Classroom layout and placement of tables and chairs are just some details, but they can directly affect students' learning interests and emotions.
At Walter Payton College Preparatory High School in Chicago, the walls of all classrooms are covered with pictures, various forms, knowledge cards, game cards, maps, etc. The ceilings are not wasted either. Some are hung with pictures designed by students, and some are hung with various cartoon animals, plant models, etc. Almost no two classrooms are the same, so visitors don’t have to worry about going astray.
The posters in the classroom not only show the students' individual talents, but are also an integral part of the learning content, creating an effective situation for students to learn.
Walking into a science classroom feels like walking into a small museum: models of various flying objects are suspended from the ceiling, and animal and plant specimens are placed in the surrounding cabinets, which is breathtaking. It turns out that in high schools, classes are usually divided into majors, which is what we now call the "walking class" system: the teacher has a fixed classroom, and the students move around. In professional classrooms, subject-related materials and pictures are posted on the surrounding walls and ceilings. For example, in the dedicated classrooms for history and geography, maps, historical events, research topics, etc. are posted; in the language classroom, writing knowledge, classic quotations, celebrity speeches, etc. are posted.
In addition, many classrooms are equipped with closets for students to store study and daily necessities. There are book corner, animal corner, toy corner, hygiene corner, plant corner, computer corner, etc. in the classroom. The library corner is filled with various reference books and various scientific knowledge books for students to consult at any time.
The arrangement of classroom tables and chairs is also different. Some are arranged in a semicircle in one direction; some are arranged in several small circles; some are divided into several large groups and sit opposite each other; some even have one group facing forward, one group facing right, and one group facing left. . The tables and chairs in each classroom are placed by teachers according to their own teaching needs. During the visit, we observed an experimental class. When the teacher explained the experimental requirements, relaxing music was played on the speakers in the classroom. The students could move around and discuss freely in the classroom, as if they were studying at home. This is something we have never seen in our country.