Back to School
If you've had the opportunity to visit your old elementary school, have you ever noticed how the smells of the school never seem to change? It's amazing how that smell can bring you right back to those early years. Memories of completing special art projects and conversations with friends, walking down the hallways and looking at things posted on the walls, or running your hand across the smooth and cold brick--the small chips in the wall that were once there are still present.
As I walk down the hallways of our Minnetonka classrooms, or should I say Learning Spaces, I can't help but wonder what memories will be built for the future students? I am sure they will look back and remember the smells, just as I do.....but they will also remember feeling empowered. They will remember feeling included in the conversations of how they learn best and how the space they live in each day can support their thinking, creativity, collaboration, and communication skills.
Below are just a few snap shots of classrooms that have been a part of the Design for Learning Process-a process that empowers students and staff to transform their teaching and learning through the design of the learning space.
