. Both students and adults have commented on these additions, both in making the space inviting and in the promotion of books.
Last year, my biggest move was to get rid of my desk. There is a long built-in countertop that I use now instead. I hadn’t used this space before because I thought students would want to sit there, but they never did, and it was used more as a dumping ground for sports bags and left behind papers. In the space where I desk had been, I was able to add a table from home and got a grant to buy three yoga ball chairs. Moving my desk enabled me to have space for a second reading nook and my father built Adirondack chairs for me over the summer. My father has been woodworking for as long as I can remember and these chairs are one of his signature products. I am proud to have them in my room. I experimented with whiteboard paper on some tables to make them spaces to collaborate and share ideas, but the custodians peeled them off of the tables over the summer in an overzealous cleaning effort. I haven’t wanted to invest in more rolls to try again. I did convert two bulletin boards to whiteboards (it wasn’t in the budget to replace them with actual whiteboards) using a product called Better Than Paper and I’ve been pleased with the results. This added more “working space” instead of static bulletin boards.
This school year also came with an insurance inspection, which meant that I had to remove my extra carpet from my reading area. Yesterday was the official inspection and comments were made about my lighting. I haven’t heard officially what I need to remove, but the tone of the day left me feeling annoyed and defeated. The inspector praised the bare bones rooms and made condescending commentary towards others like mine.
I am proud of my space. I ascribe to the Gretchen Rubin quote of, “Outer order, inner calm” and am a firm believer that our spaces matter and affect our mindsets. In writing this I did find two studies that lend support to my more anecdotal evidence. The first, “The Room Itself Is Active: How Classroom Design Impacts Student Engagement” discusses the impact on engagement and I hope that removing my desk is in line with the idea of “erasing the line” between instructor and student and creating a “community of learners.” The second source, “The impact of classroom design on pupils' learning: Final results of a holistic, multi-level analysis” made me consider the elements of naturalness, individualization, and stimulation. I have brought in plants to address the naturalness component and the section on stimulation made me think about the balance and use of bright colors as well as wall-space.
The second event that has me thinking, and that gives me perspective on the inspection prospects, is a book loaned to me by another teacher. The Space is a quick read that is making me think about how I can make a collaborative space that includes student voice in the design process. In all of the changes I have made, I haven’t consulted students in my decision making as much as I wish.
So, I am left feeling a bit in flux, pulled between the anticipation of the changes may have to make and the qualities I have come to believe are best for my classroom. I was worried that writing this would become an angry rant at Friday’s inspection, but it’s actually helped me to reflect on what I have done and gain perspective and conviction in moving forward.
This is my third year in my current classroom and each year I think about the environment I want to create, both in terms of functionality as well as inviting opportunities to read and collaborate. Three years ago I shifted my thinking for classroom design beyond what I put on the walls. I used a Donors Choose project to fun two lounge chairs and four Hokki Stools. My sons were three or four at the time and I saw lots of fun seating at the libraries and children’s museums we visited that made me wonder why there weren’t similar options for older students that balanced movement and inviting spaces for reading.
Last year, my biggest move was to get rid of my desk. There is a long built-in countertop that I use now instead. I hadn’t used this space before because I thought students would want to sit there, but they never did, and it was used more as a dumping ground for sports bags and left behind papers. In the space where I desk had been, I was able to add a table from home and got a grant to buy three yoga ball chairs. Moving my desk enabled me to have space for a second reading nook and my father built Adirondack chairs for me over the summer. My father has been woodworking for as long as I can remember and these chairs are one of his signature products. I am proud to have them in my room. I experimented with whiteboard paper on some tables to make them spaces to collaborate and share ideas, but the custodians peeled them off of the tables over the summer in an overzealous cleaning effort. I haven’t wanted to invest in more rolls to try again. I did convert two bulletin boards to whiteboards (it wasn’t in the budget to replace them with actual whiteboards) using a product called Better Than Paper and I’ve been pleased with the results. This added more “working space” instead of static bulletin boards.
This school year also came with an insurance inspection, which meant that I had to remove my extra carpet from my reading area. Yesterday was the official inspection and comments were made about my lighting. I haven’t heard officially what I need to remove, but the tone of the day left me feeling annoyed and defeated. The inspector praised the bare bones rooms and made condescending commentary towards others like mine.
I am proud of my space. I ascribe to the Gretchen Rubin quote of, “Outer order, inner calm” and am a firm believer that our spaces matter and affect our mindsets. In writing this I did find two studies that lend support to my more anecdotal evidence. The first, “The Room Itself Is Active: How Classroom Design Impacts Student Engagement” discusses the impact on engagement and I hope that removing my desk is in line with the idea of “erasing the line” between instructor and student and creating a “community of learners.” The second source, “The impact of classroom design on pupils' learning: Final results of a holistic, multi-level analysis” made me consider the elements of naturalness, individualization, and stimulation. I have brought in plants to address the naturalness component and the section on stimulation made me think about the balance and use of bright colors as well as wall-space.
The second event that has me thinking, and that gives me perspective on the inspection prospects, is a book loaned to me by another teacher. The Space is a quick read that is making me think about how I can make a collaborative space that includes student voice in the design process. In all of the changes I have made, I haven’t consulted students in my decision making as much as I wish.
So, I am left feeling a bit in flux, pulled between the anticipation of the changes may have to make and the qualities I have come to believe are best for my classroom. I was worried that writing this would become an angry rant at Friday’s inspection, but it’s actually helped me to reflect on what I have done and gain perspective and conviction in moving forward.
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