Classroom Furniture & the Benefits of Organization in Education
Classroom furniture can do more for students then just give them a flat surface to write on or a place for them to sit; it can also help you more effectively organize your rooms which can help provide a number of other benefits for your students.
In unorganized classrooms, students have a hard time focusing on their studies because there is literally stimulation everywhere they look. There is no specific place for any one activity. Its like taking a child to the proverbial candy store. There are so many delicious treats everywhere the child looks that he or she simply cannot focus enough to decide what to eat. The good news is that incorporating the right classroom furniture into your room design can help you improve this situation dramatically.
For example, you should try to have separate locations in your room dedicated to specific activities. One area should be for art, one area for reading, etc. You can use the classroom furniture to achieve these separations while maximizing the use of your existing space and staying well-organized. For example, you might place a table with drawers for storing the supplies in the art area or audio caddies in the reading area so students can listen to the books being read to them.
Classroom furniture can also help you teach your students to be more organized which, in turn, will help them gain a greater sense of control over their own environments. Young people confronted by disorganization may want to help clean up the mess, but if theres no way to get things organized the task may seem overwhelming especially to a child. Imagine how daunting it can be for adults to clean out the garage or closet; its the same feeling for kids.
When you use classroom furniture to help with organization, you make it easier for students to help keep things neat and tidy. For instance, if you have a book display stand for classroom books, then students will have a specific place to put the books he or she finds on the floor or elsewhere. Plus, your students can more easily locate the books they want to read and can be taught to return the books when they finish reading them. These simple measures now can help students develop the important organizational skills that will help them in the future.
Some teachers also have problems in their rooms because the organizational pieces being used were not designed for young children. They may be too tall, too hard to open, or just not appealing to kids. Ideally, you need classroom furniture that is specifically designed for students in your age group. You want them to view organization as fun and easy, so the classroom furniture should promote this idea by being easily accessible and entertaining, such as an art easel with all of the supplies organized inside of it where students can reach what they need all from one tidy location.
The bottom line is that classroom furniture doesnt just have to serve the single purpose of providing a seat or writing surface for students. The tips above and other creative uses of organizational classroom furniture can help make your learning environment better for all of your students and can help you begin teaching them organizational skills theyll need for the rest of their lives.
Patricia Giadone is the owner of http://www.childrensorganizers.com an online provider of discount classroom and home furniture for parents, daycares, preschools, and churches. Her writing focuses on early childhood and the benefits of organization in the classroom and at home.
