Essentials Magazine Essentials Fall 2018 | Page 13

Trends in Learning
DESIGN PROCESS
build the executive function skills for
es are having 1) a table size that allows
students to talk and engage with collab-
orative materials easily; 2) an unbroken
surface area, as opposed to desks pushed
together; 3) a round table so that no one
is at the head of the table. I recommend
42” table diameters or, in the case of a
clover table, 48” (the indentation offers
efficacy — being able to identify a goal
and create a plan to achieve it.
Quiet Work Zone
For students who struggle with focus,
concentration, attending to a person or
activity, persisting in a task, and over-
DESIGN PROCESS
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a 42” diameter while the protruded area
offers a 48” diameter.) Collaboration is
not a process of divide-and-conquer; it
requires students to “come to the table”
with individual mastery and synthesize
to develop a better end product. Provide
students with consensus-building tools to
guide their interaction.
Individual Work Area
At times, students need to work
independently to build content mas-
tery. Design a section of the room with
individual desks apart from the noisier
collaborative areas. As students consider
their goals and schedule how they will
use time, they build important executive
function skills related to empowerment,
such as monitoring performance, man-
aging time, and reflecting on goals. As
they tackle real-world problems, both
individually and collaboratively, they
coming temptation, a quiet work zone
will support their growth. Consider study
carrels designed to minimize distractions.
Small-Group, Mini-Lesson Area
Students build academic skills
through learning activities, teacher
facilitation, and small-group lessons
offered by the teacher on targeted skills
or concepts. It is important to put a
table (rectangular or kidney shaped) in
an area of the room with a white board
and, if possible, projection capability.
Student s sign up to attend small-group,
mini-lessons, building greater executive
function skills toward empowerment.
Teachers can also require certain stu-
dents to attend specific lessons.
Daydream Center
Creative people daydream!
(Kaufman & Gregoire, 2015) How won-
derful to build a space in a room where
students can spend a ten-minute period
just daydreaming. Fill it with stimulat-
ing images and colors.
Game Area
Games, particularly games of strat-
egy, are powerful tools for building the
executive function skills for
engagement and efficacy,
including making mental
images, identifying cause-
and-effect relationships,
and considering future
consequences in light of
current action. Set up some
tables and fill the shelves
with board games. Com-
puter games are welcome
as well!
Maker Space /
STEM Area
Many teachers these
days are designing areas to
fill with materials that allow
students to make objects
and/or use a design process
to solve a STEM problem.
Fill shelves with see-
through bins of materials
and let students creativity
flow! A good design process
will move students between divergent
and convergent thinking, exercising
myriad executive function skills.
Next time you consider designing
educational spaces, whether a classroom
or entire school, consider how the phys-
ical space can promote greater execu-
tive function toward increased student
achievement. n
DR. NANCY SULLA
is an author and
the creator of the
Learner-Active,
Technology-Infused
Classroom. You can
follow Nancy’s blog
and find out more
about her at www.
nancysulla.com and
her company at
www.idecorp.com.
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