Our environment speaks to us. The space we live and work in has vibes that affect our functioning as individuals. “Buildings are not simply visual objects. Buildings speak - and on topics which can readily be discerned. They speak of democracy or aristocracy, openness or arrogance, welcome or threat, a sympathy for the future or harkening of the past” (De Botton 2006, as cited in, The semiotics of entering: beauty, empathy and belonging in Reggio Emilia, pp. 208-209).
Children learn from their interaction with their environment and the people that surround them. They need trusting and warm relationships in an atmosphere that is safe, nurturing, predictable, and stimulating in order for them to prosper (Hodgeman, 2011).
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A study conducted by University of Salford, Manchester professors, in 2015, called the HEAD (Holistic Evidence and Design) project - ‘Clever Classrooms’, argues that well-designed classrooms and environmental elements can boost the learning process among primary school children by up to 16% (Barrett et al., 2015).
As per this study, classrooms play a significant role in children’s education as they are the principal learning spaces in a school. There is a greater focus today on making classrooms pupil-focused rather than teacher-focused.
The study highlighted in great detail, the three design principles that need to be considered while designing learning spaces/classrooms in primary and secondary schools (HEAD-Project -The impact of classroom design on pupils’ learning: Final results of holistic, multi-level analysis, 2015). These principles are:
- Naturalness – Includes environmental parameters such as air, light, temperature, sound, air quality and links to nature;
- Individualization – The degree to which the classroom elements cater to the needs of a child/group of children. For example, versatile seating, mobile furniture, and breakout zones can positively impact learning.
- Stimulation (appropriate level): Includes parameters of color and complexity of different elements in the room which can make the learning environment from coherent and structured to chaotic, depending on how they are used. For example, classroom walls displaying students’ work or those that display concepts being studied stimulate greater engagement;
In Australia, the National Quality Standard, established in 2012, (Department of Education, Skills and Employment) is a key aspect of the National Quality Framework (ACEQUA, 2011). It recognizes that children learn from birth. The 2 important features of the National Quality Framework are:
Belonging, Being & Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia (EYLF) – it guides educators in developing quality learning programs for children from birth to 5 years, including their transition to school.
My Time, our Place: Framework for School Age Care in Australia (FASC) – extends the principles and practices to accommodate the learning environment and contexts of children who attend school-age care settings.
These frameworks outline practices to support and promote children’s learning. Both these frameworks place a great deal of emphasis on the environment that children interact and develop in and list it as one of the key practices in the EYLF and FASC (National Quality Framework for Early Childhood Education and Care – www.acecqa.gov.au)The indoor and outdoor spaces of children must provide them a sense of belonging, emotional security, safe risk-taking opportunities, stimulating resources and materials which are inclusive, displays that cater to children’s needs, experiences that promote children’s needs and abilities.
Physical layout and elements of classroom design:
Below is a Primary classroom setup that I have designed, mainly for children in the age group 6-7 years (Grades 1-2). The reasoning and rationale behind organizing my classroom in this manner are described below, after the images.
(Please note: the height of chairs and desks, other furniture and wall graphics, etc. are for demonstration purposes only. Classroom furniture for primary students needs to match their ergonomics.)
Desks
The desks have been arranged in groups of four. This is conducive to collaborative learning and small group discussion. It also gives students their own personal space and a buddy. The group of children can be mixed and rearranged every few weeks so that they interact with all the children in the class.
The rectangular shape gives kids enough space to work individually as well as in groups. The table setup is convenient for various craft and art activities. None of the desks have students’ backs to the front easel and teacher’s desk. There is a good flow of space in the room for the teacher and her aide to move around and take a seat at any of the tables, to assist children whenever needed.
The center space between the desks can be used for “mat time” and can double up as a space for putting art/craft trollies/mobile furniture and other resources or group sessions or having an extra desk on occasion.
There is also sufficient space around the desks so they can be moved easily on various days when there is a whole class discussion.
Floor area
There are mats on the floor with enough space for mat time learning, reading, etc. There is enough space in front of the teacher’s desk for children to come up to the front of the desk to present/ perform in front of the whole class. It also provides a good space for guest speakers to come in with props and for incursions. The floor in the class is fully carpeted to provide comfort. The overall design aids a good flow of traffic in the room.
