(Classroom Photos) Enhancing Student Performance: Feng Shui in the Classroom (Part THREE, of a FOUR-Part Series)

Part Three of this series will deal with enhancing student Feng Shui. This post has several important photo examples, so please be patient while the photos load on your screen.

This post has three sections: I) Student Desk Arrangement Issues; II.) Features Which Can Disturb Students; and III.) Enhancements Which Can Help Students.

I.) STUDENT DESK ARRANGEMENT ISSUES

Best Directions of Students:

Should students be arranged according to their best directions–either facing their best direction, or with their best direction at their back? I don’t think so. In most classrooms, students are moved around every few weeks determined mostly by classroom behavior issues. It would be entirely unworkable for the teacher to calculate each student’s best direction, and arrange him according to that plan. If the teacher is arranged according to HIS best direction, this is sufficient. Perhaps if one or two individual students were having a lot of trouble, it might be worth trying placing only those students according to best direction.

Desk Arrangements within the Classroom

Feng Shui practitioners all recommend AVOIDING desks in straight rows. Here is one acceptable arrangement, as in these two photos–the island arrangement:

Desks in an island arrangement

A Third-Grade Classroom, arranged in "islands"

An even better arrangement is the semi-circle:

Semi-circle arrangement of student desks

According to one expert, rounded forms in the classroom increase harmony; and enhance concentration.

Excellent "Curved" Desk Arrangement at the University of Iowa

One of the biggest problems many teachers (like myself) face is lack of space. Many times, desks are crammed in, or arranged in rows because there just isn’t room to do anything else. I was interested to see how the Chinese dealt with this problem (since Feng Shui originated in China, and the practice was preserved in Hong Kong and Taiwan when thrown out by leaders in mainland China). I thought maybe they would have a better solution, but I found it wasn’t necessarily so. I did find that they do sometimes have desks in straight rows.

Old-fashioned Hong Kong classroom, outdoors, set up in straight rows

Crowded classroom in Shanghai, not using Feng Shui, with desks in straight rows

Elementary school in Hong Kong, with desks in straight rows

Classroom in Hong Kong, with desks in straight rows

Other times, they try when possible for u-shaped arrangements; or desks in three sections, with each section at a slightly different angle.

U-Shaped Formation, due to lack of classroom space, but better than straight rows (according to Feng Shui standards)

This classroom has a severe space problem, and has used a U-shaped arrangement similar to what I have tried in my own classroom these past three years. (This year I may see if I can cram all the desks in to a semi-circle arrangement.)

Here are some other ideas:

A spacious elementary-school classroom in Hong Kong which has avoided straight rows

Spacious American school classroom in Japan, with a good Feng Shui arrangement

Here are some other good arrangements I found:

A crowded adult classroom with short rows (better than long rows)

High school desk arrangement in a cramped space, which has avoided straight rows

II.) CLASSROOM FEATURES WHICH CAN DISTURB STUDENTS

A.) Color

Red represents the fire element, and is known to increase aggression.

Used in excess, it can produce stress and anxiety. Small accents of red (in a photo, candle, book, or pillow) can enhance interest and add motivation for students in various classroom bagua sectors. (There are several methods of placing the bagua, but the simplest one is to place the career center on the same side as the entrance to the classroom.)

Beware of other too-bright colors. I used to substitute in a Colorado school with bright orange (and some bright yellow) on classroom walls. A terrible school shooting later occurred in that school–it was Columbine High School.

Columbine High School

I will never forget hearing about it on the news–yes, even here in the Middle East. After the shock, my very first thought (long before I knew about Feng Shui) was that the color of the walls (and I hope it has now been changed) certainly contributed to the problem. As a follow-up to this series, I will write a brief post on what I saw in Columbine High School in the mid-80’s.

If you should ever find yourself in such a school, I suggest you COVER YOUR WALLS with every kind of blue and green picture, poster, or fabric that you possibly can (blue and green being colors that promote relaxation, and green being the easiest color on the eyes).

B.) Classroom Clutter

This is a big problem for teachers who have insufficient storage space, or for those who have no counters, tables or space for additional work areas, other than their own desk tops. I am one of these teachers, and I never got this year’s mess cleaned up until after the students were gone!

