Imagine sitting in a classroom with students of all ages while the teacher outlines a project that will incorporate various subjects and levels of difficulty, so that all can have a part. Such a description could well describe the one-room schoolhouse of the 19th century. Yet the same teaching methods are being used now in the 21st century, with good results.

Since one-room schoolhouses were common well into the 20th century, many today can look back with a sense of nostalgia at their own education in this kind of school. Perhaps, like me, you have heard stories of those days and marveled at how far we have come. As an example, my mother’s experiences attending a one-room schoolhouse in New York state include riding to school in a one horse open sleigh and huddling around a wood stove to keep warm.

However, this icon of early America is more than just a source of nostalgia; it is more than just an interesting and primitive part of our history. Rather than hindering their ultimate success in life, most students found attending this kind of school to be a beneficial experience. This number includes many well-known people, such as the first American in space, Alan Shepard. The Ohio-based architect firm of Steed Hammond Paul Inc. has extensively researched solutions in educational architecture and the impact schoolhouse designs have on the ability to learn. Read the rest of this entry »