[Xmca-l] Re: The architecture of classrooms

[Tom Richardson]

Great question, Annalisa.......
Tom
        BoWen


On Wed, 20 May 2020 at 23:17, Annalisa Aguilar <annalisa@unm.edu> wrote:

> Hello VO's on the XMCA list,
>
> I regret if you tire of my posts, but in light of these Kleinian worries,
> I wanted to point out one possible area where education innovation has
> succeeded, albeit under the radar. I am curious to open that up to
> conversations here.
>
> Namely, what have been the consequences of the placement of tables and
> chairs in the grade-school classroom.
>
> I know that many say that the millennials are "entitled" and yes, that is
> a problematic assertion to me, but I have wondered if this might have to do
> with how millennials may be the first generation of learners who learned in
> classrooms where tables and chairs were arranged in circles, and/or
> clusters, and not in regimented the rows and columns that I, and perhaps
> you, grew up with.
>
> Would this in and of itself create a more social-learning/ Would it foster
> confidence, team-building, and the kinds of zopeds we hope and pray for
> (whether formally constructed or not?)
>
> I feel that this generation (millennials) shares more, and is less
> competitive, and though I may be harmful by speaking too generally (I don't
> mean to be that), they seem to have some contempt to boomers, as they
> believe they sold out and are selfish. I do not blame them for saying this,
> though oddly selfishness is a different shade of "entitlement."
>
> Still I wonder for an educational setting that fostered competition in
> classrooms where students were punished for sharing answers, or for
> learning together in the classroom in a playful arc, is it possible this
> might be rooted with the placement of tables and chairs?
>
> We have before us to compare the models of sage on the stage (boomers) vs
> the guide on the side (millennials).
>
> Is this too simplistic? Could this be one way millennials have prospered
> socially, where as a group, boomers cannot?
>
> Thanks in advance for your comments.
>
> Kind regards,
>
> Annalisa
>
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