Buying Classroom Furniture With Your Students in Mind

Selecting classroom furniture is one of the most important purchases a principal ever makes for his or her students. Whether the students are preschoolers or premed students or somewhere in between, the furniture must be comfortable and age-appropriate. Classroom Desks The younger the student, the more likely the classroom furniture will be an individual desk with an individual chair. Choosing separate desks and chairs allows the teachers to adjust the height of the units to the exact working height that each student needs. Individual desks cater to students of all sizes by adjusting in one-inch increments. School desks that are correctly measured will enhance a student’s ability to concentrate and learn. Several desk designs have tubular steel frames that are adjustable. These desks will be able to accommodate students of all ages. The base of a desk will greatly depend on what type of classroom it is for and also the type of floors in the classroom. Among many product lines are desks with four legs that are appropriate for classrooms with hard floors and desks with sled bases that work well in classrooms with carpeting. If a teacher desires versatility in a classroom, then a double desk, which allow students sit by twos, or desks that can join together to form hexagons or octagons are an option. It is important for desks to be able to accommodate students and their school materials. The younger a student, the more often a classroom desk will offer book storage as an option. Once a student reaches middle school, and moves between classrooms, book storage needs change. The majority of desks have three different types of book storage. 1. Open Front Book Box If convenience is a top priority, then an open front book box is the right choice. Students can access to all of their school supplies without having to remove the objects from the top of their desks. 2. Lift Top Book Box If students are going to be storing lots of school materials in their desks, then a lift top book box is the right choice. This book storage option has the most room for school supplies. 3. Book Rack Under desk wire bookracks are good for students who will just be storing books, backpacks and notebooks for a single hour class. Classroom Chairs Selecting individual chairs to complement the individual student desks sounds easy; however, the choices are so vast that each principal should consider these tips to assist the process. Let’s start with the obvious. High school students should not be squeezed into something designed for someone less than half their age, and, likewise, kindergartners should not be overwhelmed by extremely large seats. The range of sizes in several furniture collections can accommodate the young and old alike, and some seats are adjustable and thus capable of suiting all ages and sizes. The different chair designs include the following: 1. Standard These chairs will be basic chairs that are seen most often in classrooms. A classic chair is usually constructed in two pieces and can withstand five to 10 years of use from most students. 2. Stacking If your classroom is going to continually be rearranged, then you will need a chair that is lightweight and versatile. Stacking chairs can be neatly placed on top of each other and stored or moved easily. 3. Shell Students will be sitting in classroom chairs all day, so their comfort should be a great concern. Shell chairs are generally constructed of a single piece of softer plastic and are designed to fit the student’s body for more comfort then standard chairs. 4. Swivel Sometimes students need to be able to look in different areas of the classroom. Swivel chairs will allow students to turn their chair in whichever direction is needed and are great options for computer rooms or art labs. The base of a chair will greatly depend on the type of classroom and also the type of floors within the classrooms. There are three different types of bases. 1. Four Legs If a classroom has wood or tile floors, then a standard four-legged chair will be a great choice. Most four-legged chairs will come with swivel feet that allow the chairs to slide easily on your floors. 2. Sled Base For classrooms with carpet, sled base chairs are the best. The design of the base allows the chairs to slide easily on carpet. 3. Casters Chairs with casters are mostly used in computer and art labs. These chairs are better for older students who won’t be tempted to create an annoyance by rolling around. continue reading