Imaginative Bridges= Architecture & Design

Reading about two different work spaces this week made me think about my work place, the school and classroom. Where do teachers in my school do most of their work? In the classroom. This includes teaching, writing lessons, researching activities and lessons, grading papers, etc. In addition, when we complete this work, we are by ourselves. (Except when we are teaching our students.) Teachers tend to want to keep to themselves in their classroom to complete their work. So, our classrooms are like a cubicle in a way. It's our private area, that's boxed in, and very private. Now collaboration among teachers is really important, so you would think to encourage that we would meet together in an open space to bounce ideas off of one another. No, not really. In my school, we do meet once a week with teachers who teach the same content and grade to plan in one of their classrooms. After that 30 minutes is through, though, we run back to our classrooms, our cubicles. I personally love having my own private personal space to get my work completed. In fact, I need the quiet space in order to concentrate and be productive. I know in the reading it was said that with isolation, employees become bored, disenfranchised, and often work on things that have nothing to do with their job. Perhaps that can be stated for some, but other personalities need that privacy. Open spaces for me are a distraction and uncomfortable. Work spaces should vary for the individual, a little of private and open available, but by choice on if and when used. This is the same for education, students and teachers vary, they need their own space and individual work time. However, they also need time with others to share and learn from one another too.