Photo by Ilya Sonin on Unsplash
If you could make students learn more without spending much time or money, what would you do?
You might think new lesson plans or upgraded tech. But the answer is actually much simpler than most schools realize…
Comfortable chairs.
Students who sit at ergonomically designed school and classroom desks perform better. They concentrate for longer periods. They feel less pain. And they’re happier to be at school.
The issue?
Classroom furniture isn’t made to fit the children and young people using it. Studies have found that more than two thirds of classroom furniture does not match up with students’ body measurements. And that’s a huge problem.
The solution?
By learning about ergonomics in the classroom, you can create ergonomic classrooms of your own. And you don’t need to spend a lot of money to do it.
In this article you’ll learn:
- Why School Furniture Has a Bigger Impact Than You Realise
- How much pain are students in when sitting at their desk?
- The 4 Features of Ergonomic School Furniture
- How to Buy the Best Furniture for Every Classroom
- Upgrade Your Furniture on a Budget
Why School Furniture Has a Bigger Impact Than You Realise
Did you know…
Students are sitting down between 84% and 88% of their time at school. When they’re not in their seats, they’re likely sitting at a kid’s table in the cafeteria. Poor classroom furniture = stacking problems.
When school chairs and classroom desks encourage bad posture, students start to suffer.
Back pain, neck pain, lost focus, fidgeting. The list goes on.
If you had to sit in a chair that hurt your back for 8 hours straight, every day. Would you be productive? No. And neither will your students.
Schools hunting for quality school desks for sale should be looking at ergonomic options. Classroom furniture matters when it comes to creating functional learning environments.
Let’s dive into why.
Pain = distracted kids. They can’t concentrate on what you’re saying when they’re worried about their sore legs or painful backs.
Shifting around = lost teaching time. The more students fidget, the more you’ll interrupt them to gain attention.
How much pain are students in when sitting at their desk?
You might be thinking that 41.6% doesn’t sound too bad.
But here’s the kicker.
That study found that students started to experience pain after ONE hour of sitting at their desks. Imagine what two hours+ does to a body.
And it doesn’t stop when they leave school.
Poor classroom furniture can contribute to muscular skeletal problems that stick with students into adulthood. The chairs and desks they use can create lifelong posture problems.
If furniture fits poorly:
Students’ feet don’t touch the ground due to seat height mismatch.
They hunch over or raise their shoulders to see desk surfaces due to desk height mismatch.
They don’t get proper back support from their seats due to seat depth mismatch.
Students are in discomfort.
They shouldn’t have to worry about how their desk and chair makes them feel. They should be focused on what you’re teaching them.
Teachers notice when students aren’t learning as much. Poor classroom furniture = distracted students = lower grades.
The 4 Features of Ergonomic School Furniture
What should you look for in ergonomic school furniture?
Sit yourself down in a chair. Now sit down correctly. The angle your feet sit, arms rest, and where your legs hit the chair seat.
Your body needs all of these parts supported. School desks should too.
Seat Height
School chairs should have adjustable heights. Not every child in your school is the same height. And they won’t stay that height forever.
Students should be able to easily adjust the height of their chairs to fit them.
Seat Depth and Width
Seat depth is the distance from the edge of your seat to the back. If it’s too deep, you won’t sit against the chair backing. Too shallow and you’ll feel like you’re falling out.
It should support your thighs without squeezing your knees.
Lumbar Back Support
When sitting down for long periods, we need support for our lumbar region. Many ergonomic classroom chairs have this built into the design.
Desktop Height & Angle
If students are writing at their desk, their arms should comfortably rest at desk height. Depending on the desk design, you might also want to consider desk angle. Desks shouldn’t force students to bend their necks down or reach too far forward.
There’s one more thing to remember
Just because furniture has all these features doesn’t make it expensive. Things don’t need to be expensive to be ergonomic.
How to Buy the Best Furniture for Every Classroom
Knowing what you want is half the battle. Figuring out where your classroom sits in all of this is another.
Every classroom has different needs.
Elementary classrooms will have different school desk requirements than high school. The age of your students should help determine what furniture you buy.
Keep these things in mind
Will your classroom be lecture style? Cold tables where students put their desks together? Art classrooms need tables that can be pushed together. Science classrooms need desks.
How much abuse will this furniture handle? Rough play from toddlers is different than teens. Try to buy furniture that will last as long as you need it to.
Does the furniture match your clean up plans? Light colours require you to wipe down more. But dark colours soil easily.
Test It Out!
If at all possible, try furniture out before you buy it. Let some students test out sample furniture to see if there are any problems.
Upgrade Your Furniture on a Budget
Here’s the truth about upgrading furniture…
Start where you spend most of your time.
If your students are in the classroom more than anywhere else. Improve those classrooms first. It will have the biggest impact on students.
Think long term when buying.
Furniture that only lasts a couple years will cost you more over time. Invest in durable furniture that’ll last.
Know who you’re buying for.
Work with suppliers that specialise in classrooms. They’ll know what furniture will and won’t work.
Don’t forget to maintain it.
Even the best furniture needs TLC. Make sure you’re replacing worn school chairs and desks before they’re an issue.
Creating ergonomic classrooms can change the learning experience for your students.
School and classroom desks don’t have to be boring or expensive. As long as you do your research and know what you’re looking for.
Remember…
Students learn better when they’re comfortable.
What are you waiting for? Go out and start creating ergonomic classrooms for your students.