Students Have Bodies
Feb 8th, 2007 | Posted in Education | By Eric Hoefler
A few days ago, Kevin tagged me for the “layout of your working space” meme. This comes at a good time because I’ve been thinking lately about the importance of aesthetics and the affective domain in terms of the education.
My basic working thesis is this: students’ brains are housed in bodies, and both brains and bodies prefer a pleasing environment to one that isn’t, therefore we should design pleasing learning environments. Not revolutionary, right? But …
I teach at the high school level, and too many high school classrooms are just rooms with desks. These sterile environments, often devoid of color or natural light, make for sterile learning.
Some classrooms have a poster or two on the wall, or maybe a well-designed bulletin board. This is a start. But there’s more to a helpful learning environment. Some ingredients I consider important:
- natural light, lamps, and plants
- colorful and engaging walls (artwork (student or otherwise), quotes, etc.)
- comfortable seating for a variety of activities (chairs and couches for reading, tables for some kinds of work, computer stations, storage areas, etc.)
- easy access to materials
- a resource area for students (including extra materials, paper-exchange system, appointment books, announcement area, magazine racks, book shelves with course-related texts open for students to peruse, etc.)
Unfortunately, the overall design of many schools doesn’t allow for some of these things (natural lighting, for instance), school policy may prohibit a few (no food or drink in classrooms), and overcrowding may prevent others (my largest class has 28 students).
My school was renovated last year, and all the classrooms now have blindingly-white walls and bright fluorescent lighting. At least it looks clean. Bu my students say they feel like they’re in an insane asylum. (Sometimes, I think they should be …) 
My old classroom had charm: a huge musical mural on one wall, artwork and quotes everywhere, and a number of “comfy seats.”
My new classroom … still has a way to go. We can’t paint the walls, so I’ve been collecting student artwork (since we are the Center for the Fine and Performing Arts). I hope to make my classroom a mini studio by the end of the year.
Here’s the current version (from Gliffy):
A few things I like:
- We keep a huge dry-erase calendar near the bulletin board. Students put up birthdays, games, performances, and other special dates. I don’t touch it–it’s theirs.
- We have a water cooler/heater in the room. Students can bring mugs and make hot tea or cocoa. We also keep a good supply of mints in the room … for group work.
- I use the “bad day block” system I picked up from Bob Tierney. If a student is having a bad day, she can place a little red block on her desk. That tells me to go easy. Even the high school seniors love it.
- We have a huge 8′ x 4′ screen tacked to the wall where we project computer images and films. (I have a cart with a laptop and LCD projector that’s connected to a stereo mounted under the projection screen).
- We have one couch, which is off-limits during “direct instruction” time, but great for reading and group work (and, of course, film studies).
Nevertheless, I’m not happy with the design. What I really want are more computers in my room (we have one supplied by the school and two laptops that I supply), fewer desks, and more variety in the seating options. As I move closer to a studio approach to my instruction, I hope to reflect these changes in the environment. I can imagine it looking more like this:
Regardless of the exact details, I think we need to remember that students have bodies. (As they get older, we tend to forget this, but it’s still true.) Bodies need to move around, be in different positions for different tasks, be involved in the learning, and be respected.
I always think of Foucault, particularly Discipline and Punish, when I think about these issues. The ways in which we regulate students’ bodies says volumes about our attitude toward them … and they can feel that from the moment they walk through the doors.
So who to tag next … ? I’d love to hear from Bud, Jeff, Gail, and Paul.
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Hi Eric
I like the idea of reminding ourselves that space can play a difference in attitude. Thanks for sharing.
Kevin
[...] been tagged for my first blog meme–Eric wants me to write about the physical space in which I work. I can do that, I [...]
I love the thoughtfulness about the space you have to use for your classroom. So often we simply adjust to what we have without thinking about how we might improve or modify, especially (and sadly) in education.
I enjoyed the graphics you used as well as the idea of what you’re aiming for as you continue to improve.
You didn’t mention much about the pedagogical value of what you have in your classroom (e.g. wordwalls). I liked this, because I don’t do a lot of pedagogical usage of my walls but do spend time simply decorating. I felt vindicated. I try to make my room more comfy than simply a learning tool. This year I bought fabric that looks like water and put it on several walls… Very relaxing effect (at least for me), but I still have far to go. I’m torn between whether my room should be used for curricular stuff or making kids feel comfortable. I’d appreciate hearing any thoughts you have on that.
That’s a good question, Gail. My response is: both, as much as possible.
I’m not trying to turn my classroom into a lounge or a living room, but at the same time I want students to feel comfortable in that space. I have to spend a lot of time there, too … so I want to feel comfortable also.
And I’m glad you brought the word “pedagogical” into this. Not everything in my room is designed to have a “teaching purpose,” yet I do want everything to contribute to learning. I strongly believe that a “pleasing” environment does contribute to learning. In that sense, then, everything is pedagogical.
It seems like common sense to me: classrooms should be comfortable places–designed to support learning, yes, but also just comfortable. Students have to spend a lot of time in this room with me (90 minute periods, 2 to 3 times a week), so why shouldn’t we try to enjoy it? I don’t think “comfort” and “conduciveness to learning” are mutually exclusive.
So, artwork and posters, water and mints, air cushions, couches, plants, etc. have no defined pedagogical purpose, but they make the direct pedagogy easier to swallow.
One quick example: I keep Koosh balls in the classroom. We use them sometimes to regulate discussions (pedagogy). But I do have a few kids who genuinely need something to “fiddle” with in order to stay focused, and Koosh balls work well because they make very little noise (not-so-much pedagogy). Sometimes we just toss it around before or at the end of class … because it’s FUN, dammit (no pedagogy at all … but then again, I don’t want “my classroom” and “fun” to be mutually exclusive terms, either.)
In all things … balance.
Cool–thanks for thinking outside the Koosh ball!
[...] Eric, even though he’s already been tagged. Eric, favor us with a wide angle on your classroom, okay? Something panoramic, [...]
Great blog entry, Eric. Lots of great ideas. Altho my hands are tied in the place where I work my colleague and I are working on ways around.
[...] Press, 1998) 57. [back]I’ve written about the importance of physical space before here and here. Also consider Michel Foucault’s work, particularly Discipline and Punish. [back]If I’m [...]
[...] an earlier post, responding to a “layout of your working space” meme, I wrote a little about the [...]
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