Year 4 students have been dabbling in design this term as they took a long hard look at what they need for good learning. The word "classroom" was banned for a few weeks, as we tried to envisage the perfect "space" in which effective learning could take place at St Catherine's, without our ideas being restricted by a traditional concept of a school room.
Firstly we discussed where learning takes place in our lives - at home, the sports ground, the beach, forest, backyard or park.... oh, and school of course! Students considered what works for them about these places - what makes learning happen.
Students discussed, wrote about and drew what their ideal learning place LOOKS, SOUNDS, SMELLS and FEELS like.
Responses were many and varied of course - as are learning styles and preferences. We decided what we need at school are spaces that are comfortable, interesting and above all, flexible.
The students participated very thoughtfully and enthusiastically in a presentation by a visiting designer whose job is designing learning spaces and libraries for schools and universities.
She talked about the process involved in designing, testing and building furniture and showed us lots of pictures of interesting learning spaces. She also explained what recent research has revealed about how students their age learn best: It is important for students to have the flexibility to move around, changing their body position regularly and to make choices about how, where and with what tools they investigate and create.
Students were very engrossed in the final session when they spent time designing their ideal learning space, especially considering the digital tools they will be using. Their aim was to create more flexible spaces with less clutter and more room to move, with comfortable furnishings that will allow a variety of choices for different learning activities.
Some students even designed their own multi-functional pieces of furniture, such as hanging 'pods' for reading in, tables with wheels for easy relocation, write-on surfaces and chairs with fold-away storage compartments. It was exciting to see so many budding designers in action, full of creativity and purpose!
Won't it be great to see how the students' own ideas are incorporated into the design of their Year 5 "Learning Spaces"?
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