When buying classroom furniture and fixtures, your top priority should be creating the perfect atmosphere for optimum learning. It is no surprise that design experts list furniture as the first ingredient for creating the best learning environment. Read on as we explain some of the most important pieces you should consider when buying furniture and how to improve the learning space.
Why furniture is important
Adults know how hard it is to concentrate if we are uncomfortable – too cold or too hot, tired or hungry, or sitting on a bad chair. That discomfort can become a consuming distraction in the classroom. The same is also true for students where the classroom is their workplace. Aspects of classroom design that can affect the productivity of students include layout, furniture, colour, acoustics, temperature, and lighting.
This thinking reinforces the power that furniture has in curating the ideal environment for learning. Furniture can be the most functional centrepiece of the student experience. It is also a bridge to new pedagogies.
Activity tables
It is important to invest in the right activity tables as they foster student collaboration. Activity tables can be found in different sizes and shapes to meet a wide range of instructional styles and different learning scenarios. You can get an interchange activity table that features adjustable leg sets and a solid surface with enough elbow room so that students can spread out project materials when working. Tables are important pieces of school furniture because their design can make the classroom attractive.
Book trucks
A classroom should have book trucks as they are the workhorses of education. They are very helpful when it comes to saving time and maximising space. They transport and organise books. You need handy book trucks that can hold heavy books and other materials required for learning. But media centres and classrooms are not the only appropriate environments for functional book trucks. They are also popular in gyms, maker spaces, administrative offices or other areas that benefit from a mobile and versatile storage solution. When shopping, it is important to make stability a heavy load.
Versatile desks
Like users, desks come in all sizes and shapes. When choosing the right classroom desks, it is important to keep the goals of the students and teaching goals in mind. Student desks are a sure way to enhance learning in schools by allowing students to get into the desk and out when they are done with their projects.
Traditional desks are designed with support beams under each worksurface corner. You should invest in unique desks that move to give students enough knee room and enable them to move without having to carry the desk or pulling them on the floor and making noise for others.
Multimedia set-ups
Do not fail to integrate technology into your classroom furniture and fixtures. Media centres, computer labs, and other IT centres should be done in a way to foster learning in schools. With pre-configured systems and complete systems, students can connect their laptops to their desks without fumbling and fighting over wall sockets.
