Top 10 Things Teachers Want in Their Classrooms

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!

So what do teachers really want? This is what teachers told us makes them happy in their classrooms.

1. Flow

Yvonne Marks is a gifted and talented teacher in San Antonio. When she was interviewed by MooreCo, she talked about the importance of flow in a learning space. This means a designated space for everything, and sleek, stylish pieces that can help keep students and teachers stay engaged, inspired, and focused on projects and task. 

2. Flexibility

In the third session of our recent webinar, MooreCo CEO Greg Moore talked about how far classroom furniture has come since he was a boy. Classroom furniture has become flexible, comfortable, and ergonomically sound, keeping students able to focus more easily. Great teachers know that all students learn differently. Providing them with comfortable spaces to work makes teaching and learning easier and more fun.

3. Function

A great classroom is one that includes items that help teachers focus on students. This means furniture that is highly functional and suits the needs of each subject. During our recent webinar, MooreCo's Director of Product Development, Ryan Haase, laid out the details of why Compass, our newest line of organizational tools and makerspace tables, is highly functional and user-friendly. From locking casters to organizational cubbies and optional doors, each teacher can have the furniture they need for the subject they teach, taking the guesswork out of room design. 

4. Organization

All teachers interviewed by MooreCo agreed that organization is highly valuable in any classroom, particularly when the subjects taught require a lot of tools. STEM labs, robotics classes, maker spaces, and workshops supplies to be easily accessible. Moreover, all teachers said that easy organization and accessibility helps make students feel independent, as they are able to get what they need without assistance.

5. Style

This is not a quality desired by only teachers. Everyone wants to spend their days in rooms that are aesthetically pleasing and beautiful to look at. If the pieces within it reflect the people who inhabit the space, it will result in a sense of satisfaction and belonging. That's why Compass is highly customizable, so that furniture can be chosen to express school pride, or even to evoke feelings of energy and focus with bright pops of color. 

6. Movement 

It's always useful to have easily mobile furniture. For teachers who move from room to room, pieces that are lightweight and easy to move are a must. This has never been more true than during the pandemic, when teachers may be moving from room-to-room to accommodate cohorts and limit student movement, or in the case of impromptu learning spaces. The Compass line comes pre-assembled with gliding, locking casters that allow teachers the freedom to move at any time. 

7. Technology 

Thom Gibson is a middle school robotics and math teacher in Austin. He spoke to MooreCo about the importance of technology for today's students to be prepared for the jobs of tomorrow. When describing his dream classroom, he mentioned products with integrative technology. Smartboards, media carts, and recording equipment were all on Thom's wish list. Related story: The Must-Have Tool for Hybrid Teaching 

8. Creative Space 

Regardless of age, the ability to brainstorm and problem solve on writeable surfaces is a valuable learning and teaching tool. For young students, this can mean lapboards or desks with porcelain steel whiteboard surfaces. Small children love doodling on their desks! But as Dr. Mark Gooden pointed out when referencing the learning spaces used by his graduate students, whiteboards and brainstorming spaces are great for learners of any age. In the first session of our webinar, he showed photos of sharewalls and whiteboard surfaced desks being used by his adult students!

9. Personalization

Joann Nolte is an educator and the cofounder of the ESTEAM Academy in Round Rock, Texas. Her school was founded on the belief in the importance of fostering optimal learning through a variety of subjects. They include entrepreneurship, science, technology, engineering, art, and math (ESTEAM). Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences suggests that all people learn differently. For specialty schools like ESTEAM that seek to meet students where they are to help them succeed, personalized learning tools are valuable. This means supplies and furniture that are designed to support the students, teachers, and specific course curriculum.

10. Safety 

Safety is a consideration for any classroom. For young students, this means designing a space that minimizes risk when it comes to bumps and bruises. The Compass maker space tables were created with rounded edge tops to reduce the risk of injuries in energetic classrooms. In a pandemic, it’s important to consider safety in a new way. To protect teachers and students alike, easy-to-clean furniture, desktop screens, room partitions can help promote a sense of security and help to reduce the spread of germs. All teachers deserve the assurance that the school they’re teaching in prioritizes their safety, as well as that of their students. COVID solutions for classrooms can provide that assurance.

We’re Here to Help…

Do you know special teachers who deserve what’s on their wish list? Help them succeed with the tools, supplies, and furniture that they want most. It will result in a happier classroom and more productive students who love being at school. Call us today if you have any questions about our Compass line, our COVID-19 classroom solutions, or i3Technologies products for enhanced remote learning or hybrid capability.

MooreCo wants to extend a big thank you to Yvonne Marks, Thom Gibson, and Joanne Nolte for sharing their perspective for our Thrive Together fall webinar. Download the session here to see how their dream classrooms turned out!