Choosing School Furniture For the Classroom
Although many people may consider school furniture to be somewhat of a trivial item, the fact of the matter is, choosing the right school furniture can actually make a large difference in the overall productivity of the classroom. That being said, however, there are very few general items that need to be chosen whenever you are equipping the classroom properly.
The desks that you're going to choose are going to be among the most important school furniture that is inside of the classroom. Allowing storage for the student is very important, and you have several options that are available for you, such as lift top and open end access. You should also make sure to size the school desk according to the average size of the student that will be using it.
Another important piece of classroom furniture is the chair. Most people are really surprised when they find out exactly how many options they have available to them with the average school chair. You have a variety of different materials from which to choose, along with styles, both in the seat and back as well as the legs. As with the school desk, make sure that this important piece of school furniture takes the size of the student into consideration and good Classroom furniture suppliers.
Finally, you want to make sure that you have plenty of storage available, both for the students and for the teacher. This school furniture will help to keep things out of the way and available at a moments notice in order to keep the classroom flowing smoothly.
The local school my kids attend want to refurnish several of their classrooms. Like all organizations these days they are on a very tight budget so they want to be sure they're getting the best value possible.
Turning the Tables
Once children enter first grade, they no longer sit four, six or eight to a table; rather, they sit either in pairs or at individual desks. They use their tables more and more for writing and less and less for activities such as arts and crafts, and, as their studies become departmentalized, they have more materials to keep track of. The older the students get, the more frequently they write with pens (as opposed to pencils), and they need sharp-edged school supplies like sharp scissors and compasses.
So when planning elementary school furniture, you should be looking for tables that 1) accommodate two students comfortably; 2) provide a storage solution for school materials and supplies; and, 3) will stand up to intense daily wear and tear.
For younger grades, height adjustable activity tables are great. They have plenty of room for young students to have all their materials on the table without invading their tablemate's space. Although these work well for older grades, too, many schools prefer school desks at this stage. If you're interested in desks for grades 5 and up but still want your students to be able to work comfortably in pairs, then look for double desks such as those manufactured by Hertz Furniture.
As far as school supplies, consider chairs with attached book baskets, or desks with open view book boxes. It can be important for the teacher to see what the students have under their desks, both to facilitate neatness and order and to prevent undesirable objects (or pets!) from creating discipline problems. Definitely look for school tables with hard plastic tops, or at least a very high quality laminate. Best-quality desk and tabletops will save you both money and time-consuming maintenance.
If your school has wheelchair-bound students, make sure that at least some of your tables are wheelchair accessible. Some schools purchase only wheelchair accessible tables so that all students have the same school furniture, regardless of physical ability.
Growing and Growing and...Some Tips for 7th-12th Grade Chairs and Tables
Generally speaking, just about everything that applies to elementary school furniture applies to junior high and high school as well. There are, however, a few exceptions and additions.
The first is that, at this point, height is no longer an issue. All your students will need 18"-19" inch school chairs.
Secondly, 7th-12th graders can be tough on their school furniture. Besides regular wear and tear, they also have a tendency to write (and occasionally engrave) messages on their chairs. So hard plastic chairs are highly recommended. Ditto for desk tops. If budget constraints don't allow for that, make sure that the desks you purchase have a very high quality laminate or Woodstone top.
Thirdly, unlike the elementary grades, most schools provide individual desks from 7th grade and up. These come in a variety of shapes and sizes, depending largely on whether your school is geared for independent learning, cooperative learning or a combination of both. Double desks, mentioned earlier, make it easy for students to organize into partners. Trapezoidal desks allow students to sit individually, but can be conveniently joined together to form semi-circles, hexagons or octagons for group learning. Individual desks, which you see in most classrooms, promote independent learning. Some have an enlarged surface to fit large textbooks, laptops, and to provide additional working space for study partners.
Last, students in 7th-12th grades have a lot more school materials for each class, as well as school supplies. That means that it is crucial to have school furniture that provides a storage solution for all their stuff. Some schools prefer chairs with attached bookshelves or baskets for a convenient place to store things yet eliminates the tendency of students to fidget with them, as they are safely under the seats. Other schools prefer under-the-desk storage, which allows students easy access to whatever they may need.
If you have wheelchair-bound students, make sure to take them into consideration when purchasing school desks. There are a number of wheelchair-accessible desks available in a variety of styles, many of which are appropriate for the non-wheelchair bound as well.
An economical choice - both in terms of money and space - is a chair-desk combination unit. Used mostly in high schools, these come with a choice of both soft and hard plastic chairs, and desktops.
School furniture comes in a variety of colors. Navy blue and burgundy are currently the most popular, but you can find chairs in unique colors as well as in all the primary colors. For classrooms with a color scheme that is both classy and consistent, Educational Edge(TM) offers a line of completely color-coordinated furniture. And if you're looking for school furniture that is both unusually strong and uniquely designed, try the Inspiration line by Hertz Furniture.
