Consider the '79 ways in which you can use design to transform teaching and learning'. Which three ways did you find most surprising? In each case explain why. Use the text boxes below to record your answer. First choice:

Which location do you study at

If you want, you can tell your name to others

take the ground out of playground - any where can be used for play cool idea never considered this before

give students choices -takes courage to hand over the reins

Everyone can be a designer.
As adults I don't think we always give children enough credit when it comes to their points of view especially when it comes to designing learning spaces. They can see uses for spaces in different ways to us and this should be nurtured and valued when practical.

Let the sunshine in.
I was surprised that having more sun in the classroom improved absenteeism. I think high schools especially are affected because their buildings are usually in larger blocks with more shade as opposed to primary which are generally more open plan and light and airy.

Swivel to attention.
I was surprised that students levels of attention are improved if they are allowed to swivel and move in their seats. This would have to be monitored to ensure other students weren't distracted but an interesting concept. I am now allowing and encouraging my students to work on the floor if they find this a better working environment. They also have the choice of sitting at a desk on their own or as a group.

Everyone can be a designer.
As adults I don't think we always give children enough credit when it comes to their points of view especially when it comes to designing learning spaces. They can see uses for spaces in different ways to us and this should be nurtured and valued when practical.

Let the sunshine in.
I was surprised that having more sun in the classroom improved absenteeism. I think high schools especially are affected because their buildings are usually in larger blocks with more shade as opposed to primary which are generally more open plan and light and airy.

Swivel to attention.
I was surprised that students levels of attention are improved if they are allowed to swivel and move in their seats. This would have to be monitored to ensure other students weren't distracted but an interesting concept. I am now allowing and encouraging my students to work on the floor if they find this a better working environment. They also have the choice of sitting at a desk on their own or as a group.

No 9: Let the sunshine in. I open the windows and curtains and let the sun in my classroom as I enjoy the sun and it makes for a better brighter class and can often save power. I however did not know by letting the sun in can cut down on absenteeism and improve test scores.

No 55. I know it is important for students/ people to use all of their senses but did not know by doing this can help them to retain and retrieve what they have learnt.

No 34: I could not imagine schools/ the ministry taking a child's view on how they should design schools. Personally I think it is a neat idea as it is a space children are in for a long period of time. I allow (at times) my students to work out where furniture could be placed in the class so why should we not give them a say in the design of a school.

Make peace with fidgeting, too much when all 30 are doing it and you are trying to read a book to them, sore throat..... need better acoustics sound devices but what about the cost?

Blaze the way, love the idea here and the possibilities that can bring. Must give thismore thought.

69 - Domesticate classrooms
I think this would be a great idea although we do the opposite in our school. Students may eat in the first 5 minutes of class but not at all after that. We/the staff discussed this at our last guidance meeting and the general thought was that it was messy and distracted from the learning. I feel that if a student is hungry and they cannot eat they are not going to learn anyway. Let them eat or share their food, the safer and more comfortable they feel in your classroom the happier they will be to learn.

66 - Break down social barriers
I teach at a low decile school and there are fences all around the campus. This is because we have been broken into and robbed. How do we overcome theft? If we take down the fences people have more freedom around the campus which would be good as we have a large playing field but we are also opening ourselves up to opportunists who do not care who they steal from.

64 - Recruit Difference
This was not really a shock but how do we do this? In an area of limited employment and away from the larger cities how do we get a greater diversity within our staff?
Teacher training should be free, in fact grants given to students and those people from industry who want to teach. This happens in other countries.

57 Paint by function
To me each space int he school should be multi-use. It may need to change depending on the students and their needs and areas they enjoy working in. Sure, you can paint different colours as long as those colours don't represent the same type of learning space permanently.

69 Domesticate Classrooms
Ohhh find me the space!! Once I have the 3D printer, 30 laptops, the art trolley and enough spaces to sit my class is already jam packed. I don't mind the idea - we encourage it in our Juniors so why not further up the school but I would questions whether they would gain that much from it.

68 Take it to the top
There is a time and a place. Sometimes going to the top is an option, but there are other valuable members of the community eg. Mariners, Scouts who may be willing to action and try out principles of a design thinking project rather than straight to a Politician. Using these local resources may help gather further evidence about the benefits of your project as an intermediary step.

