A few weeks ago I had the privilege of interviewing Simon Breakspear. Simon is a passionate educator, innovator and speaker. He is a leading thinker in the future of learning and teaching strategy. If you’re not familiar with his work, please head to his website.
The interview got me thinking about many things including; the changing role of teachers as facilitators of learning, the role of innovation and school policy and above all, the importance of student centred design. Today I want to discuss the final point that I took away from the interview – the role of student centered design and its implications for your classroom layout.
In order to understand the significance of student centered design lets use Simon’s example of a disabled toilet. A disabled toilet is completely built around the user; the height of the sink has been changed, there are ramps for easy access, handles have been added to assist the occupant and, among others things, there is extra space in the bathroom so that a wheelchair can be maneuvered easily. Simon’s example got me thinking:
What would our classrooms and schools look like if they were built solely around the needs and the learning styles of the students? How do we cater for the unique learning styles of our students within the classroom?
We know that every student excels differently and has a number of ‘intelligences’ (thanks Howard Gardiner), so how do teachers differentiate the curriculum and learning styles accordingly?
This seems like a mammoth task, but there are a few simple ways that we can cater for the needs and learning styles of our class:
- Create opportunity for collaboration and discussion: Organise your tables, or at least have a place where students can go to discuss tasks.
- Deliver the subject content in a number of ways; Utilise technologies such as Interactive White Boards (IWBs), iPads, books and images to present information.
- Give students opportunities to reflect on their learning: After each maths lesson my class writes a reflection about what they have leant and how they are going to use that knowledge.
- Think across Key Learning Areas; build links and connections across KLAs. How do the learning outcomes apply to other subjects?
- Have lots of colour and text around the room: Classrooms should be interesting and engaging.
Designing your classrooms and your teaching content around your students’ learning styles can have a huge impact on student learning.
How do you set up your classroom to maximise student learning outcomes?