From Treehouse to Submarine

I love treehouses. I always have. So what better way to fill a beautiful, open, high-ceilinged classroom than with a treehouse? Standing in the space, I could see it. And I asked myself (and anyone else who would listen) what child would not want to come to a school that had it’s very own treehouse? IN school!

I referred to our school’s recent strategic plan and decided I could create an action plan targeting 3 of the 4 pillars. Amazing, right? How might we provide students an opportunity for balance and innovation to design a space that will support, know, and inspire while building and engaging our community? But I thought I already knew the answer. Build a treehouse! It’s no surprise that I am a bit of a dreamer.

At the end of last year we disassembled a MacLab from our Junior School. We removed all the iMacs and computer desks and replaced them with Chromebooks and moveable student desk chairs. Our goal was to create a flexible, innovative space for our students and to allow for opportunities that were not possible when the space was a fixed computer lab. My Action Plan with Cohort 21 this year was to recreate this space. The dreamer in me wanted to build a treehouse.

We have already started on some renovations to the space, including a full wall green screen and several portable white boards. The space has worked beautifully for our robotics units and is used for several projects involving video production. It also housed the perfect space for several Breakout EDU challenges.

After my school visits with Michelle Li at The Mabin School, Justin Medved at the York School and Cathy Russell at Branksome, I was inspired. I felt so fortunate to see what was happening in other schools, how spaces were being used, and now I had the big picture. I knew how I was going to recreate my space. Maybe it was no longer a treehouse, but it was clear to me what needed to happen next.

We needed to rethink furniture, rethink space, but most importantly, rethink purpose. Right now, we have bids in for new furniture, for creative uses of space and…purpose. If the space has purpose, it is bound to bring meaning to students and teachers alike.

Our JK class is doing a unit on the underwater world. Alas! An opportunity to create, if only temporarily, an imaginary structure to explore this underwater world. With the help of some innovative minds we are going to build a submarine. Our JK students will visit the creatures of the sea in my new space. It’s not yet a treehouse, but it’s a start!