Make peace with fidgeting - I always thought that fidgeting was distracting and encouraged children to try to stop.I need to change my learning environment to allow children to fidget quietly.

Swivel to attention - I like the idea of furniture that is easy to manipulate. This would help cut down wasted time waiting to get children's attention. It will also help children to get comfortable and remain focused for longer.

Free choice - It is hard to let go of control as there are many things to cover during the day. I do however like the idea of giving children free choice as this would help them learn how to make choices in the future weighing up different outcomes.

Swivel to attention - I think opportunities for teachers to select their own furniture is limited However, I like the idea of furniture that gives students the opportunity to move while learning in a safe way.

Free Choice - Not so much surprising just daunting as a Teacher. I think with a heavy focus on reading writing and maths teachers tend to focus on ensuring that students are meeting expectations, limiting the time for free choice.

68 Take it to the Top. Politicians, in my opinion, have no idea what goes on in education. It is all about saving money. We DO take funding for initiatives though...

79 Add to this list - tricky one!

68. Take it to the top .I don't believe this would happen, we have tried to engage the MP before and didn't get very far. I don't beleive that politicians are that interested quite frankly.

20 Making peace with fidgeting. It is hard to concentrate when kids are fidgeting and i am always not sure if they understand the tasks at hand, but after discussion in class it probably is a very important thing to do!

51. Make caterers caretakers. I'm not sure about this one, and its relevance to my school. We dont do breakfasts.

Make peace with fidgetting
Surprising because we spend so much time trying to get students to sit still and listen.
Should not be that surprising, because I had to learn to not notice my own son walking round and round in circles round the table as he verbally walked through a problem. If I let him walk, he arrived at a solution. The fidgeting here had a purpose.
But how do you easily tell the difference between this and just being bouncy and not ready or willing to learn? And does it matter?

Swivel to attention
Allowing students to twist and lean? Sounds strange as we always try to get them to sit up straight and not to rock on their chairs. I guess it depends on the furniture and also on what you are doing. Still, with the right furniture I guess it could work.

Take the ground out of the "playground"
Again, should not really be that surprising. My own best remembered play experiences from childhood were in some interesting places, like the "tents" we made with the lounge chairs and blankets on a rainy day. WE played for hours indoors, like it was the outdoors. So much fun and imagination.

Make piece with fidgeting - I fidget, am I listening??? No! Haha just jokes. No really I'm not listening.

Consult with kids - not surprising just important

I don't really understand the sense of surprising. Do you mean something we would not do/ we do not agree with? I personally find all of these ideas very good, applicable and not surprising but more a target.

perhaps climbing the wall is quite surprising. I dont really imagine the purpose of climbing walls while learning French at Secondary school. To teach "orders" perhaps... but is it really necessary ?

the last thing I would say. it is lovely suggestions and words but whether it is applicable tomorrow, I would say it would be a huge challenge. such as making school more domestic when teachers are struggling to stop students eating at all times...

Slow the pace...putting furniture in places to slow down traffic ..making students think about their spaces.

Slip off your shoes...in summer with older students? surprising maybe a little smelly? Also health and safety issues in some environments.

Reveal how stuff works (42)

This sounds fun - exposing water pipes etc.

42. Reveal how stuff works ... illuminating and obvious, it is fascinating to see the inner workings of a beehive. Students should know how water and electricity are used in the school.

18. Unite the disciplines .... I believe in this whole heartedly. The core of creativity is the synthesis of ideas.

Put the fun in fundamentals ... I have been convinced that Glasser's work on the basic human drives has real applications in the classroom. He places learning within the 'fun' need or drive and I know for myself that when learning is fun time and perseverence are immaterial, fun keeps me in the flow as a learner. Having fun with others is the best.

Make it New

Makes me wonder - are they repeating the same strategy with open spaces in the 70s and is this the right way to go or are there better ways. Talking to family and friend who grew up in the 70s and went to school in these open learning environments many hated it. So have they modified it in a positive way or are they just repeating same old, same old with a new lick of paint? Do we need to be more radical?

Assign Health and Safety

My first thought was - wow. imagine the benefits of this. Students will be critically evaluating their environment, which in turn (we hope) would engage them in a way that they will not only take notice of what is going on around then but they have input into their environment.

