3 Ways to Promote Good Health in the Classroom

As a teacher or administrator, your job does not stop at making sure your students understand the work and get good grades.  Part of your job is to make sure that your students are being cared for and promoting good health within the classroom is a way to do so.  Providing hand-sanitizer and disinfecting furniture, using ergonomically-designed student desks, and providing storage space for school supplies to be stored are all great ways to make sure that your students are happy and healthy. 

Providing Hand-Sanitizer

These days, it seems like you can’t walk into a public building without finding a hand-sanitizer dispenser, and your classroom should be no different.  As your students spend a lot of time within your classroom walls, you want to be sure that you provide them with enough precautions to prevent germs from being spread.  If your room doesn’t have a dispenser, always keep some handy on your desk and go further by disinfecting the furniture on a regular basis.  

Using Ergonomically-Designed Furniture

Thinking back to your days in school, you can probably remember the stiff chairs that made sitting still in your desk one of the most difficult aspects of going to school.  When your students are uncomfortable, not only can it lead to sore backs, it can also greatly reduce attention paid during a lesson.  In order to make sure that the students are both comfortable and attentive, look into ergonomically-designed student desks and chairs that can alleviate the pressure placed on your students’ backs.

Providing Storage Space

In school, your students have to lug their books, notebooks, and sometimes even laptops throughout the day; this practice of carrying all these supplies is a strain that can go unnoticed by parents and school administrators.  In order to alleviate this problem, provide your students with a storage space within your classroom so they may be able to leave behind the supplies they do not need for the day.  Something as simple as a cubby can make all the difference in the world to lighten the armload as children go walking to and from classrooms.  Allowing children ample time to go to their school-provided lockers is another way to alleviate the problem of being weighed down by books.   

Taking care of the students doesn’t stop at teaching; it also means that you should provide an environment where they are safe and healthy. 

Feng Shui in the Classroom: Designing for the 21st Century

From the color of the walls to the arrangement of the school furniture, feng shui has been proven to have a direct effect on student's learning abilities and efficiency in the classroom. While the topic of feng shui and its overall effectiveness has been debated for centuries, it's clear that the learning environment can either help enhance or hinder the learning experience. Environments that provide distractions colors or don't provide an adequate amount of light will obviously decrease a student's ability to learn while a brightly lit room and soothing colors create for an enriched learning experience.

Create a warm atmosphere for students with these easy feng shui tips.

Pay Attention to the Elements
Things such as light, color, and texture are important and should not be overlooked when organizing your classroom. Color can have a direct effect on mood – for example, a light blue or soft green can aid in creating a tranquil atmosphere while a fiery red will help promote excitement – not exactly ideal for a learning atmosphere.

Place Desks in an Octagonal Shape
This shape is said to create harmony in the classroom and allows students to see each other while participating in group discussions. Leave an open space at the "bottom" of the octagon so you are able to access students and serve as the focal point of the room.

Work With What You Have
Oftentimes, space or specific furniture might not make certain layouts optimal for your classroom. Instead, work with what you have and try to make the best out of it. For example, if you don't have the space to organize desks in an octagon, try rows that are all facing one way towards the door.

Make Comfort a Priority
Discomfort creates distress and can make it difficult to learn while in school. Always place the comfort of your students and ergonomics before any feng shui "rules" by ensuring that all of your school furniture is of proper size for each student and everyone has their fair share of elbow room.

These are just a few ways to ensure the best learning environment for your students. It's important to keep in mind that a good classroom starts out with high quality school furniture, which should be your starting point when designing any classroom. Going forward, keep some feng shui tips in mind such as color and lighting, room design, and of course, comfort.