October 25

What’s a Learning Loft and a Learning Centre?

I’m finally making and finding time to write my first blog post now that all the Chagim are behind us and we are finally able to settle into a more regular and predictable routine. For those of you who don’t know me yet, my name is Sharon Reichstein and I am the Director of Special Education at the OJCS. This is my fifth year in this position, and one of the things I am most excited about is the creation and implementation of the Learning Loft and the Learning Centre. These two incredible spaces were launched last year. We were able to learn from, reflect on and adjust these spaces this year to make them even better. So what’s a Learning Loft and a Learning Centre?

Let’s start with the Learning Loft. The Learning Loft is the magical space that Ms. Beswick (our Primary/Junior Resource Teacher and our whole school’s Behaviour Support Coordinator) has created to support all students in need. What I love most about the Learning Loft is its multipurpose. It is a room where resource groups come for remediation or enrichment.

It is a room where small groups come from their regular classrooms for a quieter place to collaborate on a project.

It is a room designed to help students calm, refocus and reregulate when they are dysregulated, upset or frustrated.

It is a room where Ms. Beswick works with students on social skills with individual students or with a group of students.

It is a room where students who are feeling anxious can come to have a safe place to be and a safe person to talk to.

It is a room that focuses on a growth mindset and positive thinking.

It is a place to come when a student needs a body break to exert energy and be active.

It is a room where a student and teacher can practice using the Collaborative Problem Solving model we adhere to at school.

It is also a room where teachers meet, collaborate and discuss shared students.

The Learning Centre continues to be a work in progress due to space constraints in the building. Running out of room is such a great problem to have because it means our little school is growing! Our future dream is to have an equivalent-sized room upstairs to mirror the Learning Loft. The Learning Centre is designed with the same purpose in mind for our Middle School Students. Although small in space, it is a very important room in our upstairs wing supported by our talented middle school resource teachers Ms. Jess Mender and Mr. Walter Piovesan. We just love having a landing spot for students who need extra support throughout the day.

Every classroom also has a regulation station within it. Here are a few samples as seen in some of our rooms. This is such an important feature to each room and used regularly by different students at different times, for different reasons. Most of our classrooms are also equipped with standing stations, wiggles cushions, wobble seats or ball chairs. In addition to these great spaces, we have also created a “chill zone” in the office area. We are very invested in helping students regulate, problem-solve and self-reflect when things become stressful, with the goal of helping them get back on track in a safe and nurturing manner.  I feel so very fortunate that our resource department is staffed with exceptionally talented educators and we continue to grow and develop each year!


Posted October 25, 2022 by sreichstein in category Uncategorised

1 thoughts on “What’s a Learning Loft and a Learning Centre?

  1. Melissa Thompson

    All these spaces look amazing! How lucky for our students to have incredible supports in place to help them learn important regulation skills in a safe, accepting environment.

    Reply

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