The Learning Commons

The development of Learning Commons for all three divisions dramatically changed the learning environment at ASM. The new, open spaces have become key features of our program and our day. They have become the space where we meet, share, collaborate, and inquire. They house our library collections but they are so much more than a library. 

In the Lower School, the Learning Commons/Library is where children come to foster and develop their love of reading through story times, book talks, and, of course, regular checkouts. Providing an opportunity to choose books for themselves is motivating to young readers and helps put them on the path to lifelong learning. The Learning Commons is also where they come to develop information literacy and inquiry skills, through collaborative units with the librarian and their classroom teachers. Parents are frequent visitors as well, checking out additional books, helping with library tasks, or having a quiet moment with their children before or after school.

The Stanton Griffiths Upper School Learning Commons is where students study, relax and socialize. Many events take place there such as Open Mic nights and parent book club meetings. The Learning Commons puts learning in the heart of the campus and makes it visible to the entire community. You are just as likely to find Upper School teachers meeting informally with students as you are to find a group of students going over their IB Higher Level Math, or the Headmaster talking poetry.

ASM Learning Commons areas are dynamic and exciting learning environments. With the addition of a Middle School Learning Commons, we will have three student-centered, collaborative spaces that promote and support inquiry. The Learning Commons is where students, teachers, and parents can go to work independently, collaborate, or socialize. The Learning Commons is where we go to deepen our understanding of the world, its peoples, its cultures, and its possibilities.