A colleague asked me for resources on flexible learning spaces. Her goal is for 6th students to use the Design Thinking mindset to redesign their own classroom. Because we know it’s not just about cool chairs and bright walls, it’s important that students and the teacher understand the WHY behind the decisions being made.
Luckily, Twitter hashtag #learningspaces has a treasure trove of resources for teachers looking for a place to start. And attending CUE BOLD in May also provided me with access to amazing presenters and ideas around classroom environment.
So here is the list of resources I curated for the students, in case it helps any of you:
Tips for Designing Amazing Learning Spaces with Dr. Robert Dillon
And here’s a visual for that YouTube video.
Edutopia article showcasing some flexible K-8 classrooms.
Video Series on the book The Space by Dr. Robert Dillon and Rebecca Hare
This tweet may be good to spark a deeper conversation questioning why we need so many desks/chairs/etc in the room.
12 Ways to Upgrade Your Classroom Design takes ideas from The Space and presents them in an easy to read blog post.
Consider adding a Peace Corner to provide quiet spaces for reflection and emotional centering.
Designing Brain Friendly Spaces by Dr. Robert Dillon is a short article with some targeted questions to ask while considering how space is used.
CUE BOLD has made all the presentation slides available for those wanting to learn more. There are quite a few on learning spaces that are worth checking out. Look for Rebecca Hare, Michael Morrison, and Michelle Ho & Danielle Roja for relevant links.
And of course, as you consider all this, please keep in mind that Pinterest is awesome for beautiful wedding decor, scrumptious recipes, and creative Outfits of the Day, but Pinterest-designed classrooms don’t always meet the needs of the learners (and they’re expensive to create!). My original blog post on that topic is still one of my most popular ones.
Please let me know in the comments what else should be added to this list.
And hey, if this post made you smile, or think deeply for a moment, or just scratch your head and go HMM… then share it with a friend. Or two. And subscribe to keep the posts coming!
Laura K Spencer, Ed.D. 