Schools As Learning Tools

The world we live in is full of  educational opportunities. School facilities have the potential to be potent learning tools when designed properly. Most architects choose to follow the traditional school design prescription, failing to utilize the possible math and science lessons inherent in building construction.

For example, how many students know the dimensions of their classroom? A standard classroom wall can be turned into an informative learning tool when the room is designed to include markers indicating the measurement of the wall. One classroom wall could be measured in feet while the opposite wall could be marked in meters to teach the students the difference between the English and metric systems of measurement. A teacher could design a lesson based on the measurements in which the students find the area of the room using the measurements on the walls.

Another example of potential teaching opportunities in school design is the presentation of the electrical system. What if portions of a school's electrical system were left visible by being encased in glass? This could be a springboard for learning not only about watts and amps, but also how the school is connected to the cities electrical grid.

Schools are full of learning opportunities when the architect chooses to view the school building as having the potential to function as an interactive museum in addition to its normal functions. At McAllister and Associates we strive to design every school to be a teaching aid to the teachers.