Children spend a few dozen hours a week in school. It is often a second home for them. Does the space they encounter provide comfort of learning? Do they really feel good and safe in the school?
Download the file entitled SCHOOL AS A SECOND HOME and find out about the school in Radowo Małe (Poland).
Don’t be afraid of thinking about the school as a second home. We all learn to be partially responsible for what we find around us and the school is a great place to learn about it. Let’s plan the changes together with other teachers and with the parents. The strength of the chosen solution will depend on the power of the team and the community. For this reason don’t force yourself to find inspiration in the works of others. The projects implemented elsewhere will not necessarily work for you. The general rule is to follow your imagination and the conclusions you made about your particular school and its needs.
It is worth investing in objects that you find useful. Try to give them a purpose and make sure that others also understand it. Your school space should be adapted to the set of world views and values shared by a given community. Do not worry about potential failure. The fact that you decided to try to change your school is a huge success already!
Insufficient cooperation skills are a visible problem and a challenge in many schools. Modeling the educational space is the best trying ground. Try to change your school so as to support both individual learning and group work.
How to join forces in order to change the school and fully use the potential of the school community?
Download JOINING FORCES – DRAWING ON THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY’S POTENTIAL IN CHANGING LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS and learn about the school in Newcastle upon Tyne (United Kingdom).
Don’t be afraid to engage students and teachers in planning or changing the school space. Let them contribute to the way your school will look like in the future. Remember that those who participate in the learning process (either as teachers or as learners) have first-hand knowledge of what the school is like.
Besides, the surroundings should always be planned in a way that facilitates moving around and changing places, both in the classroom and in the open or common space. Make sure you provide as much room as possible for group undertakings.
Take a walk around your school. Locate places which lack a friendly atmosphere. How would you change them? What should we add or get rid of to create a home-like atmosphere in the school? Do we need in-depth changes or should we take care of the details, such as colours, pillows, flowers, sun blinds or posters? Use your imagination and write your ideas down. Ask students for their opinion, consult other teachers, the principal, other staff and/or parents.