I plan to try something new this year. I’m going to keep each separate on-going project in a box on top of some shelves in the back of our class. So that the boxes don’t look like a mess (we don’t have the nice boxes with lids that stack, so I will just have to use ordinary shipping cartons), I plan to cover each with a piece of colored fabric. I will probably try to choose something like blue, green, or a pale pink.

An orderly desk for a young student

Messy desks are the other main source of clutter which can keep students from feeling organized and on top of things. Don’t be tempted (as I always am) to skimp on desk-cleaning time if you’re behind on lessons! With elementary students, have a surprise inspection (random five students at a time only) with foil stars for a reward for orderly desks. Or put up a poster displaying the names of students who keep their desks clean!

My teacher desk, as it looked this past year

Messy teacher desks can also disturb students. With my new “carton” idea, I hope to be able to keep my desk under control (it’s barely bigger than the student desks). I saw an idea which can help “revitalize” the desk area that should help make both me and the students who come to my desk feel a little better–I’m going to put a live plant on the corner of my desk. Right next to me, I should be able to handle keeping it watered.

C.) Sharp Corners

Sharp corners tend to increase aggression. If you are already in a very crowded classroom, pay attention to this. Sharp corners can be countered by trying to “round” them in some way. One solution is to put live plants (without spiky leaves or thorns) in the corners of your room. Another method is to drape fabric from one wall to the other, effectively rounding the corner (and behind which boxes could be stored without looking “cluttered” if you need extra storage space).

D.) Overhead Lights, Overhead Beams, and Overhead Fans

D-1.) Overhead Lights

Overhead lights can be very disturbing if they are hanging down over students. If they are hanging low, and can be raised, by all means, do it. But most of us don’t have the option to make any changes.

My own American school classroom in the Middle East, designed with lights hanging down

In my own classroom above, a light bulb from the light hanging down at the far corner exploded all over the student desks (luckily, students were not seated below, and were lined up in the corridor ready to come in to the room, as I turned on the light). After that, I did do some research on light bulbs, and found that sometimes inexpensive bulbs purchased from third-world countries are sometimes defective in strength, and tend to explode more easily than light bulbs from first-world countries. (Incidentally, you can see below the best arrangement of desks that I’ve been able to come up with so far.)

D-2.) Overhead Beams

Overhead Beam

Overhead beams are a really tough issue to do anything about in a classroom situation. I don’t see that much can be done about this unless you are in a music classroom–then others might not question your sanity if you mounted flutes (the usual suggested remedy) on the overhead beams (and claimed they were “decorations”).

In our class, we also have to deal with heavy, overhead beams. At least they are painted white, like the rest of the ceiling, and are not in a contrasting color. In any case, our room has at least twelve-foot ceilings, so there would be no way of reaching them!

Ficus

One site suggested, “Tall plants with a strong vertical shape can help offset the oppressive chi of overhead beams or a slanted ceiling.” However, I think tall plants would be difficult to place in a crowded classroom directly under the beams, as it would block students’ view of the board!

If it is possible, try to position classroom aisles under those beams, instead of having the student desks directly under them.

If it is not possible, my suggestion is to worry about the things you can do something about, and don’t worry too much about the things you can’t do anything about. Anything you are able to do in your classroom is likely to be helpful, and at the end of the day, each small change helps make the classroom a better learning environment than it was before.

D-3.) Overhead Fans

Primary Classroom in Hong Kong, with ceiling fans (but with a great desk arrangement)

If your classroom has overhead fans, you probably need them! Even though it is not desirable, from a Feng Shui point of view to sit directly below this sort of cutting energy, my suggestion is (if possible) not to position student desks directly below the center point of the fan, but as outward from the point of the fan as possible. Try to position the aisles between desks directly under the fans. It will be better for your students.

Wall fans are preferred to ceiling fans (but they don’t do nearly the job of cooling).

E. Classrooms without Windows

No windows

Classrooms without windows are best remedied by placing a large scenic picture (or poster) of a mountain scene at the back of the class, behind student desks. A SPARSE quantity of red accents in the room can enhance students’ energy (don’t overdo it, as in the case of Columbine High School).

An alternative strategy is to place several plants along the back wall.

F. Classroom at the End of a Long Corridor

or

For classrooms at the end of a long corridor, I have seen a suggested remedy of hanging a small mirror outside the classroom door (to deflect excess energy). For safety reasons, I don’t think that would be allowed in a lot of schools. I think a large plant at the door (without spiky leaves) would serve the same purpose. It probably would not be allowed in the corridor, but would be allowed just inside the door of the teacher’s own classroom.

