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Making a Space

Making a Space

For this AP we focused on making our space usable for school and a place we would want to learn in. We discussed what defines a classroom. We took a field experience to Millenium Park to investigate what defines a classroom.


As a school, we asked what it means to be a successful student and teacher at GCE. We discussed what we expect from ourselves and our teachers. The student body brainstormed the traits of a successful student and came up with a social contract for both the students and the teachers.

 

Social contract for students:

We will work in a timely fashion.

We will be curious.

We will pay attention to the work, fellow students, and teachers.

We will be encouraging.

We will participate.

We won't distract.

 

Social contract for teachers:

We will accept feedback.

We will be accommodating and flexible.

We will be patient.

We will have one on one time.

We will be excited to teach!

We will be understanding.


 

Both the student body and the teachers agreed to these terms and will hold each other accountable. We want GCE to represent the needs of the students and teachers. This is an experimental school and so communication is extra important. When experimenting you need to be clear about what is expected. This document is open to evolution as well if we decide that another portion is necessary.

 

 

 

A successful learning environment is able to adapt to those using it. We had a field experience at the Pritzker Pavilion to listen to soundscapes and discuss what defines a classroom. I discussed this in my previous blog post. In my group, we asked what defines a classroom and what makes a classroom successful. We learned about different classrooms over time and different interpretations of classrooms.


Traits of a good classroom: (according to me and my group)

  • Being able choose seating

  • Comfortable seating

  • Softer lighting

  • Ability to move around

  • Different types of areas to sit

  • Interactive spaces

  • Inquiry based learning


We discussed what this means for the space we have. We have comfortable seating and different types of areas to sit. We do have inquiry based learning at GCE. The only thing that we don't have in this space is soft lighting.  At my old school the classrooms were very traditional and it made it hard for me to focus. I worked best sitting on the floor but we were not allowed to sit on the floor. At GCE, I feel much more comfortable so I find it easier to focus.

  

 

Physical space

My group was in charge of redesigning the Cooler and Screening room. We made a list of pros and cons of the rooms.

Pros:

  • The pews are comfortable

  • Carpeting is comfortable to sit on

  • Easy to see front of room

Cons:

  • Churchy vibes

  • Fluorescent lighting

  • Not easy to move furniture

 

We knew these spaces would be used for Journalism and Stories, so it made sense for us to keep a discernible front of the room for the screening room. There are no desks in the screening room and since Journalism and Stories have a lot of writing we made sure that the Cooler would have desks.  We moved the desks in the Cooler so that it could be usable for discussions but could also work for independent time.


What we want for our space:


Blueprint:
("blueprint" LM, 2021)
("cooler" DV, 2021)
("Screening room" DV, 2021)

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