Starting in a new school and new classroom brings new opportunities and ways of thinking. Over the last few months, I have been grappling with how to make my learning environment accessible and useful to the learners in my classroom and how to use it to send messages to the children about how they are learning (as well as what they are learning). In the process, I have been asking myself:
“How can I making thinking and learning visible to my learners?”
“How can I involve my children in developing their learning environment?” (It is theirs, after all).
“How can make my learning environment ‘speakLearnish ’ and send messages about what is valued in this classroom?”
“How can I make the environment flexible and work for a range of learning experiences and learning preferences?”
My classroom environment is very much a work in progress
Modelling myself as a learner
“Look, you are learning numbers to 10 in English, and I am learning them in Thai. I’m really having to
It is also an opportunity to celebrate the many languages the children can already collectively speak and breaks down the hierarchy between teacher and learner (“We are all learners in here”).
Arranging tables to facilitate feedback, group learning and shared success criteria
Flexible learning environments ensure that children have access to different ways of learning at different times and can self-regulate when to use these environments. Being mindful of the furniture and how the classroom is set up, makes sure no space is wasted and everything in theclassroom is purposeful. More on this later …
Having visited some of the best learning powered schools in the UK, I have been inspired to think carefully about how I set up the furniture in my classroom – which arrangements lend themselves best collaboration? To pair learning? To independence? To feedback? Below are some examples of desk arrangements I have tried. We found that the L-shaped desks worked best for teacher feedback as you could easily access all children and make eye-contact. Small clustered desks were great for collaboration and the sharing of ideas and resources. We also now have individual desks the children have asked for a quieter space, perhaps for writing and reading. Children love the nook in our classroom as a quiet, private reading space.
Involving the children in their learning environment
When I have put up displays and anchor charts, I have consulted the children where they think they would be most useful and effective and why. This not only empowers the children and values their opinion, but means they pay more attention to what is put on the walls.
Below is a photo of the writing desk the children had requested. I wrote on the table: “What would you like on your writing table?” The children were instantly abuzz with writing down their ideas. It will take a bit of time to resource and stock some items (any idea where to buy glitter highlighters?! Or if they even exist?!) but we could instantly put out books and book covers, which the children excitedly used the next day. The fact that they had asked for them and we had responded to their request made it more meaningful and motivating to them.
We have a shared area within our year one building – I would love to further involve the children in developing this and adapting the environment in relation to current motivations and topics.
Showing “the guts of learning”
When we have displayed children’s learning, we have also unpicked and shown the process of that learning. In this way, the children can see the steps, perseverance, reflection
Displays to encourage self-evaluation
We have begun to use Learning Ladders and Learning Wheels (see https://www.thisisbalance.co.uk/)for the children to self-reflect. We use the Learning Ladder as a planning and reflection tool in relation to
“To begin with I was overstretched. My learning was too tricky and I didn’t think I could do it. Then, I asked a friend to help and I got into the Learning Zone.”
“I was in the Practise Zone, then I started to get it and it got too easy. To keep myself in the Practise Zone, I thought of a new challenge and startedpractising that.”
We have only just started using the Learning Wheel. We have used it at the end of learning to reflect on whether or not children feel they have mastered the learning intention. Next term, we will incorporate it further into teaching and learning.
Displays to make values integral to the classroom
I have written in more detail about ‘Kind Hands’ here. I have used an interactive display like this with every class I have taught. It unpicks kindness for children – what it looks, feels and sounds like and makes kindness an integral part of the classroom ethos. Children value kindness and love to be on kind hands. I have noticed a positive effect on engagement and self-esteem in children who, at the beginning of the year, chose to opt out of learning. There are times of the day that run really smoothly, such as
How to get unstuck
Based on the ideas in Guy Claxton’s latest book, TheLearning Power Approach, we have been discussing how to get unstuck if learning is too challenging. This year, I have been looking at how to unpick that for each skill. We are building a ‘how to get unstuck reading’ and a ‘how to get unstuck writing’ wall, as well as ‘strategies for problem-solving in maths’.Here are two examples, one from my own class and one from one of our stunning Year Two teachers, Kimberley Powell.
What next?
The joy of teaching and the joy of the LPA is that there is always more that can be done – inspiration sparks inspiration and I am very lucky to be surrounded by many impressive learning environments and great ideas. Here are just a couple I hope to incorporate next term:
Calm learning environments:
Calm, clear learning environments breed calm, clear thinking and learning. Stripping back clutter and ‘noise’ will enable children to focus on what is
Neutral
Levels of challenge – Early Years
Our Early Years setting is stunning. Environments are enabling, open-ended and inspiring. One idea that caught my eye from one of our leading practitioners, Sarah
Find out more ….
For more ideas on developing Learning Environments, as well as how to create self-regulated challenge and self-evaluation, Powering Up Children is now available for pre-order on Amazon:
6 thoughts
I love the thinking behind the LPA. Where do you teach Becky?
Warmly
Casey
Hey Casey! Thanks for reaching out. I’m currently teaching in Bangkok. How about you?
Hi Becky I’m at Innova Early Years Yizhuang, Beijing. Which school are you at?
Bangkok Patana. Is your school using the LPA?
No we are Reggio PYP, using the cycle planner so everything starts with the child
Love it! Reggio and PYP fit hand in glove with Learning Power.