Think Hands On

Well I guess my thoughts are - do we really give the students this opportunity to be hands on - i mean beyond creating art or technology in the classroom or school. Linking to my 2nd choice - give them the tools and they are probably more likely to engage in the learning. I guess what I see being a barrier in my classroom is cost. To get the student to and from these hands on experiences is going to be costly. Education is changing but the budget isn't!

I'm not sure I found any particularly surprising, although perhaps a little idealistic and possibly unrealistic (budgets, ministry requirements...).
One of the ways that I thought was interesting was revealing how stuff works. It's something we often consider in small ways when teaching science, technology, or even on nature tables but maybe not in building design - think it would be fascinating to see some infrastructure 'uncovered'. It would also lead to open discussions with students.

Open the Doors' - I wholeheartedly agree that students should be able to showcase their work. This also encourages families to come in and share with them. However, many 'modern learning environments' have little wall space for display - open spaces, large windows etc.. I think this aspect is being overlooked in many current designs.

Adopt a young mentor' - really?? Can only people younger than you be inspiring and motivational, have fresh ideas? Not sure I agree...

Make janitors guardians. We often see caretakers as invisible people who only contribute to the environment but not directly the students learning. Caretakers have plenty to contribute given their skillset. Design thinking would be part of their job description although not specified.

Design for speech and hearing.I continue to be amazed at how poorly many New Zealand classrooms are not designed with acoustics in mind. We don't seem to walk the talk on this.

Emulate Museums. I think this is a great idea. I have one of the first ever portable compaq computers on display in my classroom. Picked it up at a garage sale for $5. It still goes and has 9 programs loaded on it. Kids are fascinated by it!

The focus on safety - obviously students feeling and being safe and secure is important but I increasingly feel students fewer opportunities to explore the natural world themselves because we wrap them up in 'cotton wool' due to safety.

Unite the discipline - not a new thought but great to see it being advocated

Design with words - I like this idea of support physical environment with what we say and hopefully do!

Build close to home
This is the parents choice based on several factors , but the student should also have input into where they go

Adopt a young mentor
Never actually considered this but it seems good to do as they could give us a different view of the world

Make janitors Guardians: I have never considered the role the school caretakers play relative to student health and safety and its subsequent impacts on teaching and learning

Make peace with fidgeting: I have never considered the link between fidgeting and creativity, rather I have concentrated on the link between fidgeting and disengagement

Paint by function: Traditionally schools are painted universally in a similar scheme that generally reflects the ethos/history of the school and logo. This concept is worth considering

Unite the disciplines 18
timetables are still compartmentalized. Students notebook are too, reading book, science book, maths book, handwriting book, phonics book.......
Let's just have the Design thinking book!

40: build a nest.
Funny enough that is exactly what my students were doing last year in the classroom because they were given the freedom to do so. I did myself call it "nesting". It was obvious to me that it was a need for them!

52 Spend now, save later
Isn't this an ongoing debate! Investing in children and their parents' well-being will surely save money to us all in the long run, and providing wholesome school lunches is a key area which will help reduce obesity and other ailments.

I'm going to abstain from participating in this activity as I believe a range of these ideas were unfathomably idealistic and therefore find a difficulty in restricting my 'surprise' to merely 3. Mixed into this utopian dogma are a number of achievable points, yet I also think they are aspects teachers are currently aware of and actively try to incorporate into their environment as best they can within the climate/limitations they operate.
Or maybe a difficult week has turned me into a scathing pessimist unable to critique these ideals with an open mind.

Scale the wall was surprising because I had not considered the installation and use of climbing wall and structures in a school environment. I think this would be an awesome idea to help build the confidence, risk-taking and achievement with challenges skills needed. With new schools being designed this could be a realistic addition with some appropriate qualified support in place.

Reveal how stuff works is a surprising and fantastic idea. I had always thought of window walls and having the infrastructure visible had never crossed my mind. A great learning opportunity children don't see, understand or recognise.

Making janitors guardians was my third surprise. I believe this is an incredibly untapped source of knowledge for children. I also think that in general support staff are not offered enough professional development, extra training or resourced well.

Domesticate Classrooms
Interested that the suggestions of incorporating kitchen features in a learning space will make the students feel like home. I wonder what is so special about a kitchen - rather than other comforts around the home?