III.) ADDITIONAL ENHANCEMENTS WHICH CAN HELP STUDENTS

A.) Color

If you have any choice in the color of your classroom, choose nourishing and/or relaxing colors, in shades that have a connection with nature. Stay away from dark colors, as they tend to be overwhelming. Use darker colors only as accents (for example–red, dark blue, dark brown).

B.) Music

If you use music in your classroom, avoid discordant music (unless it serves another educational purpose, of course). One Feng Shui expert specifically recommends the use of Mozart.

Musical Notes

I use music while my third-grade students trace handwriting sheets (which can be quite boring). Last year, our cassette player was stolen from the classroom over the summer, so I read stories to students. But I like to use the opportunity to introduce my students both to Classical Music and to World Music (different types of music from all over the world). I also play American Classics from different decades (1950’s thorugh 1980’s).

Studies have also been done (about ten years ago) showing specifically that children’s math abilities can be enhanced if they listen to Classical music while working on math, a left-brained activity (because Classical-type music engages the left brain, whereas most other types of music, such as Rock, engage the right brain).

C. Enhancement of the Knowledge Area of Classroom Bagua

Stephen Skinner, author of the KISS Guide to Feng Shui

Feng Shui expert Stephen Skinner recommends that students can be helped to pass examinations by enhancement of two bagua sectors. The “children” area should be cleaned out of all clutter, and the “examination” (knowledge) area should be enhanced with symbolically-applied stick cinnamon.

Cinnamon sticks

The knowledge area could be further enhanced by a photo mounted on the wall with students graduating, or passing exams (photos of the students’ own faces cut out of pictures, and mounted on top of the magazine picture of students’ graduating, or passing exams). The photos should be mounted in a classroom location where students will see them every day.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, remember that, “Every long journey begins with a single step,” and that every small change brings a small improvement!

I wrote this post because I had trouble locating all this information in one central place, and it took a lot of time to search out individual pieces. I hope this has helped others to find all of this collected in one post. I’d be pleased to know if anyone finds any of these photos or suggestions helpful!

