How would you change?

I am reading an interesting book right now - Ron Ritchhart's "Creating a Culture of Thinking: The 8 Forces we must Master to Truly Transform Our Schools" and a paragraph or two have really stimulated my thinking.

This one has got the wheels turning with some gusto:

"does the space facilitate learners' needs to communicate, discuss, share, debate, and engage with other learners—or is it meeting only the students' need to see the board?"

It is referring to the physical layout of a classroom, and as I did a mental walk-through of the school I work in I am concluding that the vast majority of the rooms are set up for the students to see the board, not talk to one another.

Which led me to wonder what would happen if teachers came to school one day to find the board had been removed, the projector taken down, and student desks facing each other.

What would happen?

How many would rearrange the desks, tape some chart paper up onto the wall, and continue on as normal? How many would turn up in my office, unable to teach? How many would think for a minute and change what they had planned and begin a different approach?

It was a stark reminder of the very strong connection between our physical space and the way we teach. It was a stark reminder that oftentimes, if we are to change the way we teach, sometimes changing the space we teach in is the first step.

So if you came to school tomorrow and discovered that your whiteboard/blackboard/projector had been removed, how would you change?