Slip off your shoes
I was surprised but tend to agree on reflection. There is something about the physical connection of feet and the floor - shoes restrict that level of feeling/touch sensitivity

Slow the Pace
Love the concept of creating places of pause... never really thought about it!

42. I am undergoing a re-build at the moment and I just love this idea. I try hard to make learning authentic and relatable to students and this would be a great asset to future classrooms and enviornments.

21 and 22. I thought there was some evidence to show that by encouraging good posture at chairs and desk that this helps students develop the larger muscle systems to then help them develop their finer motor skills like holding a pencil/pen and typing. Encouraging to not do this, seems odd that it transforms teaching and learning.

One think we sometimes overlook is 'imagine like a child.' Actually putting ourselves in the shoes of our learners. Sometimes we get caught up with our own beliefs about learning, do the same old thing and neglect the needs of our learners.

Making playgrounds different levels. I like this idea.

Slow the pace - I like this one. I'm setting up a space at the moment and often I'm aware of foot traffic, the flow of feet, so avoid putting things in that space. Now I'm going to try and forget about this and actually view the whole space....from a child's perspective.

Having been a teacher of Design thinking for the last 15 years, I found none of these particularly surprising. What I do find surprising, however, is how hard I have to promote the Design subjects alongside STEM specialists who lack any understanding of how important this is for the students' learning process in ANY area of study.

Let the Sunshine In
A lot of classrooms have limited windows with resources plastered all over them. A lot of the older style schools are like that, it is interesting to see how the architecture of educational facilities is changing. It is a mindset, generational, people expect to see certain things of a classroom, we need to change in thinking.

Scale the Wall
I have always loved the idea of monkey bars and climbing trees, it encourages children to take risks and to develop fine motor skills. It is alarming to see young children incapable of supporting their own body weight, what a great idea to include climbing frames in the classroom.

Spend Now Save Later
Love this idea of cooking school lunches out of a school kitchen. We are always bleating on about diets too high in junk and sugar, litter created by students lunch boxes. Yes it is expensive and costly, but when you consider the impact that poor nourishment has on a child's ability to perform mentally and physically in a school environment, can we really afford to leave that up to the wild variables that exist in the community?

Reveal how stuff works: Making school infrastructure literally transparent, to display the flow of water and waste.......

I hadn't ever really thought about doing this. This would mean teachers would have to understand that first, before they were able to pass this on to the students. Surely some would not be on board with this?

Imagine like a child...visualise a proposed school from a child's perspective...

What a great idea! It would give you insight into the problems/ challenges that they perceive to be important. They won't be the same as your problems/challenges I bet!

Scale the wall: install walls and structures they can clamber on.

Wouldn't OSH be up in arms about this? Where's the cotton wool to wrap them in? I love the idea of letting children climb trees. Unfortunately it's not allowed in our school. Imagine if I could get that overturned!!!

Trigger Senses... I like that idea. Smells and sounds can often bring back memories (making multiple memories about a single moment).

Slip off your shoes... Very Kiwi. Comfort lets students enjoy their situation just that little bit more.

Not really surprising...good reminders!
63 - Design with words. "What you say influences what you think and what you do. Use the term universal design, rather than accessible design, as a reminder of what it's all about: creating an environment for all learners."
So true. This has made me think of the classroom we have just done up in preparation for an extra class, a rumaki class. It is literally blank and white. Instead of filling it up with desks and chairs we need to start with how the design contents could enhance and encourage learning for a group with diverse learning needs, as well as enhance their culture. Could it also become a meeting place for whanau? How would it look? I want to rush out of my office now and ask the kids to design it!

61- adopt a young mentor. "Allow someone younger than you to become your advisor on hopes and dreams, and let those aspirations become inspirations for learning environments."
The ultimate student voice or agency. Am I listening or am I assuming? I don't want to be in a school that is familiar to Rip Van Winkle.

25 - Take the ground out of playground. "Who said playgrounds had to be at ground level? Locate play space anywhere and everywhere, from rooftop terraces to indoor atriums."
We tend to see space as one or two levels high. we can also just think of playgrounds as looking pretty much the same. i love the idea of new ways of creating these entertainment areas...this is definitely the most exciting of the options I chose.

