Joining the dots between Space and Pedagogy

 

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.