Season 2 – Episode 1

In this first episode of the new season we talk about classrooms. Below are some of the links we refer to  in our discussion.

Classrooms 100 years ago look like classrooms today

Classrooms 100 years ago look like classrooms today – meme in education. Here’s a video for it https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=20&v=lm1sCsl2MQY

BBC thing showing how classrooms 100 years were different http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/z39wjxs

Brendan Wightman on this narrative in education http://eltjam.com/narratives-of-change-in-education/

The effect of the classroom on learning

http://www.educause.edu/research-and-publications/books/learning-spaces/chapter-6-psychology-learning-environments

http://www.salford.ac.uk/news/study-proves-classroom-design-really-does-matter

http://scholarworks.wmich.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3380&context=honors_theses

http://behavioradvisor.com/ClassroomDesign.html

The perfect classroom

https://medium.com/bright/the-perfect-classroom-according-to-science-5b23c4a33c1a

 

“Stationary desks and chairs [are] proof that the principle of slavery still informs the school” (Montessori)

This is the website with all the wackily named sitting arrangements

http://www.classroomdeskarrangement.com/ClassroomDeskArrangement/Four_Square.html

End of pod activity 

As your commute is coming to an end, here’s an activity you can take into class. Ask students to close their eyes and imagine a classroom from their past. Give them the following questions to think about. Where was the classroom? What did you study there? What was on the walls? How many of you were in the classroom? What were the chairs like? Where were your books? Was there anything written on the tables? Where did you sit? Who was next to you? Was there a window? What could you see out of the window? What did the classroom smell like? What did the classroom feel like?
Ask them to open their eyes and tell a partner about what they remember. Feedback in open class. Who had the most interesting or most awful classroom in the past?

Listen to the episode here: