The Classroom and School space
The classroom and school learning space is the everyday space that children and teachers work in weekly, hence schools need to be sure that their evironments best suit student needs and learning. Mcgregor 2004 lists the classroom and schools environment as extending beyond just the four walls of the classroom; it is the lighting, the temperature, the pictures on the walls, the design of the school and the development of a learning space calls to develop critical spatial and visual literacy. The classroom is a network where interactions and social development is built upon.
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Teacher
Strengths:
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Can create a safe and supportive environment for students.
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Allows for creativity to explore the space and make it personal to you as a teacher.
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Allows for more class group work, team teaching and whole grade interaction.
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Information can be presented on walls in the room and referred to continuously in lessons. For example word walls, numbers, shapes, symbols and pictures relating to topics being studied in class. (Mcgregor 2004)
Challenges:
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Funding to equip new and innovative spaces presents a problem in itself.
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To modify spaces from closed to open often requires expensive structural movement.
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Limited space for some teachers.
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A school is in the control of people higher up, hence modifying any classrooms to suit this may present an issue to the staff at the school.
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Teachers may have to raise their voices over large groups of students (Henebery 2015)
How can we address these challenges
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Cannot control - be creative with the materials you have available.
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Again, cannot control, however that does not stop you from trying to make a space open.
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In this space teachers may not have a desk, this is important for being a student centred environment.
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Instead of raising your voice try a bell or another form to notify the students that you need their attention.
Student:
Strengths:
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Freedom within the classroom.
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Creating social and personal interactions with other students building a sense of connectedness.
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More opportunities for co-operative and group work.
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Information to meet learning needs can be found everywhere in the classroom.
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Flexible learning spaces allows for children to explore and grow.
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Empowers the student (Collien 2016)
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Builds on intrinsic and extrinsic motivation (Collien 2016)
Challenges:
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Be unable to hear teachers properaly over large spaces (Mealings 2015)
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How can we address these challenges:
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A notification that you wish to talk to the students is a good way for them to know that you need their attention; for example a bell.
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Great examples for getting you started on your comtemporary learning spaces:
Contemporary Learning Holy Spirit School​
Furniture Spaces Case Study #02 - Corpus Christi Catholic High School
Flexible Classrooms: Providing the Learning Environment That Kids Need
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How you can start a comtemporary classroom is by talking away some of the traditional elements; move the desks around and play with the space you have, focus on trying to make it as flexible as possible.
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Referenes:
Collien , D. (2016) OpenLearning Pedagogy (Heutagogy) and Educational Values. openlearning. Retrieved from https://www.openlearning.com/Pedagogy.
Henebery, B. (2015) Do open plan classrooms really benefit learning?. The educator. Retrieved from http://www.educatoronline.com.au/news/do-open-plan-classrooms-really-benefit-learning-207098.aspx.
McGregor, J. (2004) 'Spatiality and the Place of the Material in Schools', Pedagogy, Culture and Society,vol. 12, no. 3 pp.347–372
Mealings, K. (2015) Students struggle to hear teacher in new fad open-plan classrooms. The conversation. Retrived from http://theconversation.com/students-struggle-to-hear-teacher-in-new-fad-open-plan-classrooms-37102