Throughout their childhood and adolescence, students spend nearly as much time in classrooms as they do at home. The same can be said for teachers.
Because of this, classrooms are just as much living spaces as they are learning spaces. Just how students have different styles of learning and teachers have different styles of teaching, classrooms and classroom furniture should have different styles of design.
Every aspect of the classroom’s design should have a purpose to optimize the students’ educations. This can be what you have on the walls to what furniture you have in your class to how that furniture is arranged.
Here are some quick tips to make the most of a classroom.
Ask the Students
This can be one of the most effective ways of deciding how to design your classroom. Students usually know what best helps them focus at school.
Ask them questions to gauge what helps them learn. Some students work better in groups, others individually.
Make sure your classroom furniture is versatile. This allows you to switch up seating arrangements and change the setup of your classroom as needed throughout the year.
A good design in September to help the students get to know each other may not be good for January midterms.
Switch Up Seating Style
This is where you get to have some fun. Some teachers are loyalists to row seating, others to group seating.
Something to consider while setting up your classroom would be having different options for where students sit. By putting some desks into rows, some into groups, and some in a circle every student has a chance to choose a seat that is best for them.
This also gives you options if students are working on different work. Should one need to retake a test, put them in a seat in the row.
If some students need to finish up their group project, put them at the group table. This allows for versatility in how students interact and how you teach.
Create Different Spaces
Aside from having a variety of seating options, try to ration your classroom. By creating different spaces in the classroom all serving different purposes, you can stay organized and efficient.
Something to think about would be what you want to happen in your classroom. Collaboration, creativity, and concentration are the building blocks of getting students involved in their education.
If you have a space for collaborative work where students can talk and discuss, they’ll learn socialization and teamwork. If you have a space where they can explore their creativity, they learn to think outside of the box.
Allowing a place for quiet and concentration gives students a chance to absorb and retain information. Having a space for each of these in a classroom guarantees success.
Organization of classroom furniture is key to the students’ success. Choosing the right furniture is the first step, and organizing that furniture is the second.
In order to optimize the learning and comfort of a classroom, talk to your students, give them options, and give them their spaces.
This article is courtesy of School Furnishings, which has a wide variety of products and manufacturers for every learning space. With a dedication to customer service, School Furnishings will provide you with the best furniture in the industry and the best support along the way, www.schoolfurnishings.com.
