Indian Prairie Community Unit School District 204

Flexible Learning Spaces has been a topic mainly centered around our Library Media Centers (LMC). Teachers began to discuss possibilities within in their classroom as a means to meet the needs of their students. They saw that in the LMC some students worked better standing or sitting on chairs that were more flexible. Some of our students with special accommodations were using a variety of options. Our teachers started to explore the possibilities for their own classrooms. They knew that a traditional row of desks and chairs was not conducive to the needs of all of their learners. Teachers wanted a more flexible learning environment to match the personalized learning of the students. Administrators, teachers, district office directors and our education foundation have worked together to venture into creating non-traditional learning spaces for our Future Ready students.

When transitioning from traditional learning spaces to flexible learning spaces, we started with our Library Media Centers. These spaces provided very visible and centrally located models for students, staff, and the community to view the possibilities for learning. We sectioned off spaces for collaboration using whiteboards, large screens, and tables and created conferencing areas using comfortable seating and movable tables to bring students closer together. Sections for Makerspaces were created using coding items, virtual reality stations, and other materials. Some spaces included reading nooks to help students relax as they read. This change has made our Library Media Centers more engaging. They are full throughout the day with classrooms of students, as well as individuals and some groups. It has become the most popular environment in the school. It has also provided teachers with ideas for making their classroom learning spaces more flexible and inviting.