Have you ever considered how an environment influences the way someone connects with and/or learns information? For teachers, classroom design is an essential part of the educational experience. Classroom design impacts learning, and the way a space is constructed can help to facilitate communication, mobility, and more purposeful and educational opportunities.
Understanding the Role of Classroom Design in the Development of Young Children
The physical environment in which children learn can have a significant impact on their development—not only how (and what) they learn, but how they feel about themselves as well.
A well-designed classroom can help young children develop physically, cognitively, and emotionally.
It is important to understand that classrooms are not just rooms where activities take place but also spaces where children spend most of their time socializing, problem-solving, communicating, and defining who they are.
Why Classrooms Should Be Designed for Natural Learning
A natural learning environment is not just about the physical space but also the people, materials, and resources that are used to create it. In a natural learning environment, students learn by doing. They are encouraged to explore and experiment with their ideas and play with new materials. Expressing this creativity through design allows to a more innovative teaching (and thus learning) approach.
As such, a well-designed classroom can have an impact on student engagement, creativity, and motivation.
What Makes a Great Classroom Design?
Great classroom design is not just about the furniture, but also about the decor, spacing/layout, and overall environment. The best classrooms have a view (or posters to compensate), solid lighting, and a variety of sections to support learning through different methods.
When it comes to design and creativity, you may want to consider something fun, like different classroom themes. These themes can support your educational style, or allow you to express yourself, too.
The Keys to Effective Classroom Design at Every Level of Education
The design of the classroom should be flexible to cater to different learning styles, curriculum, and student needs. It should also be aesthetically pleasing and provide opportunities for students to learn through creativity.
Here are a few must-haves as far as designing with intention goes:
- Aesthetic appeal – The aesthetic appeal of the room (i.e. the visuals, posters, etc.) will help students feel more comfortable in their learning environment without it being too distracting.
- Flexibility – The layout of the room should be designed in a way that it can easily adapt to change as needed.
The Best Way Create a More Successful and Stimulating Classroom
To create a more successful and stimulating classroom, the teacher needs to know who his/her students are in order to design intentionally around them.
Not only does classroom design need to consider students needs but also behavior, emotions, strengths/weaknesses. When all these areas are taken into consideration, learning can happen with ease.