Redesigning the Learning Space

Assignment:

We were asked to rethink our learning space and think of space as the Third Teacher. If you are new to that concept, which I was, think of it in terms of adults (parents and teachers) being a teacher. Then peers are another teacher, and finally space is the third teacher. Space drives the way students learn depending upon the setup and what learning outcome you want to achieve. Most importantly, when thinking about space, consider space drivers: collaboration, creativity, inspiration, exploration, student centered, creation, problem solving, cognitive flexibility, community involvement, reflection, quiet, productive, adventurous, and self driven. The space drivers should inspire and influence the way you design your learning space.

Reflection:

Space is the Third Teacher

Prior to this course, I had never heard the term Third Teacher, and to be honest, it was not until the HOA with David Jakes, that I fully understood the deeper meaning. When I first started teaching, I was given a key to a room and was told I could not paint the walls, throw any school materials away without permission, and I had to keep an inventory of everything in the room. That was nineteen years ago! Since then, I have painted my walls Tiffany Blue, gutted quite a few cabinets, and replaced my desks with dining room tables, tables you can write on with Expo, TV Trays, short tables, and long tables. Students have the choice to sit on an exercise ball, dining room chair, stool, bean bag, pillow, or regular school chair. We do not have a seating chart, and every day, students sit in a new location. This process has taken me two years and a supportive administrator! Although my space is much nicer than it was, I realize I have a long way to go after reading and watching the amazing resources in this unit. Compared to my room even two years ago, I am definitely headed in the right direction, but I need to consciously focus on how space affects the student's’ learning.

When I made the new arrangement to my room, sadly, I did not start by asking myself what type of learning I wanted the space to foster. Due to that, I tend to have a lot of space to be active and collaborate, but I am lacking other types of spaces. Luckily, when we use technology, we have Chromebooks, so they are extremely mobile and can go where the kids go. After watching the video of remaking the classroom, I was inspired by the amount of space I have in my room, which I never would have thought about prior to this course. Reflecting on daily happenings in my class, I can see how the space is the third teacher because my room is able to be flexible and adaptive which allows the space to be reshaped quickly. My room does inspire and have a different feel than any “traditional” classroom, and I like the fluidity of my room. I am, however, going to add wheels to the bottom of my tables to make it even easier for the kids to rearrange the room.

I truly resonated when David told us to go out and be an observer in spaces outside of a classroom. What types of interactions are taking place? What is the intention of the space? Since then, I have looked at my daily errands in a different light. Even the grocery store has intentional spaces! Starbucks has intentionally made their coffees houses a place where people can sit by the fire and face each other, sit alone in a corner and work, sit at a table for two or four, and their furniture outside is an extension of the inside seating. They have catered to a variety of customers in a small space, just like we should do in our classrooms. I even liked the idea of having a shelving unit in the room to set another area apart. Why not? The teacher no longer should be at the front of the room, so we should completely rethink the classroom space. I am extremely fortunate to have a large room with a killer view of the mountains, and I am excited to think outside the box and let the third teacher dictate the design of my room. After, I of course, reflect on the learning outcome I want the space to encourage. Space and learning outcome go hand in hand, and too often, space is overlooked. We tend to treat our classrooms and schools for that matter, as containers or boxes where students learn. When in actuality, space should drive the learning by encouraging and fostering the desired outcome.