The Proposed 21st Pinoy Classroom: no more armchairs

With new administration, new secretary for the department of education, new budget for classrooms, these are all opportunities for positive change. Change can move in different facets, including a paradigm shift of what we have been accustomed as a local classroom.




Sources: http://newshopper.sulekha.com ; http://article.wn.com


Our old classrooms have a fixed blackboard, one or two doors, with the small rough, wooden armchairs. In some schools, there's the desk for two (often three) students.

Here's my idea of the primary and elementary classrooms in the public school. This time, let there be NO armchairs!



The Pinoy 21st classroom will have NO armchairs. The classroom do have rubber mats. It has oval low tables that can accommodate 8-10 students. The students, young boys and girls, sit on the floor with rubber mats. There are rolling blackboards and book shelves on the side. And of course, there is a small teacher's nook.

Outside the classroom, along the hallways, there will be open shelves for the shoes and slippers of the students. Removal of the slippers and shoes are a must before entering the classroom. This is the traditional concept of the Filipino homes. We respect our homes and keep them clean. So we also keep our classrooms clean.

Why not have armchairs or chairs for this matter? First, not having chairs or armchairs create a new, fresh mindset of our students (and even our leaders). So much learning can take place even in the absence of armchairs. This also allows more mobility and interaction among the students. They are not restricted with the convention of alphabetically arranged seats. Students who are bored can just drop on the floor to stretch or to sleep.

Having oval tables allow them too, to see the faces of their other classmates. This enhances transparency that make them aware of their classmates reactions and opinions. On the other hand, the setup also encourages high degree of peer learning and camaraderie.

There will be no concept of front and back, just sides. The teacher can use the two opposite rolling blackboards or even move them on the corners for a change of view. The blackboards can also serve as flipboards (or to hold the classic Manila paper). The clustered setup also allows the teacher to move around even with big classes. Modestly the setup can hold 48 to 60 students.

This is going to be fun! If the DepEd secretary will adopt this as an experimental setup, I am already volunteering to be the teacher to test it!