Creative "I": Architecture of Space

Fox Brook Park: Architecture of Space

Fox Brook Park Sign 

View from the parking lot. 

Path down to the lake.

Shed to store equipment for the summer.

View from the parking lot again. 

"Beach" or sand. 

Playground!

Fishing dock or paddle boat dock.

Amazing sunset (also thousands of geese)

I love sunsets. 

Getting creative with my running shoes. 

Lake is already frozen!

Bench.

View from bench 1. 

View from bench 2. 

Fox Brook Park is a public park practically in my backyard in Brookfield, Wisconsin. These last few months I have been traveling all over, while my husband is deployed and I finish my masters. I am currently in Wisconsin visiting my parents. When I was living here in high school and during the summer breaks throughout college, I would always go to Fox Brook for a run, walk, walk the dog, swim in the lake, meet friends, picnic, etc.

Fox Brook has a path that goes all around the lake. Along this path you find people fishing, swimming, biking, rollerblading, or letting their dogs take a quick dip. It also has a “beach” as most people call it. However, I like to call it a mini lake with a sandy area to sit, tan, picnic, play volleyball, football, soccer, etc. There is also a playground on the “beach”, where children can play and explore. During the summer they have life guards that monitor the lake. You can also rent paddle boats. Around the lake there are few areas with picnic benches. One area also has many volleyball nets. During the summer the park can be very busy with families having BBQ's and get togethers. However, in the winter months it is less busy and very peaceful. The lake also freezes over and if your brave enough you can walk across it. Occasionally, you will also see some ice fishing in the winter months. My favorite thing to do at Fox Brook is to run around the lake or take our dog for a walk with the family.

Taking these pictures during the winter gave me a whole new perspective on Fox Brook. A lot of the time I will use the lake to run, or walk the dog with family in the summer. During the summer it is very crowded and hot. When I took these pictures Fox Brook was peaceful, calm, quiet, and beautiful. I was able to look through a different lens with nobody around. I captured Fox Brook's true beauty at rest. The sun setting over the lake also made for beautiful pictures that captured the sun's reflection on the lake and the geese bathing themselves in the lake before flying south for the winter. It brought a calming feeling being at the lake this time of the year. I was able to unwind and take in the nature.

After taking pictures in the park and reading the article I started to think more about the space of my classroom. When I moved to China our classrooms were bare. Everything was in boxes and not a single thing was on the walls. This was very exciting. I could start with a blank “canvas”, and create and shape my classroom into anyway that I wanted. As I moved furniture around I thought about how each area of the classroom would work for my students. Even though we have different students each year I based my designs off of previous children I have taught. For example, would it be a good idea to place blocks at the back of the large group carpet. Would this be distracting for children? Would they play with the blocks? How would I handle it if they did?

I am very particular about how I place things in my classroom. However, after reading this article I started to think about my classroom from other perspectives. For instance, my students. One thing the article suggests is to observe the inhabitants living in the space. This is something I would like to do in my classroom. Observe my students interacting in the environment. How do they use the space? What isn't working? What might work better? I want to be able to create a safe, age appropriate, playful, engaging, creative, peaceful and welcoming classroom environment. By doing this I will be able to help create a learning environment that will help shape my students and myself. As I observe my students and myself I can always alter and change my classroom to fit the needs of everyone or just sit back and let it happen itself.