Schools -- Good for Children? Prakash Nair January 2005

A building that looks like a school A building that looks like a school may actually be saying a lot of things that go beyond its architecture.

A building that looks like a school It is where students go to remain locked up (for all practical purposes) for an entire school day.

A building that looks like a school Its institutional bearing makes it a not-so-welcome place for the community and that is as it should be.

A building that looks like a school It clearly represents a certain power structure within the organization itself.

A building that looks like a school It is a place where a few adults must supervise many times their number of students

A building that looks like a school It is a place which starts with a basic belief: students are not capable of being responsible and must therefore be closely watched at all times

A building that looks like a school Get large numbers of them to do the same thing at the same time.

A building that looks like a school It is a place where distinctions between individual students and differences in aptitudes, interests and needs are dealt only with the broadest brush-strokes;

A building that looks like a school a place where personalization means giving each student a report card and two meetings with a parent each year.

A building that looks like a school It is a place to keep students out of trouble in structured activities organized by adults. This is not only desirable, but a necessity.

A building that looks like a school A sense of separateness is fostered among students in a highly competitive atmosphere where students are pitted against each other.

Rediscover the Joy of Learning Prakash Nair January 2005

Rediscover the Joy of Learning What kind of place could we create where children would actually enjoy learning in a stress-free environment, a place with one primary goal -- to give children a place where they could "rediscover the joy of learning?"

Rediscover the Joy of Learning Most of the decisions about the school seemed to have been made with the learner in mind.

Rediscover the Joy of Learning It seemed to be a place made for the children first and for the adults second.

Rediscover the Joy of Learning This included the scale of the facility, the decorations, the casual look and the simple furnishings.

Rediscover the Joy of Learning Almost every child seemed happy, relaxed and eager to learn.

Rediscover the Joy of Learning Teachers seemed to be truly interested and happy to be working with children.

Rediscover the Joy of Learning The environment seemed more like a large home than any other school I had visited.

Rediscover the Joy of Learning Most of the decorations around the school were made by students themselves (as opposed to the adult created posters with injunctions and inducements to be good students so common in schools everywhere.)

Rediscover the Joy of Learning The learning was collaborative and activity-based (as opposed to the rote learning in the highly stressed, competitive environments of most schools I've seen.)

Rediscover the Joy of Learning There were connections with nature through views and vistas from the building and ample outdoor areas for active learning and play.

Rediscover the Joy of Learning The scale of the school was small, which research shows has major benefits for student performance and success.

Rediscover the Joy of Learning There were small numbers of students in classrooms which allowed teachers to personalize each child's education.

Rediscover the Joy of Learning There was a non-institutional look and feel to the entire school which is exactly what students need, particularly during the early grades, as they transition from their home to school.

Rediscover the Joy of Learning Prakash Nair January 2005