Learning Space Matters

Last year was my first year with mobile furniture with fourth graders.  There was so much we learned together about learning, space, relationships and ourselves as people.  One of my biggest take aways was simple.  When you let kids be in charge, they are empowered.  They are empowered to learn, empowered to find or create space they want or need, they are empowered to ask for more, and they are empowered to learn more.

It could easily be seen as a project about space and furniture.  But it was always a project about learning, relationships, and valuing the learner.  What my students told me time and time again via survey, conversation or with action was when I have a choice, when my voice matters, when I am in control as the learner, I will be at my best.  When I am a part of a community, when my person is valued, when I can build relationships, I can also learn.

Furniture was the tool that amplified what my classroom community valued.  It allowed most of my kids to create a space that worked for their learning as individuals and as members of a group. It made the shift to a more student centered space, it made more of the space about learning, it made my students reflect more on what they needed to do their best in multiple learning experiences.

Here is some of their work!