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PROVIDE TEACHER SUPPORT SPACES THAT
PROMOTE COLLABORATION
3.1.24
Design Principle 1: Teaching and Learning to Accommodate the Needs of All Learners
Pattern 1.7: Provide Teacher Support Spaces that Promote Collaboration
Best Practices
Denver School of Science and Technology
• At Denver School of Science and Technology,
classrooms are clustered with a variety of
support spaces for students and teachers.
These clusters not only allow teachers to work
together in the classroom but also collaborate
with each other outside of the classroom, for
example in the “studio” pod area.
John A. Johnson
• At John A. Johnson, teachers share offices
located between two year level elementary
classrooms. The sharing of the offices allow
for teachers to discuss and aid one another
with their teaching and lesson planning.
High Tech High International
• Another important feature of these work
spaces are the interior windows as seen at
High Tech High International. This allows
for teachers in the space to be visible to
students and also allows the teachers to keep
a watchful eye on the surrounding informal
learning spaces.
Figure 3.1.7.1: Teacher offices at Xavier School of
Excellence Charter School are clustered together for
staff collaboration and are in close proximity to a
teacher’s lounge, conference room, and prep room.
Figure 3.1.7.2: Diagrams show teacher work room and
breakout space between classrooms. Teacher support
shared spaces between classrooms is a way to promote
dialogue and curriculum overlap opportunities.
Problem:
Too often teachers are expected to know everything there is to know on a subject or situation. This
expectation is unrealistic, as subjects and situations are extremely broad and without the opportunity
to discuss the questions or problems with their peers could result in misinforming the students.
It is important to provide teachers with support spaces in which they can collaborate with their
peers. Each teacher has their individual strengths, allowing for these strengths and ideas to be
discussed will allow for a sharing of the knowledge within the school community. This will also
allow for interdisciplinary collaboration. In elementary school having two or more classrooms for
1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders is often the norm. When these same grade classrooms are located in such a
way that teachers can share office space, the content overlap and collaboration opportunity is a huge
benefit for the students. In middle and high schools having faculty offices which share curricular
content in close proximity to the classroom provides easy access for students and their questions.
School of Environmental Studies
• At the School of Environmental Studies, also
called the Zoo School, students and teachers
work in “houses.” These houses allow for an
open and flexible learning environment where
teachers are able to easily collaborate with
one another and with students. Each house is
supported with science labs, an advisor’s work
area, and seminar rooms.
Collaborative Spaces
• Through these collaboration spaces the
teachers are able to create a supportive
community for themselves, just as the
classroom clusters have created a community
for the students. This allows teachers in 10th
grade teaching math, science, English, and
social studies to share ideas and offer ways to
form a more integrative curriculum.
• The teachers also share a breakout space
allowing for the teachers to work with one
another’s students if need be. This can be
helpful, in educating the students, as one
teachers method(s) of teaching may not be as
well received by certain students.
Solution:
Consider the design and location of teacher spaces to both support the classroom in their adjacency,
and to promote shared dialogue with teachers. Teacher workstations and teacher’s lounges or break
spaces should be strategically located to provide opportunities to rest and recoup and to share and
inspire, allowing easy and convenient access for students.
Charter School Patterns of Innovation
A Building Better Communities Project
PROVIDE TEACHER SUPPORT SPACES THAT
PROMOTE COLLABORATION
3.1.25
Design Principle 1: Teaching and Learning to Accommodate the Needs of All Learners
Design Recommendations
• Provide teachers with shared offices to
promote collaboration between staff.
• Promote collaboration between teachers
through teacher lounges, workstations, shared
teaching spaces, and/or break spaces.
• Create informal interaction spaces where
teachers can support each other and utilize
each others strengths.
• Allow for the work spaces to be visible from
neighboring spaces to promote collaboration,
informal surveillance, and convenient access
for students.
• Classrooms which are flexible through
furniture and/or movable walls can allow for
teachers to easily collaborate with each other.
Figure 3.1.7.5: By utilizing interior windows with blinds in this support space at Denver School of Science and
Technology, teachers are able to see each other. This allows for impromptu collaboration between teachers who
would otherwise go unnoticed.
Figure 3.1.7.3: At Galileo Charter School the teacher
support space is located directly off the hallway and
interior windows allow for views into and out of the
space.
Figure 3.1.7.4: A shared teachers office at John A.
Johnson allows for teachers to work together and
discuss ideas as they are developing lesson plans.
Figure 3.1.7.6: The teachers work area within the classroom clusters at Denver School of Science and Technology
provides teachers with many resources and places to gather together and collaborate with one another.
A New Architecture for a New Education
Ball State University