Alexandra Stamm J UST A NOTHER B RICK IN THE WALL

O VERVIEW  Spent 2 weeks in Noisy-le Roi, France  Schools  Visited 3 different kinds of schools  Taught English/culture lessons  Host family  Independent Research

T OPIC : W HY A RCHITECTURE ?  Ethnographic Research (Learning Commons Research Team)  Learning spaces and student opinion  Architecture and design can effect learning!  What can I learn about this in France?  Do they value the same things?  What do their schools look like?  How do they set their classrooms up?

F ROM THE O UTSIDE I N  Collége Jean-Baptiste de la Quintinye  Middle school  Natural light

M IDDLE S CHOOL

N ATURAL L IGHT CONT.  International School  Wall of mirrors  Library

N ATURAL L IGHT CONT.  High School “All the light and windows helps keep me awake and focused.”-French high school student

H IGH S CHOOL

L IGHT M ATTERS : L ITERATURE R EVIEW Natural Light  Healthier development  Better attendance and performance  Improved mood  Calms ADHD students Artificial Light  Flicker rate=tired students and distracted students  Potential eye problems  Decreased information processing

A MERICAN S CHOOL A RCHITECTURE  Not the same focus on natural light  Especially in older schools  My classroom at Marshall High School  The envy of all classrooms! “A lot” of light and two windows

M Y C LASSROOM

MHS: M EDIA C ENTER

C LASSROOM S ET - UP /D ESIGN

F RENCH T RADITION  French classroom  Lecture format from 1 st grade  Place of the teacher  Platform

T EACHER -L ED C LASSES

T EACHER L ED C LASSES

E XCEPTION TO THE R ULE  Mrs. Gallon-Jones “European Section” English Class

E UROPEAN S ECTION Students work together and learn from one another

M Y E XPERIENCE  Very different from teaching style I saw in France  Raise a hand? Huh?  Team work  Student-led discussions

C ONCLUSION : W HO W INS ?  That’s not the point!  But, I win (my students, too!)  Critically look at both situations and ask “What works for me?”  Incorporate both sides of comparison into my daily classroom routine

I’ M F RENCH

I’ M A MERICAN

B EST OF B OTH W ORLDS

W ORKS C ITED  Edwards, L., and Torcellini, P. (2002) A Literature Review of the Effects of Natural Light on Building Occupants, Report NREL/TP , National Renewable Energy Laboratory: Golden, CO.  Hathaway, Warren E. "Effects of School Lighting on Physical Development and School Performance." The Journal of Educational Research 88.4 (1995): JSTOR. Web. 04 Apr  Phillips, Derek. Daylighting Natural Light in Architecture. Amsterdam: Architectural, Print.

T HANK Y OU  Sister City Committee  Dr. Suellyn Henke  Dr. Mae Ola Dunklin  Bob Dunklin  Jessica Eimers