During our Thrive Webinar, we had the chance to speak with Dr. Lisa Harris of Healthworks Ergonomics, who taught us the importance of sensory and physical experiences that Gen Z has in the classroom and the workspace. “People are more often now considering sensory needs to be just as important as physical needs,” Dr. Harris said. “There is a lot that goes into creating an environment that brings out a physical response in your body.” The Akt family of furniture is specifically designed in response to physical and sensory needs that Gen Z is experiencing. Akt Tables reduce contact stress, Akt Chairs promote good posture, and Akt Lounge seating guarantees a cleaner environment, all with the goal of creating sensory-friendly environments that also support physical wellness for Gen Z as they further their education and enter the workforce.
Read MoreTopics: Collaboration, Active Learning, Human Development, Active Classroom, Clean Living, Technology, Well-being, sensory needs
Students have had to undergo a seemingly endless string of stressful events over the last few years. Between an increase in school violence and a global pandemic that resulted in learning loss and cancelled social gatherings, students are under a lot of pressure to make up for lost time. That catch-up feeling has created a lot of anxiety, inequity, and isolation, so it is more important now than ever for students to know that they are not going through this alone. Prioritizing social-emotional learning and mental health as students go back to school is vital in shaping a more empathetic, inclusive, and safe classroom environment. MooreCo can help build a classroom environment that’s unique to your school and makes use of welcoming design aspects.
Read MoreTopics: Covid-19, Back-to-school, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Well-being, Thrive, mental health
How Can We Prioritize Mental Health in Gen Z Classrooms?
At the tail-end of a two-year-long global pandemic, students are under more stress than ever before. The pandemic alone has massively affected their mental health as students make the switch to remote learning and continue schoolwork under these conditions. Not only were they forced to consider their futures while they were simultaneously unsure what the future held, but students also identified other global issues that had an impact on their mental health in the latest APA Stress in America Survey. Students today are stressed over issues like discrimination and harassment, the separation and deportation of migrant and immigrant families, mass shootings, political climate, hunger or food insecurities, work, and money, to name a few.
Read MoreTopics: Covid-19, Well-being, mental health
8 Ways to Stay Mighty
MooreCo has been committed to providing environments where people can thrive for over 3 decades. But what does it mean to thrive? Once all of our survival needs are met (safety, food, shelter, water), we can focus on the higher range of needs. Hierarchy by MooreCo was inspired by Mazlow's Hierarchy of Needs. We imagined a world where students were not only stimulated, but supported, encouraged, and set up to succeed in all their learning endeavors.
Read MoreTopics: Design, Active Learning, Active Classroom, Designer's Corner, hybrid classroom, Teacher's Favorites, Well-being
Topics: Case Studies, Active Classroom, MooreCo Workplace, Well-being, holiday
The Four Corners of Harmonious Classroom Design
“To slow time down, practice enjoying the moment. It is where we spend our entire lives.” This wisdom from the I Ching describes an ideal way to live by slowing down. In the digital age, however, it’s getting more and more difficult to take this sage advice. Because of the pandemic, we are even more devoted to time spent on our devices, staring at screens with fast-paced minds. Among students, this trend has had some negative consequences. Adolescents and young adults (known as Gen Z) are struggling with mental health more than previous generations. When students return to school this fall, it will be important to consider their mental, physical, and emotional health. But educators, parents, and school designers would be remiss to discount the benefits of considering students’ spiritual development when creating spaces and schedules for student health. This doesn’t mean subscribing to a certain system of belief. It can be as simple as integrating space for silence, breathing, and reflection.
Read MoreTopics: Design, Human Development, Active Classroom, Designer's Corner, Clean Living, Expert Analysis, New Products, Well-being, Thrive
Technology and the Renaissance of Education
A new era of education may be coming for American teachers and students. With ESSER funding now available for schools across the country, each institution and district will assess what is to help students succeed in a post-pandemic world. Unfortunately, learning loss caused by the pandemic may have a ripple effect that lasts years. McKinsey & Company put out findings that state that learning loss from the pandemic disproportionately affects students of color. In order to even the playing field and create equity among students, the learning gap must be closed.
Read MoreTopics: Collaboration, Design, Technology, Covid-19, Back-to-school, i3sixty, Compass, Well-being
Topics: Design, Human Development, Active Classroom, hybrid classroom, MooreCo Workplace, Teacher's Favorites, Ergonomics, Well-being
What the 2021 Winter Storm Revealed About Texans
When 4th Grade Teacher Elizabeth Smith of Austin's power went out late Sunday night, she didn't imagine she'd be spending the next 5 days freezing in her home with her family. But a polar vortex brought a cozy Valentine's Day to a grinding halt, affecting families all over the middle and southern areas of the United States. Although Texas bore the brunt of the worst due to power and water loss, the state is now working to regain its footing after a year of a pandemic and now a natural disaster with deadly consequences.
Read MoreTopics: Well-being, Thrive