From the distance, it's sleek. The cubicles, glass walls, and art-deco pop furniture all make the space super inviting. From surveys, students are positive about the space. "There seems to be more of an emphasis on work space," said one. "I feel less anxious in this space," said another. Of course, there were a few caveats, "there's too much furniture." "I'm not always sure where I can go." But one comment really resonated with me, "The space is more modern than the teaching."
Yeesh!
Of course, that's not a surprise. Even in my approach, I can't say I've evolved with any profundity. I've tried stations and utilizing the area for breakout spaces. I've even turned the one couch area into the Read Aloud lounge. But is that enough? You can do all this in your traditional classroom. The idea for this space can't be that we're doing the exact same thing in just a prettier space—can it?
Here's what I started thinking about: intention and movement.
1. Intention
Let's tour Studio 1:
So, this space has been a mixed bag. Line of sight is the most problematic issue. I also find that when students are breaking out of the space, they're not really utilizing the space properly. We've spent time talking about norms and what I (and we) expect to see in this space when they break out, but my results are middling at best.
Let me add, I have freshmen in this space. So not only am I (and they) adjusting to the space, but they're also learning to adjust to high school. My class—despite 26 of them—is ghostly quiet. Recently I implemented some more mandatory participation with some positive results. Bonding with students in such a wide space is proving quite difficult.
I needed to start thinking about the space, less in terms of what I can do to it, but more about what it can do for me. Instead of saying "break out and have at it" (in so many words), I decided each location in my space receives a specific function.
This was today:
My students are in the midst of writing op-eds. I needed to think about what each space could potentially be used for. The result was the most successful use of space I've had to date.
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| This is my collaboration teacher Mrs. Kelly coaching several students through the brainstorming process while students in the couch area worked on writing quietly. |
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| Seminar 9 became a hit. Students loved drafting out their ideas. What came out of it surprised me even more. It was a great way to see multiple brainstorms at a glance. |
Other reflections: yesterday I tried something similar. And it worked—to some extent. The problem is students want to break out. The result: the classroom becomes empty. I had to reflect and think about how I could make the classroom itself more attractive. Allowing the classroom space to be the conversation space creates that nice gentle buzz in the classroom, but since other areas were attractive as well, there was a nice balance of students all around.
Let's tour Studio 7:
The other perk is I have my American Wilderness class in here, which is composed of both juniors and seniors. Upper level students just know how to utilize space better. They already know the expectations. They're also more independent.
But still, there's so much more with how I want to the utilize space. Here's what I came up with:
And it worked beautifully today. Stationing myself in the center of the wood tables created a nice ebb and flow of students meeting with me. The opportunity to quietly read with no caveats was also fantastic. During the downtime, I checked in with the few students who were preparing for our Socratic Seminar. Overall, the classroom flow (which was already pretty good) was much improved with these intentions, and it no longer feels like a lecture based space. Success!
Movement:
My one big concern for all my classes is the lack of movement. I want students to stretch their legs. Right now, upper level Students move about three times in a class while my freshmen move, really, just once. Enter the birth of the Walk & Talk. With approval from me, students can walk the perimeter of L-Space. Now, while I want students to obviously be focused on my class, let's all be serious for a moment. Should students be focused, non-stop for 60 or 80 minutes?
It's not a realistic expectation.
By creating the Walk & Talk, students have the opportunity for a 2-3 lap walk to either talk about ideas or just to stretch and clear their minds. It's stretching with intention, knowing that when they return, they need to return to work. It's permission, but it's also realistic. How many times during a lecture for 60 minutes do I get distracted? Most college classes come with built-in breaks. It''s flexible and utilizes space that isn't normally used (the hallways!)
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| Three students in the midst of the Walk & Talk |
But the best part—the best part—is that students really are utilizing the Walk & Talk to calm their anxiety, destress and talk about their ideas. Now if only more of them would use it, I would be thrilled.
Next Steps
It's not all magically perfect because I put up some giant post-it notes. There must be other ways of utilizing space, brainstorming, and even writing that I'm not thinking of. I also want student input in how to use space.
I'm also curious about what other ways we can use space intentionally and opportunities for more movement.
The goal right now is with each lesson to make space feel intentional and planned rather than reactionary. Like technology in the classroom, it needs to assist in the learning not merely be an addendum.
Daniel Valentin teaches American Wilderness, Ethics, and English 9 at Horace Greeley High School. He is currently reading Elevation by Ted Chiang and is listening to The Other Americans by Laila Lalami. He wants his students to feel empowered through books. Follow him on Twitter @DaValentinCCSD
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