just another brick in the wall

Alexandra Stamm

JUST ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL

OVERVIEW Spent 2 weeks in Noisy-le Roi, France Schools

Visited 3 different kinds of schools Taught English/culture lessons

Host family Independent

Research

TOPIC: WHY ARCHITECTURE?

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?

FROM THE OUTSIDE IN

Collége Jean-Baptiste de la Quintinye Middle school Natural light

MIDDLE SCHOOL

MIDDLE SCHOOL

NATURAL LIGHT CONT.

International School Wall of mirrors Library

NATURAL LIGHT CONT.

High School

“All the light and windows helps keep me awake and focused.”-French high school student

HIGH SCHOOL

LIGHT MATTERS: LITERATURE REVIEW

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

AMERICAN SCHOOL ARCHITECTURE

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

MY CLASSROOM

MHS: MEDIA CENTER

CLASSROOM SET-UP/DESIGN

FRENCH TRADITION French classroom

Lecture format from 1st grade Place of the teacher

Platform

TEACHER-LED CLASSES

TEACHER LED CLASSES

EXCEPTION TO THE RULE

Mrs. Gallon-Jones “European Section” English Class

EUROPEAN SECTION

Students work together and learn from one another

MY EXPERIENCE

Very different from teaching style I saw in France Raise a hand? Huh?

Team work

Student-led discussions

CONCLUSION: WHO WINS?

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 FRENCH

I’M AMERICAN

BEST OF BOTH WORLDS

WORKS CITED Edwards, L., and Torcellini, P. (2002) A Literature Review of the

Effects of Natural Light on Building Occupants, Report NREL/TP-550-30769, 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): 228-42. JSTOR. Web. 04 Apr. 2010. <http://http://www.jstor.org/stable/27541979>.

Phillips, Derek. Daylighting Natural Light in Architecture. Amsterdam: Architectural, 2004. Print.

THANK YOU

Sister City Committee

Dr. Suellyn Henke

Dr. Mae Ola Dunklin

Bob Dunklin

Jessica Eimers