CULTIVATING SPACE   
Lauren Sexton      
How can the design of the classroom support
learning and improve the well-being of students?

I am a recent graduate of the Yale School of Architecture and have been investigating this question through the lense of neuroscience and design. My study has led to the production of a teacher's manual that offers information, research and strategies for creating enriched learning environments that support the well-being of students. I believe that educators should have easy access to this type of research in a digestible and engaging format and hope the manual I create empowers and inspires teachers to make the most of the resources they have, but also advocate for the importance of the classroom environment on student well-being and success. This spring, I am continuing the research and hope to develop the manual to a level that it can be published. I plan to update this site with weekly posts related to the current research discoveries and questions I am working on. If you are interested in getting in touch, viewing more of my work, or supporting the research by completing a teachers survey, please refer to the links below!


 
link to teacher survey
Cultivating Space

01 Significance of the Chair

A visit to the VS America showroom in Charlotte, NC for their Higher Education Experience Days conference highlighted the impact of classroom furniture on student well-being, specifically focusing on the significance of the chair.

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    01.14.25

02 Early Educational Theorists

How do educational theorists from the 19th and 20th centuries discuss the cognitive development of the child? What are the core values found within the work of Friedrich Fröbel, John Dewey, Maria Montessori, and Rudolf Steiner, and how do they address the role of the classroom environment?

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    01.31.25

03 Educational Theorists II

How do educational theorists from the 20th century discuss the cognitive development of the child? What are the core values found in the work of Lev Vygotsky, Jean Piaget, and Loris Malaguzzi, and how do they address the role
of the classroom environment?

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    02.05.25

04 The Role of the Classroom 

What role does the classroom environment play on a student’s learning? Are there certain relationships between children and their environment that can boost engagement, creativity, memory and well-being? First emphasized by Loris Malaguzzi in his Reggio Emilia approach, how can educators utilize the classroom environment as the third teacher?

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    02.19.25

05 Can Architecture Improve Health? 

Can architecture improve health? What impact can nature, light, acoustics, and movement in an indoor environment have on physiology - our body’s biological and physical processes - and how is this relevant to the design of classroom spaces?

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    02.27.25

06 Form Follows Feeling 

What impact does the indoor environment have on psychology - the mind, emotions, and behaviors - and how is this relevant to the design of classroom spaces?

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    03.20.25
YSOA SP25 Independent Study