Recommendation Three:
Ensure Adequate Professional Space for Teachers and Paraprofessionals in School Facilities

 

Role Group Strategies:

District Office
IIn planning the construction of new buildings or renovation of existing buildings, make the incorporation of professional space for teachers a priority.

 

 

 

Office Supply
Clark, C. S (2001, Oct ). EdWeek, Teacher Magazine
http://www.edweek.com/tm/tmstory.cfm?slug=02facil.h13
This article describes an initiative to outfit New York City's 1,100 schools with teacher workstations. This is part of a growing national movement to upgrade, or, in some cases, introduce teacher work spaces in schools. While it does cite the reluctance of some teachers to leave their home classrooms and cart their belongings to separate offices, the article also details other examples in which teachers felt an increased sense of respect and efficiency when they were finally able to have separate teacher work spaces.

(Re)Designing Learning Environments
The George Lucas Educational Foundation
http://www.glef.org/redesigning/html/case.html
This site includes a set of diverse case studies from the George Lucas Educational Foundation highlighting a diverse group of schools across the country which have designed innovative learning communities that help kids learn.  Interactive case studies provide background, timelines and strategies for creating or renovating school communities and facilities that work for multiple partners.

 

A Sampler of Designs for Teaching and Learning
The George Lucas Educational Foundation (2003, September)
http://www.glef.org/php/article.php?id=Art_1053
This article gives real world examples of various design innovations nationwide. Among other useful examples, the section “Honoring the Teachers” describes the design of professional working spaces at Mary Scroggs Elementary School  in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The school was designed to give a top priority to teachers having their own space, complete with computers, phones, desks, and storage. The goal was to start "treating (teachers) as professionals, raising morale, and providing them with the tools and resources so they can be the best they can be," says Principal Paula McCarthy.

33 Principles of Education Design
Lackney, Jeffery A., Ph.D. (2003, February) The National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities
http://schoolstudio.engr.wisc.edu/33principles.html
This site provides a comprehensive list of 33 guiding principles for educational design. Principal No. 10 details the importance of clustering instructional areas and No.17 in particular outlines how teachers should be regarded as professionals and provided with private or semi-private office space for storing belongings and accessing informational technology tools.  The site provides rationale and excellent strategies for the use of professional space.

Visioning Process for Designing Responsive Schools
Henry Sanoff, School of Architecture, College of Design, North Carolina State University with support from the National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities.
http://www.edfacilities.org/pubs/sanoffvision.pdf
This document is designed as a guide to constructive dialogue about facility planning.  The authors stress that building "responsive" schools requires that those who dwell in the space be involved in the planning process.  The guide includes sections on the importance of community participation and concrete suggestions for goal-setting and strategic planning. It also describes efforts to design schools in several North Carolina districts.

 

Classrooms
Butin, Dan (2000, July) National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities
http://www.edfacilities.org/pubs/classrooms.pdf
This paper addresses the key elements found in well-designed teacher workspaces, including both classroom- and office-based workspaces, and highlights important development principles when designing these workspaces. Educational trends that have affected the rise of both classroom- and office-based work space are briefly discussed.

The Future of School Facilities: Getting Ahead of the Curve
DeArmond, M., Taggart, S., & Hill, P. (2002). Center on Reinventing Public Education.
http://www.crpe.org/pubs/pdf/report_facilitiesweb.pdf
This report outlines five national trends affecting the future of learning, offers six criteria based on those trends that can guide decisions affecting school facilities, and profiles innovations in school facilities in Portland Public Schools and Niagra Falls City Schools. The six criteria are that facilities should focus on student learning and achievement, facilities should be flexible, facilities should be responsive, facilities tradeoffs and choices should be transparent, facilities provisions should be driven by data, and facilities should be economically efficient.

 

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