Philosophy in bricks and mortar

Entrance to the Dakota Meadows Middle School Media Center 

Buildings reflect the values of those who design them. They are, so to speak, philosophy made visible in bricks and mortar.

When the Mankato Schools built its last new building, Dakota Meadows Middle School, in the early 90s, the project team was led by a remarkable educator - principal Jane Schuck. Thanks to her vision, the school had two overriding design principles - the "middle school concept" and "technology-infusion," Those principles are visible yet today in the building's design and program. It remains, in my experience, still the most innovative school building in Minnesota.

What principles will be on display in our new elementary building? I know two, for sure. First, this will be a "green" building. In selling the referendum, we promised that we would work for LEED certification, making sure the project is as environmentally friendly and energy efficient as possible. I am excited about this. Second, there will be increased attention paid to safety. For the first time in our district, the building design process will need to consider things like "lock downs." One of the most remarked-upon ideas from our recent visit to other schools was a entry door configuration that required all visitors to pass through the school office before gaining access to the rest of the building. Sigh...

But what about the educational philosophy behind our new building? Cowed by AYP and other NCLB threats, will our entire building be designed "to raise standardized test scores," as one of the team has already suggested? If so, what would a building like that look like?

From current practices, there seem to be many things the building would not need:

• a gymnasium, art room, music room
• certainly no playgrounds
• probably no library media center
• science classrooms only if science scores start to "count" on state tests
• no stages, no auditoriums, no large group venues of any kind
• no technology beyond computers for drill and practice in math and reading and, of course, testing

Probably small, cube-shaped classrooms with straight rows of desks all facing the front of the room would be just the ticket for extended reading and math "practice." (No thinking outside the box, for heaven's sake.) Lots of space for special education. Minimal distractions. Maximum efficiency of movement for less time off the tasks of direct reading and math instruction.

Until citizens in a single voice stand up and shout, "Being educated is about more than doing well on tests!"  test-performance-schools that both educators and kids will detest will be built.

What would your "high-test" school look like? 

 _______________________

Update May 13 - just released from our DO:

 

 Nary a word about test scores.

Comments

[greg carroll]

looks like this (http://www.flickr.com/photos/shu1/6065783/) maybe ...
...or this (http://www.flickr.com/photos/swordfish7/2278977698/) ....
remind me how far we have come in education in the last 150 years.

We have been doing some remodeling work at school recently and I have had a lot of fun reading and looking for ideas. Reggio writing has provided me with a lot of inspiration .... I love the concept of the environment being the third teacher (because each learning space has two teachers).
Greg

[Doug Johnson]

Thanks, Greg. Wonderful pictures.

I am not familiar with Reggio. Can you provide a link or source?

Thanks!

Doug

[Joel]

Designing a new school is indeed a wonderful opportunity. Your comment on lockdown is interesting - wouldn't have predicted it as a need in 1990.

Amazingly, do schools look that much different from the two flickr photos? The colors are obviously different, but do we still put children in a 30x30 room with essentially 25 kids assigned to one adult for one subject at a time? Has education really changed?

My second comment would be about the items you listed which would not be included due to high stakes testing - who came to the silly conclusion that those do not contribute to children and learning? Some of my most significant learning experiences happened as a result of occurred on our playgrounds.

I actually get your point and hear your frustrations, but we ought not blame accountability measures which are reactionary to schools who became soft and complacent in their roles. The implementation of NCLB is surely flawed, but so is the thinking on the part of educators that everything in a school needs to be about test scores.

I would contend that learning is not equivalent to test scores. Our schools need to be about learning and not test scores. Learning is (and I am making these numbers up out of thin air - but really, I might be giving too much credit to content) about 15% content and 85% is the "hidden curriculum" - it is that 85% that happens as a result of what you suggested in a tongue-in-cheek manner that ought to not be in the new school. Some of my most memorable learning experiences on the playground.

I can live with the idea of safety impacting the design of the building - it is a sad but necesary discussion. But, I would not allow the mentality of "designing a building to improve test scores" to go unchallenged on your team. In my impression it represents some of the most shallow thinking in education.

This is an opportunity you will have one time that will potentially impact tens of thousands of people who connect with this building in one way or another over its lifetime.

[Doug Johnson]

Hi Joel,

I do hope you understand that my "high test school" design was meant to be satiric. I absolutely believe all the things that hypothetical school eliminates not only contribute to better test scores, but help educate the whole child and are of vital importance.

Thanks for your great comment and your words of encouragement.

Oh, I have just added our district's "Guiding Principles" statement (which was just released today), for the building project.

All the best,

Doug