Second-Grade Teachers
Before the first phase of the Kosasa Community welcomed second- and third-graders in 2016, second-grade teacher Ali Grasse would often rearrange herWinne classroom. “I would use our outdoor space if I needed more room, but if students were working in groups and needed to collaborate, I’d move all the desks around,” Grasse says. “Now in Kosasa, we can easily rearrange the space to support a variety of learning and student engagement.” Grasse and fellow second-grade teacher Lanelle Nishikawa regularly transform the two studios to one large space, helping partner teachers and classes work together seamlessly. “It makes sense that collaborative science experiments would have a different setup than independent reading time.”
The bright, open Kosasa studios and the creative furniture inside are designed to support exactly the kind of collaborative, interdisciplinary and personalized learning central to 21st century education. Students also have increased freedom in the classroom to choose where and how they learn and work, gaining a vital understanding of the best type of environment for them. “Not everyone works best sitting in a chair at a desk,” Grasse says. “If you’re going to work standing or upside down that’s fine – as long as you’re working.”
In August, Grasse, Nishikawa and their fellow second- and third-grade teachers eagerly moved into the newly constructed grades 2 – 3 studios, ready to see the new ways the now complete Kosasa Community can help their teaching reach new levels. “It’s exciting to have this all finally realized,” Grasse says. “Now the whole community feels so open and connected.”
