How desks donated to school can improve student learning atmosphere
TEN-YEAR-OLD Nyamiti is a school girl at a Primary School in Chemba District, Dodoma Region. Her journey with school has not been so good since she joined.
This is because she has spent most of her learning sessions sitting on the floor, using her legs as a desk when writing. Then one morning her teachers call them to carry some chairs and desks to their classes and issue a warning that everyone would be told where to sit and no more sitting on the floor.
“You understand and I am repeating! Once you will have been told to sit and use a particular desk, there should be no more roaming and I don’t want to see cases coming to me that so and so is sitting on my chair and using my desk,” said teacher Anne in a fluent Kiswahili with Gogo accent that was met with ndiyo Mwalimu reply.
She further said: “The desks you (Exim Bank Tanzania) have donated will help to reduce the current shortage in our school. We encourage other stakeholders to follow the example of Exim Bank in reaching out to regions that are still facing this problem.” Her narration in a nutshell describes how desks allow children to comfortably sit while they’re studying and doing homework. They also help kids focus on what they’re doing because their design favours comfort.
If kids didn’t have desks to use while they’re studying, it would be much harder for them to pay attention to the content, do their homework, and more. In quick analysis, the impact classroom furniture has on academic and social-emotional learning is undeniable.
In fact, physical environment (classrooms) is part of boosting learning and raises also the morale of the teaching staff, the interest/comfortability of the students, and the quality of the physical environment, when learning is on the course.
In fact, students interact with furniture more than any other design element. They see it and touch it.
They work, learn, eat, relax, socialise, focus and think on it and that in a way makes them prepare for classwork in comparison to a situation, where they sit down on the floor and use their laps as tables to write.
Current research supports just how important furniture is to improving student engagement, health, focus and classrooms and other learning environments are designed thoughtfully, they’ve been shown to facilitate student-centered learning, which leads to improved student engagement.
But we now know that the right furniture can improve academic outcomes. For example, quality classroom sitting can help improve breathing and blood flow to stimulate students’ brains.
Students who feel they have a choice in where and how they sit (or stand, rock, lounge, etc.) in the classroom, feel more personally invested and empowered to learn. Equally, experts are laying emphasis on the fact that the classroom should literally beckon the child to enter and have a fun-filled day of learning.
The entire environment should be motivating enough to boost the learning process. Studies show that a well-designed classroom can boost a child’s progress by nearly 16 per cent.
A classroom is a place that needs to brim with positive energy. It is such a crucial aspect because it leaves an ever-lasting effect on the minds of the students.
Only when students love their learning environment, they will be eager to learn and grow. The importance of school furniture is undeniable. It plays a significant role in the effectiveness of student learning.
How does school furniture affect learning? Well, the right school furniture contributes to the comfort, posture and support of students, all of which contributes positively towards students’ ability to concentrate and work.
