ABSTRACT
The previous chapter concluded with a discussion of some of the challenges teachers may face in thinking about classroom spaces. But, the discussion of the relationship between space and classroom order is limited. This is because, as May and Thrift (2001: 3) put it, ‘time is irrevocably bound up with the spatial constitution of society (and vice versa)’. Social theory has a tendency to make distinctions between space and time, treating them separately or privileging space over time when in fact they are interlocked (Foucault, 2000a; May & Thrift, 2001; Soja, 1980, 2000). This argument can be illustrated quite simply. Schools are microcosms of societies that work to train and produce particular kinds of citizens. As established in the previous chapter, an essential part of this training focuses on the ways individuals are distributed in space. But the distribution and redistribution of individuals in space take place at specific times. Regular distribution also points to the establishment of routines. The existence of a routine is dependent on an act being reinforced and internalized over time. Conforming to regular routines reflects submission to disciplinary power. Classroom management and the construction and disciplining of subjects are dependent on routine as well as a number of other disciplinary techniques that are temporal in nature. Before considering the connections between space and time it is necessary to explore the organization and operation of time in and across these classrooms. This picture of daily routines is then mapped in the form of movement flow diagrams across classroom spaces. The spacetime relationship is further explored through the use of photographs of bodies in classrooms. These set up a space to reflect upon what an understanding of space-time can add to our knowledge of classroom practice.
