Transforming a room into a space for learning and big questions

by Melissa James, Teagle-Wabash Fellow in Ethics and Social Theory

For many and sundry reasons I have been in a multitude of elementary school classrooms. The best and most effective classrooms seem to be those in which the teacher has transformed the room into a world unto itself. What I am constantly reminded of and amazed by is that through their efforts a simple room is transformed into a space where learning happens.

While very few higher ed classrooms will include a rug for story time or the classroom pet, there is something to be learned from the transformation of elementary school classrooms. A question that has been floating among the PFF fellows is: How do we transform a classroom into a space where learning happens, where “big questions” can emerge? Taking my queue from effective classrooms, I offer a few preliminary thoughts on this question:

1) Mind the space. Foucault suggests that the set up of a space displays and even defines the power dynamics of the interactions therein. There is no one “right” set up for a classroom, but, depending on the type of environment one is trying to create or dynamic one is trying to foster there are certainly set ups that hinder this.

2) Provide a variety of tools. Unfortunately this may not be play dough (though I have considered this); it can, however, be asking the question of what tools are available in the classroom to explore the question or content at hand? How can I use all of the room? How can I provide many entry points for engagement?

3) Don’t define all of the questions. My task as a teacher isn’t to define all the questions that students ought to ask in order to get the correct answers. There are times and places for prescribing questions, but, by helping students identify and name the questions they are asking (or trying to ask) the door is wide open for “big questions” to emerge.

This list isn’t even close to exhaustive of ways to create a space for big questions to emerge. What would you add?