The Compelling Nature of Cohesiveness

As I combed through the readings this week, cohesiveness came to the fore as one of the most compelling aspects of architecture and interior design. This concept was particularly powerful in the pictures provided by Sarah Susanka. In Susanka’s vernacular, cohesiveness probably would be best described in the “themes and variations” section of her writings. As I continued to peruse the pictures and ponder these considerations related to creating a home, the following paragraphs from two different readings began to build a bridge…

“New Design Language”
One final concept you should keep in mind as you create your own Not So Big House is developing a theme and variations throughout the design. Every house in this book employs this concept, and it's what gives each its integrity and at least some of its personality. If you want a house to have unique characteristics that make it more than just an assemblage of spaces, you can adopt a few special shapes or materials that are repeated throughout the house. If this is done heavy handedly, it will look clunky or will make you think "Enough already." If you've ever seen a house with an octagonal window in almost every room, you'll know what I mean. But when used thoughtfully, a house with a theme and variations is like a well-composed piece of music. From one movement to the next, you know it's the same piece because themes will return as it proceeds, though never repeated exactly as before. (Susanka, 2007)

“Home By Design”
So it's a house that has a Theme and Variations. Most houses are lacking features like these that tell you, as you move from room to room, that they are all parts of a singular whole. But a house that's a Home by Design has some underlying organizational features that help identify it as all one thing, no matter where you are in the house. (Susanka, 2004: 9)


As I did with Rockwell’s writing on photography, I took time to highlight and alter a few words of these topic-specific texts in an effort to transform it into something tangible for teachers.


“New Lesson Language”
One final concept you should keep in mind as you create your own NOT SO BORING LEARNING EXPERIENCE is developing a theme and variations throughout the DELIVERY. Every UNIT in this book employs this concept, and it's what gives each its integrity and at least some of its personality. If you want a LEARNING EXPERIENCE to have unique characteristics that make it more than just AN ASSEMBLAGE OF ISOLATED LESSONS, you can adopt a few special THEMES or IDEAS that are repeated throughout the LEARNING EXPERIENCE. If this is done heavy handedly, it will FEEL FORCED / ARTIFICIAL or will make you think "Enough already." If you've ever seen a LEARNING EXPERIENCE with a GIMMICK in almost every LESSON, you'll know what I mean. But when used thoughtfully, a LEARNING EXPERIENCE

“Learning Experience by Design”
So it's a LEARNING EXPERIENCE that has a Theme and Variations. Most LEARNING EXPERIENCES are lacking features like these that tell you, as you move from LESSON TO LESSON, that they are all parts of a singular whole. But a LEARNING EXPERIENCE that's a LEARNING EXPERIENCE by Design has some underlying organizational features that help identify it as all one thing, no matter where you are in the SCHOOL YEAR.

Adapted from the writings of Sarah Susanka.


As educators engage in the work of curriculum design in preparation for instruction, I think it would behoove us all to take time to identify authentic intra- and interdisciplinary themes and to consider the various ways these themes could be introduced to, identified by, and investigated with students. As students consider the connections within and between subject areas, I suspect they would be compelled to further broaden and deepen their learning experience.

I think an attempt at designing such learning experiences has been made through the “essential question” approach, but I think more can be done to help students connect to their learning and compel them to continue.

Definitely something to consider…