Developing a school culture
I have picked up the challenge which steven is facing as I can co-relate it to our school being
new and at the beginning stages. We too have similar situation where number of students
are increasing day by day now after the physical classes started. On the other hand we keep
looking for setting up new spaces and new learning environment for our students.
Attaching Y chart what it look like, see like and sound like.
Suggestions which I feel steven could pick based on following criterias
1) What age group of the children are increasing in which grade?
2) Is there a greater number of local students or international?
3) What is the diverse learning culture coming to school?
4) Is there any students with disability?
5) Is there only requirement and needs based on primary or need to target secondary
or high school too?
Considering these parameters, I am sharing few suggestions from my end targeting early
years and primary year program me students only
Design the classroom in such a way that colors are vibrant in the classroom as it
attracts learners
Furniture should be in such a way that it is durable and remotely utilize as per
the needs
Set up sitting arrangement so whenever needed can be converted as individual
learning and can easily convert to group task too
Classroom should have few important elements which makes learning visible for
example Transdisciplinary themes, learner profiles, ATL skills, key concepts,
essential agreements, action cycle, school mission/vision with ib mission,
Set rules should be visible in classroom to maintain the discipline such as class
rules, daily schedules with objectives, target for the day, home learning
assignment and so on.
Learning centers to be set in classroom for example reading corner, art corner,
mathematical center, project space, stem area, writing corner as this way
students gets lot of opportunities to explore and walk around and set themselves
in new learning areas
Playground and sports areas to set with the needs of learners
Dance, music and art classrooms enrich their skills
Learning spaces for students in classroom should be comfortable and must have
space to walk around and change to the new areas for which carpets or small
rugs can be used in the classroom
If space allow set up small investigation center in the classroom where weekly
investigating task to be provided to challenge them
Games/Free play area always adds value in setting the culture of happiness in the
school environment
Our classroom has 2 door and one back door open to the back side where we can
make classroom like indoor and outdoor learning together where students love
going out for a game and back to classroom once it is finished
Natural lights and fresh air always make classroom enriching and comfortable.
Washroom should be accessible to students mainly for younger grades
Good enough spaces for keeping their backpacks, snack, water bottles and if
possible individual space to be allotted to each student
Students with disability should think about the sitting arrangement based on
their needs in each classroom
Display boards for inquiry cycle and reflections of students work
Project areas or gallery should be enough to display and encourage their learning
I hope these could be enough as there are many more which keep popping up on the
other hand just wanted to share the experience of our todays Kindergarten learning
where we converted the classroom into the drama act area as props were all made
by teachers and the space were enough provided to them where they actually did
role play story session on “The Lion and The Rabbit”. This was part of our end of unit
culmination so I thought of sharing as it is visible how learning space can easily be
modified as per the change and requirement of the lesson.
