Learning and living in the Zone - after 33 years in schools, I think I have finally seen an approach that truly personalises and differentiates learning. Ironically the answer does not lie in creating smaller classes, rather - one class of 180 students, 6 teachers, one flexible space, lots of creative, collaborative teamwork and planning … and the result - learning in abundance.
Student responses to changing the feel of the classroom via changing the type of expected furniture:
1. “The lounges suggest that we should be working together – so we do”
2. “We can easily have whole class conversations – and everyone listens”
3. “When we work in groups, it is easy to form and re-form them”
4. “It makes school feel more like home”
5. “When we watch a video, I don’t automatically think of how uncomfortable it is going to be because of the rigid chair back”
6. “I want to get to class quickly to get a nice chair”
“More and more we see the power of built pedagogy - the ability of space to define how one teaches
Diana Oblinger http://www.educause.edu/learningspacesch1
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5 proven ways to get buy-in from teachers for pedagogic change
/1. Support the innovative ideas of your teachers
2. Create time for teachers in teams to exchange ideas and devise strategies for implemention
3. Grow the capacity of every teacher – believe in everyone’s capacity to grow and advance the vision
4. Empower teachers in practical ways – and value their input
5. Align existing and planned learning spaces around the learner and their learning experience
One way that we have used to promote excitement in the vision is to empower any teacher to become associates of the school’s research and innovation unit SCIL - the Sydney Centre for Innovation in Learning www.scil.nsw.edu.au. We’re thinking of ways to enable others to become SCIL Associates and share the journey.
“Spaces are themselves agents for change. Changed spaces will change practice.”
Inside the SCIL Building @SCIL www.scil.nsw.edu.au
“Learning spaces are not mere containers for a few approved activities; instead they provide environments for people” (Brown & Long)
