What if we COULD make schools the spaces we dreamed of? 

What if we COULD make schools into the spaces we dreamed of?

We don’t. But, what if we COULD? 

What if the politics and the funding and the contracts and the legacy practices didn’t keep us mired in small adjustments and tinkering. What if, instead, we allowed ourselves to commit to a shared vision that it’s in our collective interest for each and every child, youth and teen to walk into a space where they are valued, engaged, nurtured and  sustained to develop a wide range of talents. Where their identity is affirmed and mirrored back. Where they are understood to be developing and lessons, classroom spaces and interactions with adults reflects that. 

That was always my vision for education.

That it could be this magical, stimulating, creative community.

That the game of it for teachers, and principals, and all the rest, was to keep creating.

I believed that educators could find the magic in anyone and would persist and keep coming around in search of the right thing to connect with that student. I hold this belief still, more than two decades on, even after having plenty of sharp words cast from angry 14-year-olds in my legendary 1st and 7th periods. I believed that there was something I hadn’t yet figured out and that was the game of this work. 

But let's just start with something incredibly basic before we get into the discussion about the complexity of behaviors in schools, the under resourced classrooms and over-extended staff. 

What’s incredibly basic is that schools in 2024 don’t physically look all that different than they did in 1924.

Consider this - the overwhelming majority of classrooms are still a room. They have rows of desks (sometimes tables) and are facing one central teaching area. What was a chalk board has evolved into the whiteboard/screen where the teacher’s laptop is projected. Yes, there are some wiggle chairs and yes, there are u-shaped tables for small groups, but fundamentally, the organization and flow of classrooms is the same as it was 100 years ago. 

100 years ago. 

(flickr: St Mary’s Digital Archives)

So, of all the changes we could make, fundamentally rethinking the physical space is one that is long overdue. 

But what’s a Principal to do? You aren’t staring at a large budget line item for furniture or an easy path for putting up partial walls and other physical space alterations. You have real budget constraints, real regulations to comply with regarding facilities and not a lot of time to develop to this dream. 

But what if you DID devote time to this dream? 

What would the space(s) you design look like? 

Here’s something you can do to start you in the right direction.

1. Get a few large pieces of paper. They can be the legal size copy paper, a segment of butcher paper or a few sheets from the large white pads frequently on easels in professional development meetings. 
   • Make a Brainstorm-Drawing (What’s a brainstorm-drawing, you say? Well, it’s a brainstorm in a drawing and that means anything goes.) Start drawing the classroom of your dreams. If it has a small mini cottage in the corner with comfortable cushions for reading, draw that. If it has tree stumps and a lawn in it, draw that. If one whole wall is windows floor to ceiling draw that. 
2. Start breaking the pictures down into the core components. See if you see themes (i.e. there is nature in each one, there are soft cushions in each one, there are separate learning zones in each one, the classroom is a mock-factory instead of a math classroom, etc.). 
   • Define a minimum of 3 categories. Now, make a list under each category about all the ways you can think of to achieve this. Stay in the brainstorming spirit so that you are open to any answer and not yet ruling out ideas. If you write “build a garden in each classroom” because you want nature in each room, put it down - don’t get logical yet.
3. You have a schematic of the space (your drawings) and a list of the core categories and how to translate that into action in a classroom (your brainstorm list of words). Now is the time to get logical.
   •  Open your mind to what COULD be. Look at your list, now with a more practical eye and take it one item at a time and ask yourself this question, “If I had to make this come to life within the next two weeks, what would I do?” It’s still a bit of a fantasy-based question, but it’s getting you to merge the limitless possibilities of your brainstorms with the reality of life in a school system. Go through this for your full list and see what ideas you have to just get started. 

Then start with that one small action you’ve identified. 

It’s amazing how, when leading change, just starting is often the obstacle. If you want to radically redesign the use of space in your school you start with a first success. Find someone ready and willing to start that small step with you. Use it as a snowball to build success and gain more fans. 

For physical space, if you have a vision, you can start engaging your staff and your students in doing their own Brainstorm-Drawing and list design. You’ll have a strong case for grants, partnerships with businesses and even simple changes in vendors more aligned with your vision. 

It’s one way to start small to LEAD BIG.