SMART thinking!

Food Court Designs Add Appeal and a Welcoming Atmosphere to the Cafeteria

Schools around the country are thinking about the old cafeteria dining.  Cafeterias are often noisy, drab and unpleasant places to be.  Schools that I’ve worked with lately are rethinking the purpose of the dining experience. It’s an important place to socialize and to learn manners. Why shouldn’t students have a nice dining experience? Even elementary schools are separating the dining and PE rooms to create food courts.

I met up with the folks from Interior Systems Inc. at the NSSEA show in Phoenix in November.  While they aren’t the only system out there, their brochure gives some pretty nice ideas for making over the cafeteria.  The ISI folks also have a pretty nice blog at http://blog.isiamerica.com/search/label/education.   – Molly Smith

Library Seating Can Be Fun and Comfortable

The Robinhood Foundation targets poverty in New York City by investing in great projects and programs. One program is the L!brary Initiative which is “a partnership of the Robin Hood Foundation and the New York City Department of Education, with support from the Mayor, corporate donors, and a team of architects, seeks to reverse these patterns of low literacy skills and underachievement by working with community school districts and public elementary schools to design, build, equip, and staff new elementary school libraries.”   The foundation works with local architects to renovate and rejuvenate places of learning for kids of poverty.

Instead of creating spaces that are overly ornate or intimidating, the project centers on creating exciting, kid-oriented learning spaces through unique design, interior colors, lighting and furnishings.

Kudos to all involved!

thirdteacher.com

Sharing a great new website with you all.  The Third Teacher is a “collaborative exploration of the ways that design can affect teaching and learning.”  Created by Canon Design, VS America, and Bruce Mau Design, the project brings together fresh thinking on established ideas amongst school planners: that the design of the school environment DOES have a positive effect on student and staff attitudes.  The site (and book) has great example projects and a terrific blog.  Check it out.

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