The Rhythm of the Corridor

AI-generated image of a school corridor where a teacher, keys in hand, struggles to make their way through the crowded hallway toward their classroom.

I woke up from a dream in which I was pushing through a crowded corridor, classroom keys in hand, trying to reach my room. The stress felt painfully real. It was a scene I remembered well from my own years as a art teacher. Occasionally, a colleague had already let my students into the classroom (we had an agreement on that) while I was still fighting my way through the hallway jungle. That was a relief—my students were eager to continue their art projects and, above all, to escape the crush of the corridor.

Especially in Finnish lower secondary schools, it is common practice for lessons to begin and end at the exact same time, with classrooms locked during breaks. Research shows that such simultaneous transitions increase noise and congestion, which burdens students and weakens their concentration and learning (Shield & Dockrell, 2008; Hygge, Evans & Bullinger, 2002). Estimates suggest that transitions can take up to 15 percent of instructional time (Arlin, 1979), cutting into both teaching and recovery.

From a wellbeing perspective, it is particularly problematic that students have no access to calm spaces during breaks. Autonomy is a key source of motivation and psychological wellbeing (Deci & Ryan, 2000). Breaks could ideally restore attention and support social development (Pellegrini & Bohn, 2005), but this requires alternatives to strict simultaneity: more flexible rhythms, individual variation, and multiple types of spaces.

We all learn different things at different paces. Some topics come quickly, while others require more time. Research on learning highlights the importance of varied rhythms. Deep and meaningful learning requires flexible working times and opportunities for reflection (Marton & Säljö, 1976; Biggs, 1999; Bransford et al., 2000; Lonka, 2018). When schedules allow for different lengths of engagement, students are better able to build understanding and maintain energy.

School is not merely a place for transmitting knowledge; it is a holistic environment for growth and wellbeing. More flexible transitions and multi-rhythmic structures support both learning and wellbeing far better than rigid simultaneity and the expectation of sitting in one place.