An analysis of the evolution of teaching in the early 21st century reveals several factors that have significantly increased the complexity and challenges of the teaching profession. A study reveals that 33.4% of teachers now consider their working conditions as "arduous" and no longer perceive their teaching profession as a source of personal development, a vocation, or a public service mission. Despite advances in technology and the increasingly complex role of teachers, the traditional classroom configuration of 20 to 30 students has remained largely unchanged for over a century. This raises a crucial question: Could structural transformations, particularly the redesign of more flexible learning spaces, play a decisive role in enhancing teacher development and well-being?
Since 2021, a school district in New-Brunswick, Canada has piloted an initiative called « S’entr'Apprendre: l’éducation de demain, aujourd’hui (tomorrow's education, today) » in six schools. This project involved removing walls to create larger, shared learning environments that could accommodate multiple classes, hence bringing down the walls. The aim of our research was to document teachers` perceptions regarding the changes brought about by this pedagogical innovation, which reconfigures schools into malleable and flexible spaces.
The methodological approach adopted is rooted in the interpretive/constructivist paradigm of qualitative research, which allows us to grasp the changes perceived by the teachers involved in the project. During a second data collection in spring 2022 (a first collection took place in spring 2021), we conducted semi-structured interviews with participants from three of these schools.
The findings indicate that flexible environments have fostered significant shifts in teaching practices and professional roles. Teachers reported changes in their roles, moving away from traditional lectures in favor of more diversified pedagogical approaches. Within these open spaces, with a greater diversity of learning resources, teachers found increased collaboration among colleagues through social support, greater professional autonomy, and an evolution of student assessments. Finally, teachers affirm that this environment leads them to engage more actively and feel more satisfied at work or as they described it, “the point of no return.”

Keywords: Job satisfaction, teaching staff, flexible, malleable environment.