shoeless learning spaces

In Scandinavia many children learn with their shoes off. In many schools worldwide shoeless learning has taken off, despite a lot of scepticism ("you asked them to do what?"!). Why...

Well, simply because it works, of course - and this is nowa viral trend - so many schools are trying it and finding that:

• the children seem simply to behave better - perhaps it becomes more like home, or for some there is something quite sacred about taking shoes off. The noise is quieter, gentler as children circulate;
• carpets are much cleaner - and children are much more willing to sit on floors - less furniture makes for a less crowded space too;
• teachers do not end up arguing about the "right kind" of shoes ("no trainers!" - "but sir, it's not a trainer!!");
• my own theory - an unlikely one that remains untested (and is offered slightly tongue in cheek!) is that somehow boys testosterone is stored in their shoes - so when they take them off, they seem to be all round nicer, gently, quieter;
• teachers must be shoes-off too - I was in a school recently where the children would simply not acknlowledge an adult who entered 'their" space in shoes (and quite right too);
• children's shoeless feet do not smell - it is the shoes that make them smelly!

this is not a plea for slippers instead; socked or stockinged feet work justfine. And you will need to formally have a policy in place to give guests notice that you operate a shoes-off policy - nothing more embarssing that a VIP visitor with a hole in their socks...

Shoes get left at the door in boxes - theft is not reported by anyone so far as a problem. The only real issue is that short teachers who have been a bit "stacked" by their heels come back down to earth. Anyway, here are some images from around the world (London, Bangkok, Tromsø):

Professor Stephen Heppell 2011

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