Teacher’s desk
This is positioned at the front of the class, in the middle so that the teacher can easily monitor all children and also have a view of anyone approaching from outside. It gives the teacher a good spot to monitor all the children aids in keeping misbehavior and distractions to a minimum and encourages students to remain on task.
Shelves/Cabinets/Lockers
The various shelves/cabinets and lockers have been aligned to the wall to conserve and open up usable space to the maximum. It also keeps the space clean and clutter-free. They provide easy access to resources and their placement aids a good flow of traffic. I would label the shelves to organize books by genre. There would also be toys and objects displayed on the shelves that the children could use during break time or for their learning.
Bulletins, whiteboards, easel, and projector/TV/sound system
The bulletin boards are displayed on the walls. They can display themes of units being taught and other support material. They can also function as advertisements for important events/themes in the class, for example: any picnic, incursion, excursion, or cultural event planned.
The 3 white boards along the blue wall could be used by kids to write ideas, and concepts or draw pictures or engage in some fun activities. The easel, projector, TV, and sound systems are different media that could be used by the teacher to aid her teaching.
Plants, bean bags, trash bins
Indoors, there are a few real plants that brighten the space and also add life to it. They allow children to experience nature and how it works. It can encourage their observation skills and interaction with nature. It also allows for some critical thinking regarding how plants grow and how to care for them.
There are recycling and wet trash bins in the classroom which would inculcate in children a sense of cleanliness, separating waste and keeping their surroundings tidy.
Practicing these small habits within the classroom helps inculcate in children a sense of respect for their environment and helps them learn about bigger ideas such as environmental sustainability.
Walls
Classroom walls are mainly done in pastel shades to make the room feel very welcoming. The walls are also used to display children’s creations, different themes and concepts being learned, school values and putting up pictures of historical/ inspirational personalities, local communities and their artwork, news, and stories from around the world, etc.
Recreation/ breakout/ outdoor space
There is a recreation/breakout/outdoor space outside but attached to the classroom which could be used by students when they wish to have a break from the routine or sometimes when the teacher wishes to separate a child from the rest of the class if he constantly displays challenging behavior. It can also be used in break times. The recreation room features a little reading and art/craft/play corner with a whiteboard (on the left) and another corner for some indoor sports like basketball and wall darts. There is also an adjacent natural play area where children can have more physical play. There is also a vegetable garden where children can grow their own vegetables and plants. They can relax around on the natural benches or engage in a lot of natural play.
In addition to using these spaces for recreation, they could also be used to remove a distracted child from the classroom and give him some time to get involved in an activity that he likes. It can act as a vehicle to engage the child back into the classroom activity. It would also help to keep the flow of the rest of the class going.
Rationale and theory supporting the class design and personal view of behavior guidance:
The above class is designed to provide children with a rich, varied, and welcoming environment. When children are engaged, they learn better. Therefore, it is vital that educators create a classroom environment, both physical and otherwise to rope in children’s interest. While many factors such as the curriculum, pedagogy, and a child’s own sociocultural background influence learning, the physical environment does seem to have an important correlation with student engagement, learning, and well-being (Gross P. & Sonnemann, J., 2017).
A varied and stimulating environment supports children’s learning. Spaces that promote a secure learning environment give the child the confidence to explore their surrounding indoor and outdoor spaces (Hodgeman, 2011). Scientific research in recent decades has highlighted a significant relationship between a classroom’s physical layout and environment and students’ learning outcomes and achievement. A building’s structural infrastructure and facilities influence student learning. Lack of appropriate and adequate lighting, poor air quality and temperature control, and noise interference are linked to low student achievement. Additionally, a classroom’s symbolic environment which includes its decor and objects used in the class influences learning (Cheryan et al., 2014).
Structural factors:
Lighting, air quality & temperature: Classrooms that are exposed to plenty of natural light promote better performance among students than those who are exposed to less natural light. Poor air quality and unsuitable classroom temperatures negatively impact teacher’s ability to teach well and increase student absenteeism (Tanner, 2008).
Acoustics and Accessibility: A high amount of external noise interferes with engaged learning and student achievement (Klatte et al., 2013). Accessibility to resources like certain classroom furniture is extremely crucial, especially for children with disabilities. The absence of certain assistive technologies or other structural barriers obstructs accessibility and restricts their ability to partake in classroom activities (Hemmingson & Borell, 2002).
