Space Walk - A look at flexible learning spaces

Last term, I had the opportunity to lead some of my colleagues on a 'Space Walk' throughout the Year 6, 7 and 8 flexible learning spaces in our Middle College. I consider our Middle School to be a place where students enjoy coming to school and love being in their classrooms. For our Middle School teachers, signifying Middle School principles and pedagogy drive their classroom layouts.

On entering the Year 6 learning spaces, an instant calm washes over you. Gone are the traditional desks and chairs and in their place are collaborative work spaces of various levels and in different configurations. It looks homely.

Tables with writable surfaces - round, square and rectangular; wooden cable spools; soft furnishings like floor cushions, beanbags and lounges; a conference table for teacher/student mini-lessons, master classes or checkpoint meetings; wobbly balance boards, stools, fit balls and padded milk crates as seating options - all in place to cater for student choice and comfort.



In our Year 6 classrooms, differentiated group rotations and activities drive instruction. Cooperative learning structures are used on a daily basis, and this classroom space enables student movement and flexible groupings to occur throughout the day in a variety of subjects. This year group also uses 1-1 iPad devices, and mobility is a priority when collaborating, creating and sharing their work. Comfort, choice, space and flexibility, along with structure, are priorities for the teachers of these classes when creating their learning spaces.

The Year 7 space has a similar feel. In a polished cement floor warehouse-style room, freedom of movement and collaborative group work are clear priorities.

There is a dedicated meeting place on the mat at the front of the room, where direct instruction or student-led teaching takes place. Other seating arrangements include, whiteboard-surfaced desks, kneeling tables, a stage area, picnic table, soft byte ottomans, conference table and byte desks. An outside patio area is also made available to the students. Wobbly balance boards, fit balls, chairs, stools and cushions are all seating choices.

The Year 8 learning space was designed for open-plan, team-teaching, project-based learning with 75 students and 3 teachers. Again, the furniture choices are guided by the teaching pedagogy - 4-member teams of students working collaboratively on their group projects, a whole-class instructional space, three Homeroom group areas for pastoral activities, small group seminar spaces, performance space, conference area for masterclass, mini-lessons or teacher/student checkpoint meetings, outdoor area, and quiet area for students who find noisy environments challenging.

Choice of furniture included standing, whiteboard and standard tables; booths; tiered seating/stage area; soft furnishings such as cushions, ottomans, splats and benches; a horseshoe seminar area where students' attention can be focused; glassed classroom within a classroom for quiet, Homeroom or withdrawal work; and outdoor furniture with sit-down or stand-up options.

With all options, students have the choice of movement and comfort, in a working space that will best support the activity goal.

Research has shown desks and chairs in traditional classrooms are not appropriate for 83% of students, and that remaining still actually involves the highest demand loading for the body and that moving is necessary for many children when they are learning and creating.

Children have widely different furniture needs and generally the choices they naturally make are the right choices for their bodies (Faith Lutheran Occupational Therapist report, Faith Matters; Article 21, March 2016).

In addition to the Middle School classrooms, the final learning space I visited was a Year 3 classroom. This space contained a corner lounge, floor meeting area, 'marshmallow' foot stools, group 'dining' tables, conference desk, ottoman and kneeling coffee tables.

Whilst the furniture:student size ratio for this year level was slightly disproportionate (adding cushions to the chairs would help raise the height of seated students), the calm and homely ambience of the classroom environment was overwhelming.

Lighting was reduced to fluoros at the back of the classroom only, supported by standing and table lamps, fairy lights and various strings of LED's around the room. This reduction in lighting game the classroom a much calmer feel.

The class teacher reported a much calmer classroom with no behaviour problems, due to flexibility of seating choice and movement within the classroom. Students were better focused and engaged longer in tasks. Seating options were more conducive to group work, collaboration and communication.

A video reflection from the students indicated they loved coming into their classroom because it felt like home, was comfortable and they could choose where they sat (and move if they weren't comfortable).


Here are some links to other blogs and research on flexible learning spaces:
https://www.edutopia.org/blog/flexible-seating-student-centered-classroom-kayla-delzer
https://www.edutopia.org/blog/visualizing-21st-century-classroom-design-mary-wade
https://www.edutopia.org/practice/flexible-classrooms-providing-learning-environment-kids-need
http://www.designshare.com/Research/Wolff/Project_Learning.htm
http://www.learningspaces.edu.au/docs/learningspaces-final-report.pdf
https://education.govt.nz/assets/Documents/Primary-Secondary/Property/School-property-design/Flexible-learning-spaces/FLS-How-the-design-of-spaces-can-help-student-achievement.pdf
https://blairsmithteaching.com/2017/02/10/how-to-get-rid-of-student-desks-in-a-flexible-seating-classroom/#more-1635

Recognising TweenTeachers as Specialists

I am a Tween Teacher - not a primary teacher or a secondary teacher. I am a specialist in my field -  'middle years' education, but I feel like I have to constantly fight for the recognition and acknowledgement that such a specialisation even exists.

Having taught in dedicated Middle Schools for 17 years of my career, I can confidently say that there is an obvious distinction between primary, middle and secondary teachers. Each has their specialisation and you can tell a 'real' Middle School teacher from those who aren't. I am not meaning to criticise or degrade those teachers who aren't 'real' Middle School teachers - it's just that you can tell the difference.

