Design of a Classroom Makes a Big Difference

Classroom design has an impact on the productivity of the students in it, especially younger students.  Every student should have a clear view of the teacher’s podium, chalkboard, dry-erase board, or projector from their desks or tables.  There should also be enough space to cut down on intra-student distractions.  The classroom should be a relatively comfortable atmosphere, with enough space for desks and classroom tables, where the students can focus on what the teacher is saying and presenting.  But there is more than just the practical side to classroom design. 

Many factors like the architecture of a space and even the color of it have been shown to have an effect on the productivity of the students.  The amount of light, room arrangement, even the type of flooring and the type of furniture all influence how students learn.  So a thoughtful arrangement will help students perform fully. 

If you’re designing a classroom, you first have to decide which direction the whole class will be facing. You need to take into account the windows and doors as potential distractions.  You may not have total control over the colors of a classroom, but you can accent certain areas.  Deciding which colors can be difficult. There is a book titled “Color, Environment, and Human Response” by Frank H. Mahnke that can help.  It says warm, bright colors are recommended for preschool and elementary school classrooms because they complement the students’ extroverted nature;  cool colors are recommended for middle school and high school classrooms because of their ability to relax and focus concentration;  and pale or light green is a good choice for libraries because these colors enhance quietness and concentration. 

Another good idea is to add classroom tables in addition to chairs and desks.  This will give students the opportunity to gather in certain spots of group activities and a place to set up projects or paperwork.  Individual factors are less important than the overall feel of a classroom.  A long as the classroom is a comfortable environment, students will perform better and be more productive overall.

Ergonomic Chairs in the Classroom

Children spend the majority of their time in school, upwards of 80% actually, sitting.  It’s important to make sure they are comfortable during that time.  Studies have shown that comfortable classroom chairs are directly related to student alertness and performance.  In addition, younger students, especially, are susceptible to chronic musculoskeletal disorders since their bodies are still in the developmental stage.   

American adults spend millions of dollars each year on ergonomically designed chairs for their office and their homes.  However, they don’t seem to put much thought into the fact that children spend as much time, if not more, sitting.  If we realize that, as adults, sitting in an uncomfortable chair all day can be damaging to the body, and cause problems in work performance… why are we not providing ergonomically designed classroom chairs to our children at school?

The answer is mostly practical.  Those ergonomic chairs can be fairly expensive, and most school systems simply don’t have the funds to supply them to all their students.  Schools also have other traits they look for in chairs as well, such as the ability to be stacked and general durability. But there is compromise.  SchoolOutlet.com, for example, offers a range of classroom chairs that are ergonomically designed while at the same time highly durable and inexpensive. 

There are very few studies on the before and after; however, we can assume from other studies that changing traditional classroom chairs to ergonomically designed ones may help students perform better and schools function more efficiently .  Because of this, it may be possible to obtain government or corporate subsidies for a small scale test.  And once confirmed, more ergonomically designed classroom chairs may become the norm in public schools.