H3 – Honor the classroom/school community as a milieu for learning.
According to Dewey (2013), schools should be an extension of the home environment that foster collaboration to help students learn how to participate in the social life of the community. To achieve the best possible outcomes for social interaction, it is important that students feel comfortable, both emotionally and physically, in their learning environment. The typical high school classroom consists of rows of individual desks; the basic design of the classroom promotes separation, not collaboration. The place where most people are at ease socially tends to be at home with their families where they interact by balancing the needs of every member of the family community for the common good. In order to promote this sense of comfort and cooperation in the classroom, the physical environment should reflect that of the home.
I was inspired by Bunyi (n.d.) to stand in the middle of my living room and take a photo of each quadrant of the room. I analyzed the photos compiling a list of the most common objects. I found that lamps, plants, low tables, and frames were the most common objects found in my home. A secondary list included comfy seating options, pillows, and curtains. None of these household design features are found in the typical classroom, however I believe that I can easily add them to my own classroom.
Lighting design engineers (http://www.lighting.philips.com) are attempting to do innovative things with classroom lighting and research is showing that lighting has a significant effect on student learning outcomes (Research links, n.d.). While we are waiting for school budgets to include outfitting classrooms with the latest in lighting technology, I can at least supplement my classroom with various lamps to approximate the feel of a living room.
SchoolVision lighting (http://www.lighting.philips.com)
To create comfortable collaboration environments, seating options should be offered other than the traditional individual desk. Large tables are ideal for communicating during group activities. Also, yoga mats that can be rolled out on the floor with throw pillows allow students to relax in the same ways they might when working or reading at home (Cox, n.d.).
Framed artwork, lamp, and plants in classroom (Bunyi, n.d.)
Every single item that is hung on my walls at home – apart from one large world map – is inside a frame. Why would I not do the same for the wall art in my classroom? It is great to hang up a student’s work of art or project, but how much more special would it be to put it inside of a simple frame? This creates a sense of accomplishment for the student while at the same time helping the classroom to reflect a home-like atmosphere.
By making a few changes to the physical classroom environment so it more closely approximates the environment found in the typical home, students will begin to see the classroom as an extension of the larger community. When students are comfortable in their learning environment it fosters better collaboration and gives them practice working together toward a common goal.
References
Bunyi, A. (n.d.) 6 classroom design tips [Blog post]. Retrieved from: http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/6-classroom-design-tips#top
Cox, J. (n.d.) How to personalize your classroom to make it feel like home [Blog post]. Retrieved from: http://www.teachhub.com/how-personalize-your-classroom-make-it-feel-home
Dewey, J. (2013) My pedagogic creed. In, Collected writings on education: My pedagogic creed & the school and society & the child and the curriculum & moral principles in education & interest and effort in education & democracy and education (pp. 4-19) [Nookbook version]. Retrieved from: http://www.barnesandnoble.com (Original work published 1897)
Research links student concentration to classroom lighting [Article] (n.d.). Retrieved from: http://www.ies.org/LDA/E-newsletter/2011/August/newswire/110808-SV.cfm
Molly Petersen 