What do student learning spaces typically look like? I’m setting up my classroom and unsure of how to set up my room! - Rethinking my Classroom Spaces

Dear Rethinking,

Your question reminds me of a song from one of my favorite (old) television shows, the Brady Bunch! One of their songs contained a lyric, "When it's time to change, you've got to rearrange." A Modern Classroom is undoubtedly all about changing and rearranging instruction AND design! Now is the perfect time to rethink classroom setup.

Does this mean throwing out every item and setup of the past? No way! Just "rearrange"! How can you take what you already have and rearrange it to support blended, self-paced, mastery-based instruction? Where might you place materials to be accessible and promote student self-pacing? Where might seating be arranged to make you accessible, collaboration possible, and allow mastery checks to be completed with fidelity? We have a few ideas to leverage common teacher tools to promote a Modern Classroom. Want more? Tune into this awesome walkthrough with two Expert Mentors who showcase real-life spaces to get you changing and rearranging in no time!

Lisa Doty (She/Her)
Teacher Leadership Manager

Lisa Doty is an experienced educator who most recently worked as an instructional coach. She earned a Masters in Curriculum & Instruction from Emporia State University and a Bachelor of Education in Elementary Education from Washburn University. With a “stay curious” mindset, she is thrilled to partner with learners as they do the transformative work of the Modern Classrooms Project.

Lisa shares a home in Kansas with her husband, two children, and a dachshund, Tucker.

Looking for more Ask MCP questions? “Students’ behavior is unraveling now that they don’t have a task to do. What do you do when there are still several students behind and the majority are ready to move on?” Read Meg McGregor’s response to this question.