You Don't Need Modern Furniture to Have a Modern Learning Environment

Last year I was lucky enough to have brand new furniture and be working in a modern learning environment (within a single cell classroom still). Here's a quick slideshow of how I set my classroom up last year. 

Setting up my classroom for 2013 - Video Maker

I had taught at the same school since I started teaching in 2009. At the end of last year I decided it was time to experience another school and something a bit different. I had been teaching at a decile 3 school in town. My new job I started this year is at a decile 9, rural school. I soon learnt that there wasn't the same budget for modern furniture. However; my point is that you don't need modern furniture to have a modern learning environment. 

Today was the first day of Term 2. My year 4 children walked in to find that the furniture was still in the middle of the room. It looked like this... 

Most children looked either surprised or confused when they walked in. I explained that they were going to design their own learning environment this term. They were immediately excited and starting suggesting innovative ways that we could improve our classroom. I had also pinned photos of different learning spaces on the back wall. They began exploring these, before the bell even rang. 

In small groups the children jotted down ideas about how they like to learn. Here are some of the ideas they came up with. 

I learn best when I... 

• Draw and write. 
• Read about things. 
• Work with a buddy or in a small group. 
• Play games. 
• Learn outside. 
• Brainstorm my ideas and plan. 
• Have a quiet space.
• Use technology, like computers and iPads. 
• Share my ideas with someone else. 
• Have examples of what I've got to do. 
• Build or make things, because then it stays in my mind. 
• Try my hardest and if it doesn't work, try again. 
• Have a place to write my ideas down. 
• Problem solve. 
• Have time to think about stuff. 
• When I get to be creative. 

I was really proud of how they discussed and shared their ideas with each other. I then asked Room 8 what kind of learning spaces we might need to be able to learn in all of these different ways. We also reflected on the concepts of cave, watering hole and campfire spaces (as we did a lot of work around these in Term 1). For anyone who isn't familiar with those concepts, caves are individual spaces for one person. A watering hole is for a group and a campfire space is for the whole class, or a large group. 

Room 8 spent the rest of the morning drawing sketches of different learning spaces and birds eye view maps of the classroom. As they finished they added them to our design board. 

Once they had finished their designs we had a class discussion. Everyone had the opportunity to contribute their ideas. We then created a plan of attack and started moving furniture. Here is the final result. 

We created a lot more space, with a variety of different learning spaces. I think the Google Hut on the right hand side is still the most popular though!

Some tables were pushed to the side to create a quieter, watering hole space. 

A mosquito net thrown over two old desks to make a cave space. 

The ability to sit on the couch, with the choice to either work on your lap or  at a table. A larger watering hole. 

This table has no chairs, as the children wanted one they could sit under instead. 

No matter how old your classroom or furniture is you can still provide opportunities for student voice and create a modern learning environment. I challenge you to give it a go. You'll be surprised with what creative ideas your students come up with.