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Modern classrooms look nothing like those just a generation ago. Conformity is out and flexibility is in, with once predictable rows of chairs and desks now replaced by a combination of education furniture solutions that support individual learning along with group collaboration.
From quiet nooks for solo study to high-top tables for team activities, finding the right balance of products to align with a variety of teaching styles has never been more essential. Here are some tips for creating classroom layouts designed to match the instructional needs of every student at any grade level.
Featured Product: Tangram™ low-back square seat
Think beyond just chairs and desks. Instructional style determines the ideal layout. Lecture style favors a more conventional configuration to focus attention on subject matter, while Group style improves interpersonal skills as well. Blended style offers the best of both, with educators leading lessons, and peer projects applying newfound knowledge.
“Reconfigurability is such an important aspect for creating flexible and multifunctional classroom settings that can support a myriad of activities and different learning styles,” notes Bryanna Johnson, Product Applications Manager with HON. “Product selection and application solutions are key to creating a variety of adaptable zones and settings.”
Consider setting aside an area that’s less structured and more conversational, one that reflects the benefit of informal instruction. HON’s Tangram™ seating can turn any corner into an incubator for exchanging ideas. Whether it hugs the wall or defines the space, the endless options for interlocking, cushioned seating will soon become your favorite place to encourage thoughtful discussion.
Take a fresh approach by adding HON Class-ifi™ storage to hold all the creative materials students need to harness their enthusiasm. Removable trays and totes hold everything necessary to turn abstract concepts into tangible ones, while the mobile storage case provides reconfigurable separation to create focused functionality.
Featured Products: Class-ifi™ Cubbie and Tote Storage
Those clunky and uncomfortable integrated desks and chairs of yesteryear may be nostalgic, but they were far from ergonomic. Students deserve purposeful seating that meets today’s demands.
Children thrive in classrooms that allow for movement, and those classrooms should be powered by flexible furniture. Settings that can be rearranged easily foster collaboration and connection, while keeping active minds and bodies engaged.
Featured Product: Smartlink® seating solution
“Schools need product and application solutions that support the needs, activities, and ergonomic differences between between elementary school, middle school, and high school students.” explains Johnson.
The right seat height at any age ensures proper posture. This is why HON’s SmartLink® chairs are available in five different heights to serve students from kindergarten through graduation. A cantilever option is available in three heights and stools are available in both counter and café heights. Chairs and stools are stackable, creating additional floorspace when needed.
All are available in a robust palette of colors, from Tangelo and Calypso to Lava and Regatta, providing options for bold expression or harmonized hues.
Classroom design continues to evolve and expand. Open, flexible layouts are providing opportunities to better support all ages and teaching styles. It’s a reciprocal trend where innovation in one setting often informs the other, especially when it comes to improving productivity.
This includes the intrinsic relationship between seating and surface—how important it is for the right seat and the right desk to work together. Researchers at the University of Manitoba found 83% of students sit at chair-desk combinations that don’t match their needs. That impacts more than just posture. It adversely affects focus, retention, and participation.
Featured Products: Build™ desk series and SmartLink® seating
Forget about one size fits all. HON’s Build™ series desks come in six shapes designed to offer remarkable versatility. For instance, trapezoid desks can be arranged individually for lectures, in a circle for group instruction, or in an open curve so teachers can offer personal or small team assistance.
“When you look at the landscape of products and applications within a classroom setting, we like to include a range of postures, seating heights, and levels of enclosure to promote user choice and support the needs or desired activities of an individual or group. Providing this variety, and the ability to reconfigure as needed, helps to create a multifunctional classroom ecosystem.”
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