What does it take to design a child-centered 21st-century classroom that advocates for all learning capacities?

Sparked by a visit at Steelcase, I’ve been pondering about what might be the different aspects of academics one should consider when designing learning environments for students.

While the National Education Association (NEA) identified the 4C’s of 21-st Century Learning, that is critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity; I deem it is pivotal to consider what might support these skills terms of designing learning environments.

In this article, I propose the 4C’s of classroom designs that can support and establish a high-quality learning experience.

1. COLLABORATIVE

Classrooms must promote collaboration. When planning a class, one must take note of what, where and how objects are designated. Examining flexibility and mobility are vital in creating a collaborative environment. Movable tables and chairs can be a great idea for individual work, small group discussions or more significant group collaborations.

In an article written by, Dr. Monica Burns for Getting Smarter, she examined why we should create a collaborative classroom that takes advantage of both technology and classroom setting.

As we design collaborative activities where students can share and hone their communication skills through discussions and feedback loops, classrooms must also be able to support the synergic exercises embracing active learners.

2. CREATIVE

What if every classroom today is a makerspace of its own?

In a world where creativity is over-utilized and highly desired, surrounding students with tools and inspirations can cultivate ingenuity. While curriculum and pedagogies are critical in developing students creativity, it is equally essential that learning spaces are designed to support the creative mindset we are nurturing among our students. Some approaches inspired by Canva suggests making room for visual reflections, providing a space for hands-on learning experiences, affording flexible classroom layout and adding colors that can stimulate the imagination of our learners.

3. CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE

Students need to belong in the classroom to participate. A culturally responsible class can make a student feel part of the community they spend most of their day. Imagine a classroom in New York City where students come from different cultural backgrounds may it be race, religion or socio-economic status. How might we foster inclusivity, respect, and tolerance among a culturally diverse student body?

The National Equity Project suggests beginning from knowing your students. A simple wall where students can exhibit the history of their culture -- be it a photo, an instrument, a fabric or poetry about their families or identities can promote self-confidence, respect, and diversity that nourishes a culturally responsive classroom community. When acknowledging cultural backgrounds, students feel recognized and significant. Spaces like a culture wall can be a channel to tell their stories where students learn about each other and gain a sense of belongingness.

4. COMFORTABLE

At a panel of decision-makers from Squarespace, Google, and other leading tech companies, a top executive once said, “Ideas evolve more naturally when I feel most comfortable and relaxed.”

According to an article released by Concordia University-Portland, comfortable classrooms lead to a better student community. Dr. Sheryl Reinisch, Dean of the College of Education at Concordia University-Portland, indicates that studies show that high-quality classroom environments “help children feel safe, secure, and valued. As a result, self-esteem increases and students are motivated to engage in the learning process.”

Furthermore, assistive technologies from low-tech to high-tech tools such as pencil grips, visual guides, headphones, etc. must be accessible to all students at any time. Steelcase designed a wobble chair they called “Bouy” that can comfort students who might like to fidget and sway when studying while also providing the portability and flexibility to stay still if desired. Pretty neat!

When we think of a child-centered learning environment, comfort and convenience go hand in hand. Facilities must be designed to all learning abilities considering both tools and spaces that are caters to a diverse learning spectrum. While we provide a space for collaboration, we must also design a space for learners who might need a quiet area to work on with little to no distraction.

Ultimately, the goal of education is to prepare students to be life-long learners ready to take on the challenges and demands of the future. Navigating school can be grueling when we do not create a learning environment that affords students to do better. Why not make it easy, fun and enjoyable for our students. By doing so, we might develop a responsive, creative and collaborative diverse community of problem solvers.