Elementary School Learning Commons for a prek-8 school.

[Georgeanne E Bonifanti]

I am interested in hearing how others have changed their existing space to embrace the learning concept idea.  I would love to see visual examples of how people have changed their existing spaces.

[Beth Kiger]

Georgeanne, I would like to know more about what learning commons means. We have a flexible (partial) schedule and I am always entertaining ideas to tweak it. Beth Kiger

[Georgeanne E Bonifanti]

Beth my understanding of Learning Commons is a very flexible learning area within the school library media center where technology is everywhere, students and teacher can move furniture easily to accommodate individual learning, small and large group learning. You can do a search and more information will come up. It is becoming very common in colleges and universities, and high schools. It is just starting to be talked about in elem. middle schools. I am interested in elem. middle schools that are thinking about it or already have it in place.

[Beth Kiger]

Georgeanne, thanks for the info. I think my principal will be very interested to hear this. It is a constant struggle to keep the flexible schedule in that the teachers in this district are accustomed to using the LMC for release time. We have been flexible/research based for 7 years, however. They usually don't move the furniture but this is what I do. We have two areas/tables set up for small group work to go on, a large area with chairs and tables which can be used (this is currently set up with an lcd/computer/airliner, and a story area. While my K-3 classes are fixed ideally things are going on as I am teaching them. The 3-5 classes are scheduled at their point of need. There are 15 computers in the media center that can be used by small or large groups. The only problem I have is with acoustics. We have a tall ceiling with a skylight. If the students get the least bit noisy it really carries.