Flexible Learning Spaces

FLEXIBLE LEARNING SPACES

The American School of Dubai, an independent not-for-profit U.S. curriculum school, offers what is the best about American education to provide learning experiences designed to promote the maximum potential of its students.

OUR MISSION

The American School of Dubai’s mission is to challenge and inspire each student to achieve their dreams and to become a passionate learner prepared to adapt and contribute in a rapidly changing world.

CORE VALUES

Compassion | Excellence | Integrity | Respect | Responsibility

THE AMERICAN SCHOOL OF DUBAI IS COMMITTED TO THE PROTECTION, SAFETY, AND WELFARE OF OUR STUDENTS. ASD HAS ADOPTED A CHILD PROTECTION POLICY THAT GUIDES OUR PROFESSIONAL PRACTICES FOR THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF STUDENTS.

What are Flexible Learning Spaces?

FLEXIBLE SPACES ENHANCE THE FOUNDATION OF TEACHING AND LEARNING. THE SPACE GIVES STUDENTS MORE CONTROL AND RESPONSIBILITY, AND IMPROVES ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENT. FLEXIBLE CLASSROOMS PRODUCE BETTER ACADEMIC OUTCOMES AMONG PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN THAN THE MORE TRADITIONAL, STATIC CLASSROOM DESIGNS. FLEXIBLE LEARNING includes attention to time and resources as well as

physical elements. Classrooms are evolving from static physical spaces to engaging learning environments where children continue to develop an awareness of themselves as learners and freely work in a way that best fits their needs. Co‐teaching usually involves multiple activities occurring in one place and co‐taught classes tend to be highly interactive places with high levels of student engagement.

Our classrooms are designed to provide students with choice and opportunities to develop an understanding of themselves as learners. Each learning area is different—designed to meet different needs and utilize different sets of resources for instruction; it is important for students to have a variety of spaces to work. With choice comes the opportunity to practice selfreflection and self-regulation.

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How do flexible spaces support learning?

TO BE EFFECTIVE AND AUTHENTIC, THE LEARNING SPACE NEEDS TO BE BUILT TO ADAPT. It needs to be flexible and allowed to evolve over time.

Learners of all ages need space—both mental and physical—to experiment, make mistakes, and learn. The environment needs to be adaptable and able to be reshaped to meet the learning needs of the student.

The process of designing the space gives our students and teachers

ownership of the space. By involving students in the design process and talking with them about the school space, we empower students and give 4

them more ownership of their school and their own learning.

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Great things in business are never done by one person; they’re done by a team of people.

STEVE JOBS

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What is Co-Teaching?

CO-TEACHING OCCURS WHEN TWO OR MORE EDUCATORS SHARE INSTRUCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR A SINGLE GROUP OF STUDENTS. CO-TEACHING TEAMS MAY INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO TEACHERS, INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANTS, COUNSELORS, AND SUPPORT TEACHERS. THE BENEFITS OF CO-TEACHING

Partnerships increase our effectiveness. When teachers work collaboratively together the benefits for students are substantial. Teachers learn from each other and get more regular feedback on their instructional practices. The level of transparency in a more flexible environment encourages teachers to work at the highest level possible. The roles of the co-teaching team and the coteaching approaches used are reflective of learners’ needs. There are several approaches that may be part of your child’s learning experience including parallel teaching; one teach, one observe; station teaching; one teach, one assist; and team teaching.

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Co-Teaching Approaches at ASD ONE TEACH, ONE OBSERVE

One of the advantages in co-teaching is that more detailed observation of students engaged in the learning process can occur.

With this approach, for example, co-teachers decide in advance what types of specific observational information to gather during instruction and agree on a system for gathering the data. Afterward, the teachers analyze the information together.

ONE TEACH, ONE ASSIST

In a second approach to co-teaching, one person keeps primary responsibility for teaching while the other professional circulates through the room providing unobtrusive assistance to students as needed.

PARALLEL TEACHING

On occasion, student learning is greatly facilitated with more supervision by the teacher or more opportunity to respond.

In parallel teaching, the teachers are both covering the same information, but they divide the class into two groups and teach simultaneously.

STATION TEACHING

In this co-teaching approach, teachers divide content and students. Each teacher then teaches the content to one group and subsequently repeats the instruction for the other group. If appropriate, a third station gives students an opportunity to work independently.

ALTERNATIVE TEACHING

In most class groups, occasions arise in which several students need specialized attention.

In alternative teaching, one teacher takes responsibility for the large group while the other works with a smaller group.

TEAM TEACHING

In team teaching, both teachers are delivering the same instruction at the same time. Some teachers refer to this as having one brain in two bodies; others call it tag team teaching.

Most co-teachers consider this the most complex but satisfying way to co-teach.

