{"id":5308,"date":"2015-03-30T09:04:30","date_gmt":"2015-03-30T13:04:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/?p=5308"},"modified":"2022-04-15T16:53:32","modified_gmt":"2022-04-15T20:53:32","slug":"flexible-physical-learning-environments","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tiie.w3.uvm.edu\/blog\/flexible-physical-learning-environments\/","title":{"rendered":"Hack your classroom: flexible physical learning environments"},"content":{"rendered":"

Flexible\u00a0learning environments have a physical component — and effect<\/h2>\n
\"responsive<\/a>
CC BY 2.0: “Old school desk” by flickr user SandtoGlass, cropped. Original image here: https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/ photos\/ericabreetoe\/ 7371020342\/<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Do you recognize the object at left?<\/p>\n

Does it\u00a0look like a comfortable learning environment for a student?\u00a0Does it look like the type of learning environment a student would choose for themselves?<\/p>\n

OF COURSE NOT, and because you are all such passionate and committed educators, you started shaking your heads the minute the image loaded. You’ve worked hard at banishing these ancient things from your rooms.<\/p>\n

But here are some ways educators can make their physical classroom settings more flexible and responsive to student learning needs.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

What does this mean for incorporating change into your classroom?<\/h3>\n

Classrooms can be transformed into flexible physical learning environments through changes to 3 things: seating, schedule and student spangle. Yes, spangle<\/em>. Bear with me.<\/p>\n

1. Seating<\/h2>\n

When you picture middle grades students learning, do you\u00a0picture something like:<\/p>\n

Winooski 5th graders are already loving reading on the 1st day!! pic.twitter.com\/F1Adwekpo4<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 WinooskiLearns (@WinooskiLearns) August 27, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

or this<\/a>?<\/p>\n

Not all things that look like seats really are (see our terrible ancient desk example at the start of this entry) aaaaand, as many students will tell you, things that don’t necessarily look like seats are actually very comfortable. Libraries tend to do this well. For instance:<\/p>\n

Winooski 2nd graders getting comfortable in the Library Learning Commons! pic.twitter.com\/rZB2qnRLMo<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 WinooskiLearns (@WinooskiLearns) January 16, 2015<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n