Over the last year I have been facilitating in Oranga and
Grey Lynn Schools. Both schools are in process of improving their learning
environments and were looking for support with the process of change. Both in
terms of space and pedagogy.
Both schools had the opportunity to pilot a series of
workshops delivered by the Planning Learning Spaces team and based on the
framework in the best selling book, Planning
Learning Spaces. You can find out more about the Planning Learning Spaces
process in this presentation.
There is now significant
body of research which gives evidence to demonstrate that learning spaces that
are purposefully designed to support teaching and learning organization linking
to the school vision for learning has positive impact on student achievement.
The Planning Learning Spaces framework, includes a series of
workshops or discussions with the principal and school staff provided the
opportunity to reframe the school vision for learning into learning space design
principles enabling staff to refresh both their new and existing learning
spaces to actively support organization of teaching and learning in their collaborative
spaces.
The workshop framework provided a reflective process for
teachers to develop their learning environment and how to strengthen
collaborative ways of working in their spaces. The last series of meetings with
the principals and leadership teams focused on developing a strategy for change
which drilled down to an action plan to support sustained change with a focus
on collaborative teaching and the ongoing relationship between pedagogy and
space.
Following the strategy
for change meetings with the principals, both schools successfully applied for
Professional Learning Development hours which enabled staff to have a deeper
dive into fully understanding the education spaces they were moving into and
the collaborative teaching models that these spaces could support. These transition plans will
support both schools to continue to reflect and review the effectiveness of
their new collaborative spaces.
The workshops provide opportunity for schools embarking on
creating schools and spaces within schools, investment in time and practice to
define and evolve their approach. They facilitate developing a common belief of
what actual practice will look like in the new learning spaces. By following the PLS Framework,
both schools have redesigned their learning spaces in the most effective ways
possible and now we are working on ensuring that they have continued
sustainability going forward. The schools have also identified the next steps
that they wish to work on through their strategy for change plan.
This PLD provides opportunity for schools embarking on
creating schools and spaces within schools, investment in time and practice to
define and evolve their approach. They facilitate developing a common belief of
what actual practice will look like in the new learning spaces. They have successfully utilized
PLD support to continue to reflect and review the effectiveness of their new
collaborative spaces. It will be great to see the changes being implemented at Oranga
and Grey Lynn Schools over the next 12 months.
