Role Of Adaptable Furniture To Ensure Social Distancing Measures
With new normal are setting in and schools are gearing up to reopen again, school furniture in India is a hot topic of debate as school administrators evaluate how adaptable and flexible are each furniture in the school. School management is more concerned about space management within the current infrastructure that will help them ensure social distancing. Those who have already adopted flexible furniture are at an advantage as they can easily support the change they are required for the current normal. Every playschool furniture and classroom furniture should be adaptable to allow the following ICT and provide for flexible, multipurpose furniture.
School chairs and school desks that cannot be reconfigured will be difficult if we need to move it from classrooms and create static spaces. Dynamic school benches or classroom benches along with other furniture and child care facilities will create a great educational solution for an adaptable and flexible space. Adjusting to students height and movement will be beneficial for students and teachers. Multifunctional and height-adjustable furniture can easily support learning objectives even under the new normal. Furniture that can be easily folded or converted can create wide space conducive for social distancing.
Know The Multiple Benefits Of School Furniture
School furniture is not just for students but for teachers’ well-being as well. A height-adjustable desk will help teachers as they take a class. A mobile project table can be converted into a whiteboard for projections. Sitting and standing will be very easy and you can move about in the classroom to give individual attention to every student. So, both students and furniture will stand to benefit from adaptable furniture. As it allows movement, students are comfortable and can focus more. It accommodates students of all weight and height. Students will know how to be active and engaged in the classroom sitting at the desk.
Adaptable furniture will help teachers to keep students active, happy and healthy who can also perform better in class. Teachers can easily realign and rearrange classrooms to suit the need. Each different type of learning requires a different layout. A happy and healthy environment will keep the energy levels high, increase focus and reduce back pain. As furniture is seen as a tool that is a part of the classroom, due importance should be given to enable optimum use of the space and layout. ICT is now part and parcel of the school curriculum. It has changed the way teaching and learning happens in school.
Better The School Furniture Used, Better The Interaction
Check Out – Classroom interaction is more in schools between peers and teachers. Technology can also enable classrooms monitoring as space is utilized for different learning purposes. The new normal recommendations and guidelines are drawn for classrooms, libraries, cafeterias and staff rooms that emphasises on easy transit and arrangement of furniture to adhere to social distancing. A classroom needs to have individual chairs and desks. It must have areas for individual reading, studying and must also be flexible to form alternate groups of space. Desks with self-supporting panels will help create the individual space that conforms to social distancing norms.
Foldable and mobile desks or stackable chairs are examples of adaptable furniture which will be required to follow new normal. The modern environment in classrooms with multifunctional furniture is the requirement to manage hygiene and social distancing. New spaces for teachers and students should also support remote teaching as it will be required moving forward. This will help keep the flow between online and classroom teaching. Physical separation is the main aim in new normal and social distancing and individual desks and other furniture will help teachers give a proper structure and layout to the classroom while adhering to the guidelines.
Maintenance requirement and the durability of the furniture is another consideration. For better hygiene and prevention of diseases, schools will have to devise a regular cleaning process to maintain hygiene. Frequent disinfection will be required than what was the norm. The furniture has to be easy to clean and disinfect. They must withstand frequent use of disinfectants. Storage units, screens, panels and all furniture used in the classroom must be durable and have better longevity. Changing furniture frequently may not be appropriate during these times and hence durable and adaptable furniture will help in keeping classrooms a socially distanced space.
