Making small changes

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The three SPACE DRIVERS I chose for my classroom are:

1. Collaboration
2. Creativity
3. Cognitive Flexibility

I was encouraged to start by making a SMALL change and so I started with the most simple of my three space drivers, collaboration.

Previously my classroom was arranged in groups of 4 or 5.  I have 22 desks in my classroom, so that is 2 groups of 4 in the "front" of my classroom, 1 group of 4 in the middle, and 2 table groups of 5 desks each at the back of my classroom.  And this is how my classroom was permanently arranged.


Although there are 22 desks in my classroom, I don't have a class with more than 21 students in it.  So typically my students work in groups of 3.  When it's time for group work, I usually post the groups up on the board, and then students find their partners, and move around the room finding a space to work.  Some groups of 3 sit at a table of desks.  Sometimes students move the desks around.  Some students work on the floor, or the stand at the lab counters in the back, or work out in the hallway.  It gets a little messy, and it's a little chaotic, but I've always been fine with that.

   

Until now.  For this course, I challenged myself to think about how collaboration is done in my classroom, and what role the physical space plays in the collaboration of my students.  

It is SUCH a simple change to make ... it's almost embarrassing that I haven't thought of it sooner.  I changed my table groups to be arranged in groups of 3 (as I typically group my students) and now each group has their own space at a table.  That makes it a lot easier for them to work effectively and efficiently during the class period.  It also gave me more space to spread the table groups out and there is more room for me to walk between them and circulate throughout the classroom.

  

Separating into groups is much more efficient, and because groups have an appropriate table space, they can work more effectively.  This is a good example of making a small change to make a big difference!!  

Now .... what else can I do???