If you’re not sure what esports are, you aren’t alone. But for educators, parents, and designers of educational environments, it’s time to learn. This competitive video gaming is quickly gaining popularity as a form of extracurricular activity for intermediate and higher learning institutions. As the popularity of esports continues to rise, it may become even more significant following the pandemic. There are many benefits to esports in educational environments and this will be particularly important as students begin to reintegrate to in-person learning after a year in partial isolation. So how can esports benefit your school or student? Here are just benefits for your consideration.

The digital age has brought many gifts to civilization, including the opportunity to keep people connected despite a global pandemic that required people to distance themselves. But with all the positive opportunities created by technology, negative consequences abound. Depression and anxiety rates are up among adolescents. Some experts suggest this is because of access and addiction to social media and hand-held devices. 2020 highlighted the importance of unity, education, and self-awareness. But how can we nurture these virtues in students so that they create a more just and equitable world?

The last year has not been easy on American students. Learning loss caused by the pandemic has hit communities throughout the U.S., with some educators and experts fearing the long-term damage of this time spent away from in-person school. As many district leaders begin to plan for welcoming more students back to schools in person this fall, there is an urgent conversation happening for how to best help them catch up. With the passing of the American Rescue Plan, there is an opportunity to create environments where students can succeed with stimulus money allotted for American schools. But what items might help students recover from the last year?

Do you ever wonder how teachers would design the classroom of their dreams, if given the opportunity? We did! That’s why we interviewed gifted, passionate teachers to ask what’s on their wish list. We took their answers to educational designers Sylvia Kowalk and Robin Randall of Legat Architects so they could work their magic and render the dream classrooms. Using the Compass line by MooreCo, Sylvia and Robin created ideal STEM spaces and displayed their render-to-reality presentation during the fourth session of Thrive Together: Creating the Classrooms of Tomorrow webinar. Click here to watch the session!

If you’re making a transition to online learning because of Covid-19, you aren’t alone. Students around the world are learning from home with the assistance of teachers and parents. It’s a team effort to help kids stay engaged in their education through these changing circumstances. With heightened emotions, distractions, and new routines, it can be difficult for students to establish a good work ethic for remote learning. But it’s not impossible. New online learning tools are available to improve interactions at a distance and facilitate online learning.

"Play. It brings joy. It is within this context that learning can occur." - Kyle Snow, Ph.D.

Early childhood environments should foster both fun and safety; a place where we balance freedom of expression with fundamentals of good behavior. Here are some suggestions on how to give students room to play and room to focus:

"Science is a way of thinking, much more than it is a body of knowledge." - Carl Sagan

The Science Lab

"Teachers who love teaching, teach children to love learning." - Robert John Meehan

The school year is almost over and teachers are more than ready for a break. The teachers' lounge has been a hot topic of debate for for a while. Are they worth having? Are they gossip pools? Has technology and high performance curriculums taken over the lounge? Studies show that teachers' lounges actually reinforce the spirit of community amongst educators as well as recharge tired minds. Lounges help teachers reengage in everyday topics with their peers, and also disconnect from the daily classroom routine. The key to a functional teachers' lounge? Make it feel like home! Here are some ideas on how to make the teachers' lounge an inviting and safe environment for teachers:

Over the last decade, classroom environments and schools have focused on collaborative learning. Furniture companies have prioritized their research, design and production resources into developing furniture that fosters Collaboration. We all know the benefits are indisputable. Creative thinking leads to challenging thinking and open communication, establishing a trusting and safe environment in which students mentor and learn from one another. All of this is achieved by a masterful configuration of a few desks and chairs and a solid curriculum.