Taking the shoes off.
Initially I realised I had never thought about this in a "get ready for learning" context, but more of a cultural context. After some further thought, I felt that yes, that could be used as an option to "get ready for learning" but there are also several different ways in which we already do this.

28, climbing the wall. In a large secondary school there is a climbing wall way way over in the gym but in our area we have keep our feet on the ground and we have NO opportunities for students to do anything, except sit in the sun getting melanoma watching the screens of their phones, buy cheap bad food at the canteen and keep them out of the corridors in morning break and lunchtime.

57 paint by function. And g-d decreed that that there were three colours that would cover all the surfaces in the school because they were school colours. There was "death by mushroom" beige and bland yellow cream" and "heavy dark blue" because bright colours might stimulate dissent or
thought.

50 slow the pace: We were enjoined NOT to put artworks on the walls in the corridors because then students would slow down and look at them .

#55 - Triggering Senses. Surprising but seems obvious, as adults memories are often triggered by a smell, movement, song etc. By allowing those connections to be made in learning we can enable opportunity for retention and memory.

#50 Slow the Pace. Furniture and alcoves in busy through areas seems like it might be obstructive in some instances and in fact frustrate many whilst allowing 'pause' for a few.

#37 Designing for the Commute. This is fantastic in concept but students often travel from far and wide and the placement of the school cannot always cater to that. Discussion with transport operators and users should be progressed however to enable the best possible solutions that are regularly checked to ensure usability.

Design for speech and speech hearing.

As someone with hearing difficulties I am very aware of the short comings in our classes. When was the last time we thought of acoustics, noise dampeners in our classes.....

Build a nest

What a great thought for our playgrounds and our classrooms

Display learning -
Didn't think to display past and current. Usually I remove past work and put up new work. This made me think maybe that by using the past work as a starting/jumping off point the children can see visually their progress through their learning.

Slow the pace - Didn't think of these places as learning areas or 'places of pause' as generally they are a practical space of getting from one place to another.

Trigger the senses - Thought this may have been more of a distraction than helping students to retain and retrieve what they learn.

Plan for the Unknown

This is surprising as I think it would be difficult to plan for an as yet unknown innovation in education. How would educators in the 80 have planned for the Internet?

Unite the disciplines.

This is not surprising but exciting and challenging in terms of design...maths and physical education, art and social science, English and science...different combinations are challenging and inspiring.

Take the ground out of playground.
An interesting concept. I like the sound of rooftop terraces!

Swivel to attention.
All the things we try to tell the children not to do!

Think Small: I think this would limit the choices of students, and limits their ability to create and innovate, explore and engage in their learning. When you think big, learners can persoanalise learning

Slow the Pace: having furniture in the hall, seems a bit dangerous. It would be interesting to see if students spent time sitting and chatting about learning, or just came late to class.

Take it to the Top: I am yet to meet a politician who actually understands what effective teachers do, let alone have time to spend supporting us! Watching parliament with my year 7 and 8 class was disappointing as they found the politicians immature and silly arguing backwards and forwards -the complete opposite of how we teach kids to act in class.

Display children learning, I think this is important to get the message to students that you value their work. Children can view the work of others as a means of making improvements also.

Swivel to attention: There are some children who find it challenging to sit for a long period of time. Giving them a swivel chair/ moon hopper, give them the opportunity for movement, which also leads to better concentration levels.

Build a nest: An area in your classroom where children can feel safe and comfortable to read quietly with their friends. Makes the children feel more at home!

Slow the pace.
The addition of furniture in the hallways seems to be a hazard for students and teachers.

Take it to the top.
Politicians seem to have little time to look deeply into decisions related to education in general. I find it hard to believe that they could find time to support educators.

Slow the pace
Having furniture in the hallway would create dangerous obstacles and create opportunities to move away from learning as they used these areas to stop and chat.

Take it to the top
I feel that although the politicians have a lot of insightful things to say I don't believe that they are necessarily the right people to bring into the classroom to inspire the children to be innovative thinkers.

Make it new-how does your space reflect your new thinking

Support great teachers and free them up for new areas to teach in.

Consult with kids
We don't really take notice of what our kids think and feel. We will talk about seeking feedback from our students, but do we really ever take on board what they say, especially if it is different to how we think and feel?

