Resource: https://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/uk/23/03/social-emotional-learning-and-teens
Title: Starting a School Design Project
Year: 2019
Author: Emily Boudreau
Featured Educator: Daniel Wilson
https://www.gse.harvard.edu/faculty/daniel-wilson
Criteria: excellent resource for those interested in classroom design with actionable tips and additional resources; high quality research reputation of the institution.
Key Takeaway: Daniel Wilson’s approach to rethinking learning spaces emphasizes prioritizing learning goals over aesthetics, engaging the community in the design process, and creating flexible prototypes through affordable ‘micro-interventions’. This approach challenges traditional classroom models, encouraging educators to create environments that spark curiosity and encourage playful, collaborative learning. Delve into this article for actionable tips and checklists on classroom design and to learn about a wealth of resources for transforming classrooms into environments that can inspire both students and teachers.
Summation and Insights: Ignite your creative spark with “Starting a School Design Project,” a stimulating exploration on crafting modern learning spaces that cultivate curiosity, kindle collaboration, and inspire active engagement. This insightful piece, filled with key takeaways and rich contributions from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and Project Zero, serves as an essential handbook for educators seeking to transform classrooms into dynamic spaces that prioritize learning goals.
The piece imparts practical wisdom for educators such as the importance of involving your community through focus groups and interviews and drawing on their collective experiences to drive the design. It also highlights the power of ‘micro-interventions’, small, cost-effective adjustments to your space that can make a significant impact.
This enriching article also cautions against chasing design trends; rather, actively promote spaces that inspire wonder, choice, and delight and continue to gather feedback and adapt your design as necessary!
Action Steps: Interested in diving deeper? This article provides an array of valuable resources to continue your exploration, such as the Learning Environments for Tomorrow institute, a mini-course on teaching strategies for playful learning, and the opportunity to follow Project Zero’s Pedagogy of Play project on Twitter.