Students will naturally change their behaviour depending on their environment, so often a good learning plan starts with a good classroom. But how can a teacher know if their design is working, or if it needs an update? At Abax, our experience in providing the education furniture Australia trusts has revealed to us the major factors to why a classroom design might not be as effective as it could be.
- Discomfort
A classroom in which students are uncomfortable to be in will naturally cause defiant or apathetic behaviour. Sometimes, a problem student might just be someone who prefers to be in a different environment in their current classroom, and their acting out is just an expression of their discomfort. So the design of the classroom can certainly alleviate these issues. The simplest considerations are to ensure all chairs and tables are the right size, and are made of solid, comfortable materials. Chairs and tables with uneven legs or squeaky joints are a no-go. And depending on the makeup of the class, offering a variety of seating options such as high-chairs, stools and a padded chair could be a good first step to fostering greater engagement.
- Complacency
Students who learn in the exact same space every day will naturally develop a complacency to the way they study. If students are sitting in the same spot each lesson, next to the same group of friends, they’ll have the same routine expectations for the content they learn. To foster more creative, ambitious learners, it’s good to keep the arrangement of the classroom a steadily evolving thing, adapting itself to the types of activities and learning styles which inhabit the space. You could even enlist the help of some students to decide on what changes could be made.
- Safety Concerns
School furniture should always be safe, sturdy and free of worry. Unfortunately, this is not always the case when each piece of furniture is expected to be used for years and years. Faulty chairs which have deformed backs or unbalanced legs are an easy hazard for falls, and tables in poor conditions could be vulnerable to splinters. Students need to always feel safe in the classroom, so investment in a new set of well constructed classroom furniture will always be a sound choice.
- A Mis-matched Aesthetic
Depending on the types of lessons the students are expected to engage with in the classroom, the aesthetic and decorations could work against the teacher and the activities. The important thing to note is the type of emotional space certain elements create. For example, bold and bright colours foster happiness and energy, but these are hardly appropriate for an exam hall, in which concentration is crucial. Similarly, a blank and dreary classroom space might not be the best for a creative subject like art or English. When selecting decorations and education furniture Australia based teachers should consider the types of learning they want to happen in their classroom, and carefully arrange their elements to best suit the intention.
- A Lack of Respect
A struggling school will often speak through its furniture. If tables and chairs are scratched, scuffed or defaced with anti-school slogans, it sends the wrong message to new students and devalues education overall. This is why an investment in new furniture could greatly refresh the attitudes of learners. New, clean furniture shows the students that the learning space is valuable, so they should aspire to achieve in the same way.
At Abax we are committed to supplying education furniture Australia has to offer. We understand the various challenges and desires which teachers and educational institutions want, and our furniture options are tailor-made solutions to deliver the type of learning environment which is best for your students.
Abax Kingfisher Pty Ltd 