The classroom is the space where your students spend most of their day. For greater comfort and easy studying, it should be arranged in a way that’s beneficial for them and you as well. The right setting has an enormous impact on the kids’ creativity and productivity, so you should do everything that’s in your power to create a fun and engaging environment where they’ll be eager to learn.
Bean Bags – The Ultimate Flexible Seating Option
As the modern classroom setting is constantly evolving to suit the needs of the students, there are more and more adjustments made when it comes to the type of furniture used. As we all know, seating for longer periods is not healthy and that’s exactly what you should change in your classroom. Introducing flexible seating, like childrens bean bag seats, is a great way to start. In this way, you’ll create an organised space that will enhance the students’ learning capabilities.
Some students have a hard time sitting still or feel uncomfortable (and who wouldn’t on those wooden chairs?) so they can’t focus on the work that they’re supposed to do. Different tasks require different setups, so you need to find the ideal solution that will serve many purposes. That’s why there’s a great variety of childrens bean bag seats that you could choose from.
You might think of the bean bag as a round shapeless seat but they have been adapted to the students’ needs by using an ergonomic design that transforms them into supportive seating options that can be found in different shapes, sizes, and colours. This lets you experiment and get the chairs that are most suitable for your classroom and the activities you’re doing.
Using kids bean bags means that you’ll be saving money because they’re more affordable than other ergonomic seating options. When choosing, consider the filling and the materials they’re made of because you need something that’s easy to clean and maintain. With a waterproof material, a simple wiping down should be enough and the students should be able to do that themselves.
Look for kids bean bag designs that will conform to the body shape of whoever sits down so they feel like it was made specifically for them. The students will be more relaxed and they’ll feel safe because the bean chairs can look like toys that they’re familiar with. It’s not intimidating as seating in a chair can be, especially for young learners.
Adjustable Desks – Solution for Any Discomfort
Besides incorporating bean bag chairs for kids in your classroom, you could opt for adjustable desks. This is probably more suited for more advanced learners since their activities don’t involve as much playing as those for younger students. These desks allow the students to switch between seating and standing because they’re height adjustable. This means that they can suit learners of all sizes and provide them with the best experience possible.
Adjustable desks promote better learning and body posture because the students aren’t forced to sit all day. They oftentimes come with additional features like a swing bar or pedals that allow the learners to move their bodies and focus on the task in front of them. They enable the students to engage their legs, lower back, and core while learning. They’re useful for teachers who want focused and engaged students and their design is made for this purpose, meaning they don’t produce any noise that could cause distractions.
Ask and Involve the Students into the Process
For creating an enjoyable learning environment, you should involve your students because they’re the primary users of that space. Work with them and ask them to find a picture or describe the ideal classroom setting. In this way, you can see what they find most enjoyable and what ideas they don’t like. Of course, you can’t follow everything that they say because kids can get crazy ideas that just aren’t suitable or possible to pull off but you could take into account some of their suggestions. Also, make sure that you involve your students in the classroom redesign so they feel included and appreciate the space more once it’s done.
Clean the Clutter for an Organised Space
It’s easy to get a cluttered classroom with so many tools, books, and students’ things around. Oftentimes, messy environments can be hard to focus in and the students get distracted by all the stuff around them. For a productive environment, get rid of all the things that you don’t need and use. Leave those that are frequently needed for the class activities and try to organise them as much as possible. Some boxes and shelving systems might be helpful here, if you have the space for them, of course, but there are many tips online that you can find for a better classroom organisation.
Put Posters and Bulletin Boards with a Purpose
Posters and bulletin boards are awesome for investing your students when you use them correctly. But the problem is when they’re hung for no particular reason so they just sit there like décor items. They aren’t effective in this way because you’re not using them and the children don’t feel like the space is connected with the things they’re learning. By hanging helpful posters and lists, you can easily engage the students by asking them something relevant and making them think.
Consider the Placement of Your Desk
Last but not least, think about where you’re going to put your desk. This mostly depends on your teaching style. If you tend to sit all day it should be in a more central place so the students can see you without a problem. But if you’re on your feet most of the time and sit down only before or after class to use it as a workstation or for planning your day, you and your students wouldn’t want it to be in the way. In this way, you’ll maximise space and create a learning environment that works for you and the learners.