Adopt a mentor
Adopting a younger mentor who will influence the way you think and teach. Younger, energetic, innovative teachers have a lot to offer older more experienced teacher in this new and exciting teaching environment.

Shuffle the deck
Change up the locations of regular activities so children can explore new surroundings of body and mind.
As a teacher I like to keep things "regular" and routine. Changing an environment and moving surroundings. Makes me think will the children be distracted.

22
Swivel to attention
Give students furniture that lets them swivel. The movement will let them concentrate more.
Being old school and expecting students to sit up and pay attention. I guess that some students are kinesthetic so maybe it works

Take the “ground” out of “playground”
Who said playgrounds had to be at ground level? Locate play space anywhere and everywhere from rooftops terraces to indoor atrium's.

Hmm rooftops sounds a little extreme. I'm all for children climbing trees and being free and learning through play. But my question is how strongly does this need to be monitored? If an accident should occur as a teacher am I to blame?

Make Peace with Fidgeting.

As I teach in a MLE this is one I need to keep reminding myself to do. Boys were not meant to stay still and designing or setting up the class to promote boys moving is essential to make a MLE work. Having chances were they can take a mental break are important when faced with longer times in the same class.

Multiply Intelligence.

Have the MLE set up to cater for learning styles will help engage our boys into their learning. Often boys are 'afraid' to learn in a particular way. By setting up the room to encourage this will help with learning. This year is the first year I have used M.I. so I can join this with the concept of MLE.

Cherish Children's Spaces.

Often the spaces are set up with the child in mind but not with that idea of child's play, an area were they can just be children. In my school it is a 7-13 college so we sometimes set up our environments for seniors but forget about the younger kids. Thinking about 'child spaces' rather than 'learning spaces' is an interesting concept.

I really liked the idea of showing the functional workings of a space so students can see the real workings of a place. Such a simple yet interesting design aspect.

Shuffle the deck' is a good idea, too. If I was a student, I think I'd be more engaged with my learning if I had fresh spaces to learn in, rather than the same stuffy place.

Make peace with fidgeting'. Yes indeed! I think if I was a student, I would LOVE a space in which fidgeting was okay, instead of frowned upon.

24 Respect fitness facilities - its vital that we make areas attractive and visible to reinforce the connection between physical activity and overall well-being. This is surprising in the sense this should just be normal and something that is in place already in schools. Hauora is about the holistic well being therefore we must make places, where children want to be and go to daily.

34 -Imagine like a child - viusalise a proposed school from a student's perspective. One would think again that student voice was just natural and we do this all time as we prepare teaching and learning.

54 -Think hands on. Again a way teachers think of different learning styles is ensuring children of all ages have places they can learn through touch, manipulation and making things with their hands.

Let the sunshine in - No 9. We have no shady areas outside out classrooms and letting the sun in is not a choice - it comes. classes get too hot, too much glare on devices, classrooms heat up and get smelly - no airconditioning

Respect fitness spaces: No 24 This area is always left in a mess, no care is taken to keep the sport / fitness areas tidy, bright, clean

Highlight the site No 44 The actual site of the school isnt much of a focus as much as the state of the classrooms

Make janitors guardians- I like this as one of our school values is Kaitiakitanga, which includes caring for one another and our environment. We are considering developing a role with one of our Health Promoting Schools key teachers that combines the duties that would normally be carried out by a school caretaker/ grounds person, with integrating how we educate our students as they become part of the way we care for our environment, sustainability, etc.

Emulate museums- I love this:)
Just wanting to see more ways in classrooms that promote inquiry/ curiosity/ wonder for learners. I was sharing with my own kids last night about how my classroom had a massive fish tank, old tyres and my kids and I used them to create this pond for our tadpoles etc....until we had frogs jumping around the room eek.

I like the one about taking your shoes off...this is exactly how I learn best.

Make peace with fidgeting - I don't stand still when I teach, why should my students when they learn?

Imagine like a child - Don't put a lid on children's learning. They don't when they imagine.

Make janitors guardians- I like this as one of our school values is Kaitiakitanga, which includes caring for one another and our environment. We are considering developing a role with one of our Health Promoting Schools key teachers that combines the duties that would normally be carried out by a school caretaker/ grounds person, with integrating how we educate our students as they become part of the way we care for our environment, sustainability, etc.

