Classroom design and furniture choice play a vital role in how well students grasp math, literacy, technology, and social and emotional skills. Classrooms also tell a story of accomplishments, hard work, collaborations, culture, and personalities – stories that shape the lives of each child who enters and helps them become the best version of themselves.
When provided with an environment that is flexible, comfortable, and engaging, children are more likely to remain calm and focused so they can fully absorb teacher lessons and develop skills for future academic success. Your classroom furniture should work intentionally with students and teachers to create a strong classroom community that addresses the academic, emotional, and behavioral needs of everyone.
Children in the early elementary years need space to spread out, collaborate, think through ideas, and test new learning methods. Teachers need space to present new learning concepts, assist children with activities, and support continuous growth and development. Is it possible for one furniture line to meet the needs of everyone in the classroom – and school?
With the Sense of Place for Elementary collection, it is!
This article will introduce you to this new furniture collection made exclusively for kindergarten through third-grade classrooms, how it supports 21st-century learning, and what makes it a perfect furniture solution for elementary classrooms.
What is the Sense of Place for Elementary Collection?
The Sense of Place for Elementary collection is a thoughtful adaptation of traditional classroom furniture that emphasizes the importance of the physical environment and its impact on young learners' academic development and social-emotional well-being.
This furniture collection includes items such as desks, tables, flexible seating, and storage solutions that fit the needs of kindergarten through third-grade classrooms. Adjustable legs and ergonomic seating increase classroom comfort and accessibility for children of varying ages and abilities. The tables and desks will also rise to heights that allow children and teachers to stand while collaborating or working individually on activities and tasks.
Optional locking casters make it easy for teachers to move the Sense of Place for Elementary furniture around the classroom. The vinyl couch and ottoman are easy to sanitize and wipe clean at the end of each day. Finally, the optional storage totes will keep the classroom organized while adding nature-inspired elements that warm up the space and give it an inviting, home-like feel.
What led to the conception of the Sense of Place for Elementary furniture collection?
With our more than 50 years of experience outfitting classrooms throughout the United States, Kaplan Early Learning Company knows all too well the importance of furniture in the classroom. We also know that classroom standards frequently change, and what worked in classrooms 10 or 20 years ago may not work in today's classrooms.
Today, technology makes up a huge portion of a child’s education, changing the way educators teach and students learn. After the recent pandemic and with changing family dynamics, schools are realizing that they need to focus on student well-being by teaching social-emotional skills and using trauma-informed practices in the classroom. In order to respond to changing technology, demographics, and socio-economic status, the education system is shifting from providing students with a range of skills that focus solely on cognition to providing students with a range of 21st-century skills that will lead to greater success in life and when joining the workforce.
How can your school help students gain these 21st-century skills?
Some of the more obvious solutions include your curriculum and classroom instruction. However, one possibility that is often overlooked is the classroom environment. Spaces that incorporate furniture that promotes collaboration, individual learning, rich discussions, technology integration, flexibility, and comfort are integral to a child’s success.
The Sense of Place for Elementary collection takes into account the way students learn in the 21st-century classroom.
This collection offers furniture solutions that support academic achievement, become a part of the classroom story, and meet the social-emotional needs of every teacher and child in the classroom. It does so by creating environments that define learning objectives and direct child behavior. It also provides adequate space for students and teachers to spread out, interact collaboratively, and test new ideas. The natural tones and inviting materials enhance productivity and help children feel calm and comfortable.
What is the design philosophy behind Sense of Place for Elementary?
Children do better in nurturing, home-like, and nature-inspired spaces. Too often, these qualities are lost in large educational systems that prioritize institutional classroom furniture. Based on extensive research and years of testing, our modular furniture system offers beautiful curved designs in warm, neutral color palettes, versatile configurations that adapt to the child's and educators’ needs, and soft textures and spaces that provide sensory relief for all learners.
Four design pillars at the heart of this collection enhance the development of critical skills children need for 21st-century learning. These pillars are:
The gentle curves, natural forms, organic textures, and beautiful materials woven into this collection create a warm, inviting space that welcomes authentic connections and playful learning and will fit your current school aesthetic.
Children of all ages, and even adults, need beauty in their lives. Beauty promotes wonder, and wonder promotes lifelong learning. This collection gives students opportunities for comfort and beauty while being intentionally created at the intersection of all learners' emotions and intellect.
Flexible and unique, the agile furniture in this collection can be positioned in various configurations to create a modular system that supports collaboration and every student's contributions in the classroom.
This collection's alternative seating options, flexible configurations with optional casters, and adjustable furniture provide spaces for creative expression, critical thinking, and social interactions in every classroom.
What makes the Sense of Place for Elementary furniture line an excellent choice for your school?
As you know, all teachers function differently in the classroom and need more than one desk style to meet their teaching and personal needs. Not only that, children learn in unique ways and benefit from workspaces that accommodate their unique learning styles and physical capabilities. When furnishing more than one classroom at a time, it can be challenging to find individual pieces, let alone an entire collection, that fit everyone's needs.
With the Sense of Place for Elementary collection, teachers can arrange each desk, chair, and shelving unit in a configuration that is appropriate for their classroom. The tables and seating options are also height-adjustable, perfect for growing children, teachers, and use across multiple grade levels.
How can you configure your Sense of Place for Elementary furniture in the classroom?
The classroom environment must support individual and collaborative needs to keep children comfortable and actively engaged in learning. You can configure the Sense of Place for Elementary furniture collection in several ways, such as:
How durable is the Sense of Place for Elementary furniture?
Incredibly durable! Made from easy-to-clean high-pressure laminate, the Sense of Place for Elementary furniture can withstand an elementary classroom's daily wear and tear. Powder-coated steel legs add to their durability and stability, while optional locking casters make moving the pieces around the classroom easy.
All Sense of Place for Elementary furnishings include a lifetime warranty on manufacturer defects, issues occurring during assembly, and other defects.
Is this furniture line inclusive and accessible for all children?
Yes! You can adjust the tables and seating options in this collection so that children requiring mobility devices or flexible seating options can easily fit around the table as they problem-solve and collaborate with peers. The child-safe curved edges allow teachers to configure the furniture so that children of all abilities can easily maneuver around the classroom.
What pieces are available in the Sense of Place for Elementary furniture line?
The Sense of Place for Elementary furniture line includes stackable chairs, adjustable desks, storage solutions, and even cozy couches that support learning in elementary classrooms. Each piece is adjustable and modular, making it easy to rearrange and accommodate the demands of modern-day teaching and student collaboration.
Some of the pieces you can find in this collection include:- Collaboration Tables
- Personal Desks
- Adjustable Stools
- Stackable Chairs
- Cozy Couches
- Classroom Arch
- Multiple-Purpose Storage Units
Click here to browse the complete Sense of Place for Elementary furniture collection.
Want to learn more about the Sense of Place for Elementary furniture collection?
As you can see, the Sense of Place for Elementary furniture collection provides classroom solutions that support 21st-century learning, teacher needs, and student academic growth. Please visit our website to learn more about the individual pieces in this collection and see if they could fit your school.