Symbolic environment factors:
Classroom layout: The classroom’s layout and how the furniture is laid out in the class can influence the way children learn. Classrooms that are very cluttered and not well-planned or have linear seating arrangements that prevent group discussions and collaborative interactions can significantly impact student and teacher communication (Cheryan et al., 2014).
Decor and classroom objects:
The decor of a class, for example, materials displayed, the manner in which walls are used, mats on the floor, plants, etc. give a certain feel and vibe to a class. While creating the decor, teachers must keep in mind that it is not over stimulating which creates visual distractions. Care should also be taken to make sure that objects and materials displayed do not acknowledge only a certain section of students. Minority or socially underrepresented groups must not feel excluded (Fisher et al., 2014).
In fact, the class decor must be used to welcome the underrepresented groups and also not have negative effects on the majority groups. Local and native arts and stories could be promoted in the themes displayed in the class.
Furniture and equipment within classroom facilities need to be adapted in a manner such that it ensures access and participation by every child in the class and allows flexible use and interaction between indoor and outdoor spaces. The environment needs to be inclusive, promoting competence, independent exploration, and learning through play. Children need to be supported to become environmentally responsible and show respect for the environment. (Guide to the National Quality Standard, ACECQA).
Children with disabilities must be supported by providing appropriate aides where needed. Adequate structural quality is of prime importance for children with disabilities. For example, excessive external noise can impede learning for children with hearing disabilities.
Other studies have emphasized the significance of the relationship between the classroom environment, student behavior, and academic engagement (Visser, 2001). A well-designed classroom allows positive interactions between teachers and children, reducing the occurrence of challenging behavior (Martella, Nelson & Marchand-Martella, 2003). Disruptive behavior like talking back, getting out of seat, and speaking without permission often interferes with students’ engagement in the learning process (Public Agenda, 2004). Class environment may act as a direct intervention for children who demonstrate ongoing disruptive behavior (Conroy, Davis, Fox & Brown, 2002). Environmental structures are a preventive, whole-class approach that may decrease challenging behaviors and allow children with no problem behavior to access learning without interruption.
A teacher’s personal set of beliefs about children and how they develop largely determines how she interacts with her students. Educators’ perspectives and approaches will vary as per the theoretical lens through which they view their pupils and where along the ‘control continuum’ they sit (Erden& Wolfgang, 2004).
The non-interventionist approach assumes that a child has an inner drive that expresses itself in the real world and that children should be allowed the freedom to express themselves. They need to be shown empathy and acceptance. Interventionists are the most controlling and believe that the external environment shapes an individual’s behavior and hence the use of reward and punishment is encouraged. A more recent conceptual analysis groups discipline theories on a similar continuum from autocratic to authoritative and mixed to egalitarian (Porter, 2007).
Between the two extremes, lies the interactionalist approach which focuses on the interaction between an individual and his environment. An interactionalist teacher works with students in a manner that ensures learning while maintaining a good two-way student-teacher relationship while respecting a child’s dignity.
Louise Porter’s approach to behavior guidance suggests that both rewards and punishments are attempts to make children behave in a certain manner and control them. This adversely affects their self-esteem. Giving children information rather than judgment keeps their self-esteem intact by encouraging their self-concept. It also teaches them how to behave considerately by observing how their behavior impacts others. Considerable research suggests that this style of behavior guidance produces more cooperative, self-controlled, self-confident, social, and independent children.
I, as a teacher, too would focus on creating a classroom environment that is welcoming and inclusive to create a sense of belonging among children. Mutual respect encourages children to ask questions and feel welcomed in the class (Bucholz & Sheffler, 2009). Simple routines such as smiling at children, using positive gestures, and exchanging pleasantries make children feel safe and secure (McDonald, 2019). Another way to build a secure classroom atmosphere is to have a classroom routine or tradition. For example, having children recite a morning pledge that highlights school values and acknowledges the traditional owners of the land. I would also encourage classroom meetings in groups to allow children to express their ideas and concerns in a relaxed manner. Planning my lessons in advance to offer challenging tasks would also help them keep engaged.
An inclusive approach that aims at redirection rather than sanctions would be my way of guiding behavior; giving children more autonomy and a sense of control. I would focus on offering children a basket of choices to help them reach an agreed-upon instructional goal. My aim in guiding a student’s behavior would be to help the student develop their social and self-regulation skills so that they are able to identify challenges and solve problems.
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