The teachers in the Years 5/6 team at Elsternwick Primary are faced with many challenges and questions when co-designing learning environments that stimulate and promote both collaborative and individual learning as well as the environment supporting students and teachers living a set of values: respect, responsibility and resilience.
The teachers who are currently choosing furniture that best suits the variety of learning activities in years 5/6 are looking at the work of Mary Featherston, a designer, to guide choices. Mary worked with Wooranna Park Primary School to design designated yet flexible learning spaces [see above sketch] that are purposeful, respectful, responsive and evolving. Her research article describes this project.
I can recall one comment made by one of the teachers: “round tables give everyone an equal and respectful share in the work” or “student lockers can promote greater levels of personal responsibility”.