'Real' Tween Teachers WANT to teach adolescents. They understand the hormonal outbursts, risk-taking behaviours and struggle for identity, and embrace the challenge of helping their students through this turbulent developmental time in their lives. They WANT to develop positive relationships with their adolescent students, despite the way they can be spoken to, ignored or blamed for things that have nothing to do with them. They WANT to do everything they can to get on their students' wavelengths so they can better connect with and engage them in the classroom. They WANT to work with other Middle School teachers to collaboratively strategise and collectively work out how to best improve the learning outcomes of their adolescent students. They WANT their students to know that they 'get' them and are dedicated adolescent advocates.

I have no doubt that primary and secondary teachers have similar 'wants'. However, it is the Middle School teacher's skilful execution of them that makes the difference. 'Real' Tween Teachers are appropriately responsive to the specific developmental needs, interests and characteristics of young adolescents.

'Real' Tween Teachers know how to listen. Sometimes, adolescents just need their side of the story to be heard. When allowed to explain why they reacted in a certain way, potentially explosive situations can be easily diffused just by letting the student talk, rather than cutting them off and disciplining them for behaving inappropriately.

'Real' Tween Teachers know how to connect with their students. They talk with their students rather than to or at them. They find out what interests them. They use these interests to engage them in class. They show interest in their students' lives outside of school. They make time for them and make them feel like they matter.

'Real' Tween Teachers are patient. They understand that their students are searching for their identity and independence, yet rely heavily on modelling, scaffolding and boundaries in order to achieve this. And they wait for all of their adolescent students to go through this in their own time, as their developmental timelines are independent of each other.

'Real' Tween Teachers look for the good in their adolescent students, rather than the bad. They advocate for them when they are in trouble. They use negative experiences as learning opportunities. They discuss rather than discipline. They show disappointment rather than contempt.

Now, you may say that this is no different to primary or secondary teachers - this is true. But 'real' Tween Teachers just seem to do this so much better with adolescents than primary or secondary teachers do. That is purely my observation (and I've been around adolescents for a long time).

So, what has prompted me to write this blog? Over the last couple of weeks I have overheard some teacher conversations that involved frustration with teaching Middle School students, particularly those who have learning needs or behavioural challenges. The crux of their conversations always centre around them not understanding why their adolescent students don't 'get it' or why they reacted the way they did. My argument is always the same - if you take the time to get to know each student, look beneath the surface and don't get hooked up on "not getting through the content", the interactions you have with Tweens can be wonderful, positive experiences. Middle School recognition and specialisation is worth fighting for - it's an unavoidable period of education, and schools need dedicated 'experts' to help the Tweens get through.

Breakout!

I have found it quite difficult in my current role being 'out of the classroom'. I am still passionate about researching and trying out the latest educational tools, apps and strategies to get students excited about their learning, and miss the opportunities for practical application that comes when you have your own class.

Just recently, one of my colleagues purchased a BreakoutEDU box. I had read articles and tweets about this immersive learning game platform, and was dying to see it in action and try it out for myself.

One of the best ways of building capacity as a teacher is to engage in peer observation. So, I visited my colleague's classroom where he was about to trial the BreakoutEDU box with his Year 12 History class. He gave me a quick explanation of how it all worked before the students entered the room. I listened to him give his instructions, and then sat back and observed the students as they tried to think critically, problem solve, and work as a team to find the codes for five different locks from solving physical and digital clues placed around the room. I also observed my colleague, as he anxiously watched the team dynamics at play and tried to refrain himself from giving away hints and let his students make mistakes.

This type of 'game-based' learning excites me. The task frustrated some of the students, but others were driven to find the solutions to the presented problems. The task was also somewhat frustrating for the teacher, as what clues were obvious to him, were a mystery to his students. This learning platform highlighted the need for students to use 21st Century skills of critical thinking, collaboration, creativity and communication when it came to solving the clues.

The Year 12 class successfully broke open the box within the 45 minutes' time frame, with 14 seconds to spare. Would my Middle School staff be able to do it as well?

Not having a class of my own on which to trial this concept, I decided to base our next staff meeting on having to break open the box in order for the meeting to finish (a pre-written game scenario available from the BreakoutEDU website). Perhaps more thought should have been given to the timing of the game; it was not optimal - at the end of a full day of teaching, when brains are fried and enthusiasm is waning.

From the moment the staff received the instructions (via paper aeroplane), collegiality was fractured - some didn't know where to begin, some didn't want to begin, some just wanted it to be over and rushed straight in to trying to crack open the locks without any clues at all!

I observed staff members keeping clues to themselves and solving problems on their own. I heard a graduate staff member verbalising his ideas and making suggestions quietly, but too afraid to share them publicly with the rest of the team. I witnessed a staff member slowly examine every inch of the room, silently digesting clues and artefacts. I saw some staff members sit down, defeated, and not participate.

As the minutes ticked by, collaboration and communication improved. 'Overthinking' was the biggest obstacle. Needless to say, the 'team' ended up opening all of the locks with minutes to spare (after finally deciding that it did not make them 'losers' for asking to use their HINT cards). They broke out of the meeting and enjoyed their treat of snake lollies that was hidden inside the box.

What was, perhaps, the most valuable part of this game for the staff was the reflection afterwards. Comments such as, "Now I know what it's like to feel like the dumbest one in the class!" and "I didn't know where to start or what I was looking for" or "I got so frustrated when [name] wouldn't share what [she] was doing", drove our discussion and put the teachers in the students' shoes.

This game highlighted the importance of learning how to 'Breakout' of your comfort zone, problem-solve, communicate and collaborate. While the staff meeting activity did not play out as successfully as I had hoped it would, there were definitely some lessons learned.