My room, 518, is pretty typical of the American public school classrooms that I have been in. There is a giant whiteboard on one wall and a projector that points directly at it. I, of course, have a lectern at the front of the room that is used more for storage than its intended purpose. All of the rooms in the school that I work in function the same way. We do have some modern luxuries, such as air conditioning, however the AC units are huge grey abominations that make a hideous racket, and compete with the original boilers, so that the temperature fluctuates constantly. While our school has invested millions in the athletic facilities, and the cutting edge technology therein, there has been little conversation about the layout of the classroom and the effect it has on students’ learning. Sadly, this isn’t uncommon in districts around the country. Over the years, I have tried to incorporate cozy “reading areas” and other options for students, but they are rarely used. Maybe it is the high school fear of being an “outsider”, but students never engaged in these spaces. One year I created a “backyard” theme to the class, with artificial grass rugs and lawn chairs adorning these “reading areas”. I had two tables with small artificial candles that produced light with a flickering effect to simulate an outdoor fire. This proved to be much more popular, but I did away with it due to COVID restrictions, and it has not returned due to the continued complications of the pandemic. I was surprised to see the benefit of letting the, even artificial, outdoors in was supported by Barrett et. al.(2012), in A holistic, multi-level analysis identifying the impact of classroom design on pupil learning. This study found that classrooms that focused on design and aesthetic elements provide success, but so do those with usability. Given my inability to expand my classroom, my goal with this redesign was to focus on usability and collaboration. I wanted a classroom that would work without recreating the floorplan and something I could realistically bring to administration. I began with circular desks. Without immobile desks pointing toward the front of the room, there was no way for my students or myself to make assumptions about where the “show” was. We were all going to be moving and working together. Instead of one huge whiteboard, I added multiple smaller whiteboards that could be used for the type of group collaboration that is celebrated in maker movements (Halverson & Sheridan, 2014). I wanted students to dabble with ideas, share opinions, and work on a variety of “products” or “artifacts” together. Low storage was added to free up wall space avoiding clutter and overstimulation. While my classroom looks quite cluttered in the attached pictures, due to an invasion of Turkensteins, I generally avoid it. My work space rarely has loose papers, and everything is filed or returned the moment it is graded. However, I have always celebrated student artwork around the upper perimeter of my classroom. According to research presented by Barrett, et. al.(2012), this collage of art may actually have a negative affect on students and provide overstimulation. My remedy to this is to move the student artwork to this oddly shaped alcove in the northeast corner of the classroom. I have always used this space to hold a file cabinet that has not been used in years. I went ahead and trashed the ancient file cabinet and replaced it with a shelf for student creations. Additionally, I figured I would move the collage of artwork to these walls. That way they would be out of the way for students who may be overstimulated, yet still there to celebrate the artwork. I want the students to feel like they have agency in the classroom, and they have a chance to leave something behind. I remind my students often that it isn't my class, but theirs. I hope they know they lead my decisions in the way I filter curriculum, and with open spaces, less formal and disciplined instruction, and more trying, collaborating, and making, they finally feel that it is their room. References
Barrett, P., Zhang, Y., Moffat, J., & Kobbacy, K. (2013). A holistic, multi-level analysis identifying the impact of classroom design on pupils’ learning. Building and Environment, 59, 678–689. https://doi-org.proxy2.cl.msu.edu/10.1016/j.buildenv.2012.09.016 Halverson, E. R., & Sheridan, K. M. (2014). The maker movement in education.Harvard Educational Review, 84(4), 495-504,563,565. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.msu.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/maker-movement-education/docview/1642662200/se-2?accountid=12598 McGregor, D (2021, December 8). Classroom Photos [Images]. McGregor, D (2021, December 8). Classroom Floor Plans [Images].
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David McGregorI am an English teacher and cat lover from Genesee County, Michigan who is eager to learn new things. Archives
August 2022
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