Building a classroom that is conducive to learning and safety became the new priority.
Test scores had a significant decline during the COVID pandemic school closures. Nearly every aspect of the schooling system was completely upended and needed to be rethought. Masking, social distancing, sanitation, and ventilation needed to be addressed. Flexible classroom layouts were essential to accommodate changing guidelines.
Three common layouts can facilitate both individual and group activities. Seating in rows can yield the most effective instruction for the teacher, as all students are able to see and hear directives clearly. Cluster seating is ideal for group work or brainstorming activities. However, in some cases, cluster seating can be distracting for some individuals when trying to focus. Creating the desks or tables in a “U” shape can be helpful for teacher and student engagement, and may be the best of both options – optimized understanding as well as group interaction.
In a way, covid brought our attention to considerations we should always have been taking. Why not challenge the norm of kids getting sick at schools, to create a safer and more sanitary environment for children, educators and the families they go home to? Food safe, non-toxic, non-porous, anti-bacterial, low VOC, and mold/mildew resistant surfacing can and should be the standard for counters and desktops in the classroom.
Color and tone is of significant importance in the classroom setting. There is an unfounded tendency to group educational colors into primary color palettes. In recent years, color theorists and psychologists have posited that color with nuance may be more supportive to learning. For example, utilizing soft greens and blues can be calming, promote clarity and creativity. Warm tones like terracotta, an orange grounded in a rooted brown tone, can stimulate and bring energy, while being more comforting than a true orange or vibrant red. All the while, neutral tones like restful gray can be soothing to the eye versus blue light utilized in computers and other tech learning devices. A singular bold accent can also be effective when coupled with softer neutral tones.
As you develop your classroom designs, utilizing a solid surface can contribute to classroom health safety measures. Durasein’s brand new Blossoming colorway would be a wonderful selection for desks or tables for its gentle movement and soft green-gray color. Cheerful Yellow can be that perfect pop of color and bring jubilation to the classroom setting.