Classrooms and schools are home away from home for most students. The majority of students in elementary, high schools and universities spend most of their time in a day in a classroom. This means that it’s very important to create an environment for students that is safe, which can boost their motivation and where they can get the best education possible. There are many ways in which we can boost motivation in a classroom for students and for teachers alike. Read on to find out the best classroom designs for boosting motivation.
Create a Homely Environment
Traditional classroom styles have been used for as long as schools exist. For many schools, they include very uncomfortable chairs and desks. Students have to sit in these chairs for long periods of time, resulting in back pains and general discomfort. Creating a classroom that has a homey feeling might be a solution for decreased motivation in students. A classroom that has a cozy feeling makes us more relaxed, ultimately increasing our motivation. You can use comfy furniture like sofas, bean bags, and bright colors. Have an open space where it’s easy to move around. You can also place seating in a circle creating a safe and open space for every student. It’s easy to create, think and develop in this type of space.
Nature Inside
If you have ever had a field trip or had one of your classes outside, you probably remember how nice it was to sit in the nice weather, surrounded by nature listening to your teacher. Why not try to imitate that feeling indoors? We have a connection to nature, and many of us crave to be outside. You can bring in plants and flowers to mimic the outside. Students, and people in general, that are surrounded by plants have a more positive outlook, they are less stressed and their blood pressure and heart rates are lower.
Create Zones
In a one-zone classroom, especially if there are a lot of students, sometimes you can feel like you can’t escape anyone, or you feel stuffy, blocked, and just in need of a break. To create a solution, you can design a couple of zones in your classroom for different purposes. In addition to a regular „studying“ zone, you can create a support area where students can take time away from the rest of their classmates. Of course, they won’t be spending all their time there. Having this relaxing zone creates peace of mind for students, it lowers stress and creates space in their head for further studying. This area can be used alone for a break, or it can be a safe zone where a teacher can give support to the student.
Diverse Design
As we have mentioned, a classroom with traditional desks and chairs can be very uncomfortable, dull and uninspiring. To combat this problem, a great solution is multifunctional furniture and design. Instead of normal desks, why not include standing desks with adjustable height? Or flexible tables that you can move around and connect to create a big desk for collaborative work or studying? Different types of desks, seating, and other work surfaces allow you to create different areas and arrangements for studying and participating in class. You can create different zones depending on the class subject or what assignment you have. This ultimately boosts motivation and inspiration, creating a functional and interesting learning environment. You can create a space where teachers and students work together in learning and building skills.
Use Technology
Technology is unavoidable at this moment, and it’s becoming more inclusive in classrooms and teachings. It can be used in many ways to boost motivation for students and professors alike. People learn a lot more when there are visuals involved. To boost your classroom’s motivation and make your students remember more, you can use video materials in your teachings. There are many educational videos available that can be a great addition to your classes. For playing videos you will need a projector. Consider using an adjustable projector wall mount. It makes your projector easier to move and adjust to your classroom environment.
Improved Lighting
Visual stimulations are important in any environment. By using bright and bold colors and designs we can boost the classroom environment and motivation. Lighting plays a big part also. It affects our sight, but also our emotions and behavior. Natural light is best, with large open windows. Besides natural light, high-quality LED ligts create a positive work environment, enhance focus and increase engagement and motivation.
Creating a good study environment is becoming crucial in this day where many students struggle with focus and motivation. Our attention spans are also shortened, so teachers should try anything they can to improve the environment they teach in. By incorporating different designs in your classrooms, you can really boost the motivation of your students.
