What if school were designed at a child’s level?What if we left our backpacks at the classroom door and got to choose how to organize our day?

We could kick things off with a quick times tables review using a fan and some laces, then challenge our friends to a game of Conjugotop — sprawled out on a comfy life mat, of course!

In short, prioritizing learning through play and organizing the day freely — without losing focus. That could be the motto of Pauline Tu, a 3rd grade teacher in a school near Paris, aka “the best teacher ever” according to Oscar from the Mezamé family, who’s clearly understood that kids learn best when they’re having fun.

“I’ve been teaching 3rd grade for four years now, and putting play at the heart of learning is essential to me. But in a traditional classroom, it quickly becomes tricky: you have to move tables around to create group spaces, which means cubbies are no longer facing the right way, the kids get frustrated… and most of all, you can’t move around anymore!”

In search of flow and consistency in her teaching, Pauline embarked on the wonderful journey of flexible classrooms. “I needed a guiding thread — something that would help me bring my vision of learning to life more easily.”

After a few discussions with the school leadership and teaching team, it was time to roll up her sleeves and spend a good chunk of the summer preparing for a back-to-school season like no other: designing games to match the curriculum, laminating tons of materials so they could be used all day long, creating work plans mixing exercises and games, in groups or solo… and above all, physically reorganizing the classroom!

Pauline started by fitting an old tennis ball onto each chair leg — a clever way to cut down on noise! Then she removed a few desks: in this classroom, there are fewer desks than students, but the kids can use Z-tools to get their work done. Z-what? A smart little combo of seat and desk you use sitting on the floor (or on a mat — redundant? Never!) where you can easily rest your notebook to copy a poem (or your laptop — yep, we thought about that too!).

And for those who can’t sit still? Pauline thought of everything: proprioception cushions on chairs or wobble stools — it’s up to them. On the flip side, for kids with attention difficulties or those who simply need a quiet space to focus, she provides noise-canceling headphones and work dividers so they can create their own little bubble.

And of course, a few Mezamé mats for group time — whether it’s to kick off a new lesson or to cozy up in the reading corner.

“We’re always changing places — that’s what’s so great about it!” Oscar tells us enthusiastically.

A chaos bomb waiting to explode, you might think? Not at all — it’s actually a great way to help kids become more independent. Every Monday, Pauline gives them a weekly work plan that includes both games and exercises. Each child organizes their time as they wish, at their own pace.

“I tell them that if they’re feeling tired, they can choose a game or an exercise that feels easy to them — and come back to the more challenging part of the work plan later on.”

And the best spot for these group activities? It’s still our iconic mat, often rolled out in its King Size version so everyone can find their place.

The mats have even made their way into the hallway, where the teacher set up an extension of the classroom for louder games that might otherwise disturb some students.

“It creates such a great classroom atmosphere,” Pauline concludes — so much so that some kids don’t even want to go out for recess!