“ The Learning Experience

Tell me and I forget.

Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN

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LEARNING AT ASD FOLLOWS CREATIVE CURRICULUM FOR K1 AND COMMON CORE STANDARDS FOR K2 AS A FOUNDATION FOR COMMON LEARNING OBJECTIVES AND STANDARDS. TEACHERS FACILITATE LEARNING in a variety of group settings and

strategically contribute to and guide learning based on students’ interests and learning style. Teachers’ collaborative reflection on student learning needs and interests allows better differentiation when identifying learning groups. Students may be grouped by need, interest or content. The groupings are flexible and students move in and out of groups depending on the skills, strategies, and content being taught.

The learning experience includes: • Interesting, inviting spaces for children to learn and grow • Students building relationships while working together to explore and investigate their wonderings • Teachers listening carefully to their students, observing their interactions and encouraging in-depth engagement with questions and skills as they arise • Students expressing themselves through drawing, drama, dance, building, song, dress-up play, cooking, and sculpture—the hundred languages of childhood (Malaguzzi) • Teachers collaborating to provide effective flexible learning opportunities throughout the day • Visible documentation to record the children’s learning process

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Our learning environments are a blend of proven research and we are continually refining our methods. Learning spaces are influenced by the following approaches: INQUIRY-BASED LEARNING is a form of active

learning that starts by posing questions, problems, or scenarios. It contrasts with traditional education, which generally relies on the teacher presenting facts and his or her knowledge about the subject.

Inquiry-based learning emphasizes the student’s role in the learning process. Rather than the teacher telling students what they need to know, students are encouraged to explore the material, ask questions, and share ideas. Inquiry-based learning can boost comprehension for students in all subjects and provide skills to last a lifetime.

PERSONALIZED LEARNING, or personalization,

refers to a diverse variety of educational programs, learning experiences, instructional approaches, and academic-support strategies that are intended to address the distinct learning needs, interests, aspirations, or cultural backgrounds of individual students. Personalized learning may also be called student-centered learning, since the general goal is to make individual learning needs the primary consideration in important educational and instructional decisions.

REGGIO EMILIA is not a prescribed program,

but rather a philosophy about learning that can be applied contextually to the unique culture, places, history, social diversity, and institutional reality of each school. A Reggio-inspired learning environment focuses on: The Image of the Child, Relationships, and The Environment.

LEARNING THROUGH PLAY is a term used in

education and psychology to describe how a child can learn to make sense of the world around them. This means that children learn well when they are mentally active, engaged, social, and can make meaningful connections to their lives, which are all characteristics of play. When play-based learning is done well, the classroom becomes a teacher. Through play, children can develop social and cognitive skills, mature emotionally, and gain the self-confidence required to engage in new experiences and environments.

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PROVEN RESULTS

Teachers at the International School of Bangkok made a change to a flexible classroom arrangement and have found that they can better support students’ social and emotional needs. With the increased number of students, every child can find a friend to connect with; students who are quiet and shy or who might normally struggle to find a special friend have a wider group to choose from. When conflicts arise with friend groups, there are more opportunities to group with other friends for work and play. Students with sensory needs benefit from having a choice to work in spaces that best meet their learning needs. Students who are still learning to make positive choices are less distracting to others, and there is less negative stigma. When teachers share and collaborate, they develop a richer understanding of all students.

SOCIAL EMOTIONAL BENEFITS

We know that different students connect with different teachers. With four adults in the classroom, children have better opportunities to make meaningful connections and are exposed to multiple teaching styles. While the overall number of students in each classroom is large, the studentteacher ratio remains small.

THE ASD STUDENT PROFILE

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As we look at what will be necessary for living in the twenty-first century, shouldn’t our learning outcomes be focused on the ability to think flexibly, invent, collaborate, and problem-solve?

DESIGNS FOR LIVING AND LEARNING, DEB CURTIS AND MARGIE CARTER

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REFERENCES Curtis, D and Carter, M. (2015). Designs for Living and Learning. Redleaf Press. St. Paul MN. Duncan, S. Martin, J. and Kreth, R. (2016) Rethinking The Classroom Landscape. Gryphon House.

Lewisville, NC. Mraz, K., Porcelli, A., and Tyler, C. (2016). Purposeful Play. Portsmouth, NH. Ritchhart, R., (2015). Creating Cultures of Thinking.

Jossey-Bass. San Francisco, CA. Santamaria, L., & Thousand, J. (2004). Collaboration, Co-teaching, and Differentiated Instruction: A Process-Oriented Approach to Whole Schooling.

Whole Schooling Consortium, 1 (1), 13-27.

+971 4 395 0005 P.O. Box 71188 Dubai, UAE asdubai.org

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