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MILLIGAN COLLEGE, TN (Feb. 1, 2012) — Dr. Janet Faulk will present a lecture titled “Rethinking Classroom Environments: Connecting Learning to Elementary Classroom Design” on Thursday, Feb. 9, at 7 p.m. in Hyder Auditorium, located in the Milligan College Science Building. The lecture is free and open to the public.
Faulk, assistant professor of education at Milligan, is the co-author of “A Room to Learn: Rethinking Classroom Environments,” published by Gryphon House in 2011. She will use examples from her book, as well as a series of pictures to illustrate concepts of designing effective classrooms for elementary school children. The presentation will be helpful for education majors and teachers already in the field.
“It’s important to recognize the role that our classroom environment can play in the processes of teaching and learning,” Faulk said. “By mindfully designing our classrooms, we can create a physical environment that supports and maintains students’ active participation in learning. This is important because student engagement is the foundation for positive, meaningful learning experiences, which lead to higher levels of understanding and achievement.”
The lecture will highlight the importance of using the environment to create a sense of community in the classroom. She also will discuss the use of furniture arrangement to increase student engagement and strategies for designing multiple spaces for learning.
Faulk has worked in education since 1974 in a variety of capacities. She has served as an educational diagnostician; early childhood special education teacher; elementary and middle school teacher; administrator at the elementary, middle and systemwide levels; and adjunct professor at East Tennessee State University. She joined Milligan’s faculty in 2009.
For more information about Milligan’s education area, visit www.milligan.edu.