Armed with the right school furniture and the best classroom layout possible, schools can help pave the way for teachers to succeed.
Some states are already beginning to reopen their schools. However, others are trying to plan as early as possible to accommodate social distancing and find a way to keep children safe when in the classroom. As educators, fostering knowledge in children is just as important as keeping them healthy, and the right classroom layout can be essential, especially now that we’re dealing with COVID-19. Armed with the right school furniture and the best classroom layout possible, we can hopefully pave the way for teachers to succeed.
Coordinate First
First, school administrators must work in concert with their local health departments in determining how to best approach COVID-19 during the school year. Many policies are going to need to change, and health experts should inform those policies.
The Right Desk Setup
Keeping desks spaced as far apart as possible is going to be ideal, though we know that classrooms are going to be small and the right school furniture isn’t always allotted. If possible, face desks in the same direction. It’s old-school and may not promote collaboration like other setups, but it reduces face-to-face contact. Think creatively about the space between students and consider adding safety shields between yourself and the students. Social distancing hygiene mats can also be used to mark how far apart students are from one another.
Informative Posters
Promoting safety and health among students is always a good idea, but this is especially nowadays. The CDC website has plenty of resources for posters that are all free to download and use. They center around basic topics such as keeping your hands clean, covering coughs, and other tips for preventing the spread of the virus.
Limit Sharing
Some teachers are already stretching their supplies, but it’s an unfortunate reality that we need to start stretching even more. Limiting the use of shared materials, like pencils or erasers, can help prevent cross-contamination. If students can bring materials from home, that’s always a good idea. However, if that’s not practical, keep separate piles for clean items and used items and sanitize them after every use. Anything that’s single-use like a sheet of paper should be handed out by the teacher and discarded after it is done being used.
Sanitizer On Hand
Keeping sanitizer on-hand, no pun intended, is a great way to promote a healthier classroom. If you can, use touchless dispensers and stands to help limit contact between your students.
Choose Edwards & Hill for Your School Furniture and Design Needs
Are you ready to redesign your office to maximize productivity and creative thinking? Edwards & Hill can help you design and install the perfect designs for your business. Edwards & Hill is a leading office, education, medical, and hospitality furniture provider with high-quality design and installation services for any style or scale. If you are ready to get your office design started, contact us online or give us a call at 301-317-4250. For more furniture design tips, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Flickr, and YouTube.