Emulate museums- I love this:)
Just wanting to see more ways in classrooms that promote inquiry/ curiosity/ wonder for learners. I was sharing with my own kids last night about how my classroom had a massive fish tank, old tyres and my kids and I used them to create this pond for our tadpoles etc....until we had frogs jumping around the room eek.

I like the one about taking your shoes off...this is exactly how I learn best.

Highlight the site
This sounds like a powerful way to highlight the uniqueness of a school. Our school is at the base of a cliff which has uniques rock (strata) layers running through it. Early Maori gathered food and sheltered at the base of the cliff in caves.

Emulate Museums
There has to be a balance between rich resources and clutter. From working with the school Art teacher every available bench space is covered with art resources or reading books.

Decide on dynamic
There is currently no money to replace furniture that wears out. We are making do with what we have by teaching collaboratively in a dated environment with the best resources we have on hand. When there is money-Getting the balance on spending on what teachers actually need as opposed to what they think they need.

MAKE PEACE WITH FIDGETING

I found this idea worth thinking about as kids who are challenged by the culture of sit still and listen kind of time in class deserve real consideration for how they learn best - so making peace with fidgeting would have teachers thinking how fidgeting can be embraced rather than scolded.

FREE CHOICE

I liked the consideration of real world free choices we make every day being brought into the classroom and school environment. What better way for kids to develop their key competencies in-situ.

BUILD NEURAL NETWORK

By providing kids with places to test new skills I can see a lot of thinking and talking and reflecting would take place as kids grow their new skills even further.

Design with words. What you say will help create a new environment. Reminds me of alternative thinking - manifesting an idea or outcome through thought and word.

Domesticate the learning space. Something I have been doing for a long time. Having ability to cook and share food and feel comfortable in the space you learn.

Spend time in the country!!! All for it, great idea ...... $$$$ like many of these ideas it does not correlate with the environment most NZ teachers work within. I do believe we need to think big but again it seems unlikely given the present circumstances of lower decile NZ schools.

My first choice would be "Swivel to attention" I never thought that increasing chair movement would increase concentration I thought it would be the complete opposite and would distract me as a teacher. I think i would like to give this a go

My second choice would be wearing socks or slippers in the classroom could make a difference I do understand it would be more comfortable but would it make kids feel more homely maybe something else I would like to try.

I did not have a third choice as the other cards are what is needed in a school that wants to succeed

Reveal how stuff works.
It wasn't so much as a surprise, more that it is an idea that makes sense. the amount of science and maths it could inspire is incredible.

Get out of the city.
I love the idea of this and have done this with many schools. I was however, surprised to see it on a list like this.

Make Peace With Fidgeting

I was reassured to read this as a positive activity for brain development because recently I witnessed with great annoyance and embarrassment, a teacher spend a whole 10 minutes shaming a child for fidgeting with his pen in class. This was an ESOL class where students are already struggling to make sense of new language and a new environments and it was just shameful to watch. So thrilled to read that fidgeting can indicate brain activity and growth!!

Design For Speech and Hearing

Not that I'm surprised by this but just thrilled to see it is listed as a key design feature. As a voice teacher I am always acutely aware of sound, voice production and its effect on the listener/learner in educational settings. I liked the teaching not repetition analogy.

Form Follows Function

I hadn't thought about the learning environment in this way really and I believe it is quite a challenging provocative idea for future learning environments.

Make Peace With Fidgeting

I was reassured to read this as a positive activity for brain development because recently I witnessed with great annoyance and embarrassment, a teacher spend a whole 10 minutes shaming a child for fidgeting with his pen in class. This was an ESOL class where students are already struggling to make sense of new language and a new environments and it was just shameful to watch. So thrilled to read that fidgeting can indicate brain activity and growth!!

Design For Speech and Hearing

Not that I'm surprised by this but just thrilled to see it is listed as a key design feature. As a voice teacher I am always acutely aware of sound, voice production and its effect on the listener/learner in educational settings. I liked the teaching not repetition analogy.

Form Follows Function

I hadn't thought about the learning environment in this way really and I believe it is quite a challenging provocative idea for future learning environments.