Eileen

Explore posts in the same categories: Advance Preparation Time, Alaska, Algeria, American Education, American Education Issues, American Math Education, American School, American Values, Ancient China, Argentina, Argentinian Education, Arrangement of Desks in Classroom, Asia, Asian Education Issues, Australia, Australian Education, Australian Education Issues, Bagua in the Classroom, Barbados, Barbados Education, Behavior, Behavior Issues, Belgium, Belize, Belize Education Issues, Bolivia, Botswana, Botswanan Education, Brazil, Brazilian Education, Britain, British Education, Brunei, Brunei Education, Bulgaria, California, California Education, Canada, Canadian Education, Carribean, Central African Republic, Chad, Child Behavior, Childhood Issues, Children, Children's Aspirations, Children's Feng Shui, Children's Grades, Children's concerns, Chile, Chilean Education, China, Chinese Education, Chinese Educational Issues, Chinese Schools, Chinese Values, Classroom Clutter, Classroom Management, Classroom Solutions with Feng Shui, Classroom organization, Classroom procedures, Classroom space problems, Classroom storage problems, Classrooms, Clearing Clutter in the Classroom, Clutter, College students, Color in the classroom, Colorado, Costa Rica, Cote D'Ivoire, Critical thinking, Cuba, Danish Education, Denmark, Desk Arrangements, Desks, Dilemmas, Dubai, Dubai Education, Education Issues, Educational Issues, Egypt, Egyptian Education, Elementary, Elementary School Feng Shui, Elementary School Issues, England, Europe, European Education, European Education Issues, Examinations, Exams, Exams and Feng Shui, Falkland Islands, Falkland Islands Education, Feng Shui, Feng Shui Solutions for the Classroom, Feng Shui and Children, Feng Shui in Elementary Classrooms, Feng Shui in Schools, Feng Shui in the Classroom, First day of school, First week of school, Foreign education, France, French Education, French Guiana, Fun, Fun with Feng Shui, German Educational Issues, Germany, Gibaraltar, Gibraltar Education, Grade 1, Grade 10, Grade 11, Grade 12, Grade 2, Grade 3, Grade 4, Grade 5, Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 8, Grade 9, Grade School Issues, Greenland, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinean Education, Guyana, Hawaii, High School, Honduran Education, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hong Kong Education, Iceland, Iceland Education, Ideas, India, Indian Education, Indonesia, Indonesian Education, Innovative Projects, Iran, Iranian Education, Iraq, Iraq Education, Ireland, Irish Education, Italian Education, Italy, Jamaica, Jamaican Education, Japan, Japanese Education, Japanese Education Issues, Jordan, Jordanian Education, Kenya, Kenyan Education, Kuwait, Kuwaiti Education, Learning about life, Lebanon, Liberia, Liberian Education, Libya, Libyan Education, Life, Macau, Malawi, Malawi Education, Malaysia, Malaysian Education, Mauritania, Mauritian Education, Mauritius, Messy Desks, Mexican Education, Mexico, Micronesia, Micronesian Educational Issues, Middle East, Middle Eastern Education, Middle School, Music Education, Namibia, Namibian Education, Nepal, Nepalese Education, Netherlands, New Guinea, New Guinean Education, New York, New Zealand, New Zealand Education, News, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Nigerian Education, North Africa, North America, North American Educational Issues, Norway, Overcrowded Classrooms, Pakistan, Pakistan Education, Pakistani Education, Palau, Panama, Panamanian Education, Paraguay, Paraguayan Education, Parenting Issues, Parents, Parents and Exams, Parents and Teachers, Parents' Concerns, Peru, Peruvian Education, Phillipines, Phillippino Education, Philosophy, Philosophy of Teaching, Photos, Plants in the Classroom, Poland, Ponape, Prepariing the Classroom, Psychology, Puerto Rican Education, Puerto Rico, Russia, Rwanda, Sahara, San Francisco, Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabian Education, School Building Design Problems, School Issues, Schools, Schools and Feng Shui, Schools and Grades, Secondary Education, Senegal, Singapore, Singapore Education, Sociology, Solutions, Solutions for Clutter, South Africa, South African Education, South African Educational Issues, South America, South American Education, South American Educational Issues, Spain, Spainish Education, Student Behavior, Student Behavior Problems, Student Desks, Student Psychology, Student Safety, Students, Students and Feng Shui, Students and Teachers, Tahiti, Taipei, Taiwan, Tanzania, Tanzanian Education, Teachers and Feng Shui, Teachers' Problems in the Classroom, Third World, Thoughts, Tibet, Tibetean Education, Tobago, Tobago Education, Truk, Tunisia, Tunisian Education, Turkey, U.S.A., UAE, Uganda, United States, United States of America, Uruguay, Uruguay Education, Using Feng Shui in the Classroom, Vancouver, Venezuala, Wales, Welch Education, Wisdom, Yemen, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia, Zambian Education, Zanzibar, Zanzibar Education, Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Education, Zimbabwean Education, ecuador, education, foreign customs, innovative solutions, overseas education, school, teacher, teaching, think outside the box

Tags: adult education desk arrangement, American School in Japan, best directions of students, bright colors in the classroom, carton or box storage in classrooms, Chinese classrooms, cinnamon as an enhancement to passing examinations, classrooms at the end of a long corridor, classrooms without windows, college desk arrangements, Columbine High School, desk arrangements for adult classes, desk arrangements for classrooms with severe space prob, desk arrangements in Chinese classes, desks in curved arrangement, desks in semi-circle arrangement, desks in straight rows, Enhancing Student Examination Performance with Feng Shu, exploding light bulbs, harmonious colors for the classroom, high school desk arrangements, Hong Kong classrooms, insufficient classroom storage space, island arrangement of desks, low-hanging overhead lights in the classroom, messy student desks, messy teacher desks, music in classrooms, no counters in classrooms, orange walls at Columbine High School before the shooti, overhead beams in the classroom, overhead fans in the classroom, pod arrangement of desks, positioning of aisles between desks, red accents in the classroom, Red in the classroom, relaxing colors for the classroom, Shanghai classrooms, sharp corners in the classroom, Stephen Skinner, stick cinnamon as an enhancement to the knowledge secto, Student Birthdays and Feng Shui, Student desk arrangements and Feng Shui, University of Iowa classroom, use of color in the classroom, using plants in the classroom, wall fans preferred to ceiling fans

You can comment below, or link to this permanent URL from your own site.