In this project, I asked one of my second grade classes to photographically document parts of the classroom they liked and didn’t like, in an effort to begin to understand how they were affected by our artmaking space. Within this project, the children worked in small groups of two or three, and spent about twenty minutes photographing in the classroom (images below in color). However, before their class period began, I also documented the classroom using photography, recording aspects of the space that I liked and disliked (images below in black and white). 

Patricia Tarr argues that classroom environments are public statements about the educational values of the institution and the teacher. The arrangement of space (desks, tables, materials, wall displays) conveys messages about the relationship between teaching and learning, the image of the child held by the teacher, and the expectations for behavior and learning within that setting. Perhaps it is time to offer more attention to the aesthetics of our classroom spaces. Taking a cue from the practices in Reggio Emilia, perhaps our classroom should be curated with aesthetic considerations in mind. Could we develop classroom spaces that draw on the aesthetic sensibilities of children? What might that classroom look like?

For an additional exploration of these ideas please visit: 
​http://educationalaesthetics.com/ & http://educationalaesthetics.com/2015/02/15/documenting-the-art-studio-space/