The Finishing Touch - School Chair Frame Finishes
Now that you've selected the height, material, and type of leg you want your school chairs to have, it's time to decide on the frame finish. There are three types of frame finishes for school chairs:
1) Chrome - This is the popular, very shiny silver finish you see on many chairs. It is very easy to maintain.
2) Powder Coat - Powder coat is a paint finish that is electro-statically applied to steel components such as a frame, leaving a highly durable finish. It can be ordered in a number of colors, so if color-coordinating the frame and the seat is important to you, this is the finish you would choose.
3) Mirage - Mirage is also a powder coat, but it is colored to look like the classic chrome.
For more information visit at Classroom furniture suppliers.
The desks that you're going to choose are going to be among the most important school furniture that is inside of the classroom. Allowing storage for the student is very important, and you have several options that are available for you, such as lift top and open end access. You should also make sure to size the school desk according to the average size of the student that will be using it.
Another important piece of classroom furniture is the chair. Most people are really surprised when they find out exactly how many options they have available to them with the average school chair. You have a variety of different materials from which to choose, along with styles, both in the seat and back as well as the legs. As with the school desk, make sure that this important piece of school furniture takes the size of the student into consideration and good Classroom furniture suppliers.
Finally, you want to make sure that you have plenty of storage available, both for the students and for the teacher. This school furniture will help to keep things out of the way and available at a moments notice in order to keep the classroom flowing smoothly.
The local school my kids attend want to refurnish several of their classrooms. Like all organizations these days they are on a very tight budget so they want to be sure they're getting the best value possible.
Turning the Tables
Once children enter first grade, they no longer sit four, six or eight to a table; rather, they sit either in pairs or at individual desks. They use their tables more and more for writing and less and less for activities such as arts and crafts, and, as their studies become departmentalized, they have more materials to keep track of. The older the students get, the more frequently they write with pens (as opposed to pencils), and they need sharp-edged school supplies like sharp scissors and compasses.
So when planning elementary school furniture, you should be looking for tables that 1) accommodate two students comfortably; 2) provide a storage solution for school materials and supplies; and, 3) will stand up to intense daily wear and tear.
For younger grades, height adjustable activity tables are great. They have plenty of room for young students to have all their materials on the table without invading their tablemate's space. Although these work well for older grades, too, many schools prefer school desks at this stage. If you're interested in desks for grades 5 and up but still want your students to be able to work comfortably in pairs, then look for double desks such as those manufactured by Hertz Furniture.
As far as school supplies, consider chairs with attached book baskets, or desks with open view book boxes. It can be important for the teacher to see what the students have under their desks, both to facilitate neatness and order and to prevent undesirable objects (or pets!) from creating discipline problems. Definitely look for school tables with hard plastic tops, or at least a very high quality laminate. Best-quality desk and tabletops will save you both money and time-consuming maintenance.
If your school has wheelchair-bound students, make sure that at least some of your tables are wheelchair accessible. Some schools purchase only wheelchair accessible tables so that all students have the same school furniture, regardless of physical ability.
Growing and Growing and...Some Tips for 7th-12th Grade Chairs and Tables
Generally speaking, just about everything that applies to elementary school furniture applies to junior high and high school as well. There are, however, a few exceptions and additions.
The first is that, at this point, height is no longer an issue. All your students will need 18"-19" inch school chairs.
Secondly, 7th-12th graders can be tough on their school furniture. Besides regular wear and tear, they also have a tendency to write (and occasionally engrave) messages on their chairs. So hard plastic chairs are highly recommended. Ditto for desk tops. If budget constraints don't allow for that, make sure that the desks you purchase have a very high quality laminate or Woodstone top.
Thirdly, unlike the elementary grades, most schools provide individual desks from 7th grade and up. These come in a variety of shapes and sizes, depending largely on whether your school is geared for independent learning, cooperative learning or a combination of both. Double desks, mentioned earlier, make it easy for students to organize into partners. Trapezoidal desks allow students to sit individually, but can be conveniently joined together to form semi-circles, hexagons or octagons for group learning. Individual desks, which you see in most classrooms, promote independent learning. Some have an enlarged surface to fit large textbooks, laptops, and to provide additional working space for study partners.
Last, students in 7th-12th grades have a lot more school materials for each class, as well as school supplies. That means that it is crucial to have school furniture that provides a storage solution for all their stuff. Some schools prefer chairs with attached bookshelves or baskets for a convenient place to store things yet eliminates the tendency of students to fidget with them, as they are safely under the seats. Other schools prefer under-the-desk storage, which allows students easy access to whatever they may need.
If you have wheelchair-bound students, make sure to take them into consideration when purchasing school desks. There are a number of wheelchair-accessible desks available in a variety of styles, many of which are appropriate for the non-wheelchair bound as well.
An economical choice - both in terms of money and space - is a chair-desk combination unit. Used mostly in high schools, these come with a choice of both soft and hard plastic chairs, and desktops.
School furniture comes in a variety of colors. Navy blue and burgundy are currently the most popular, but you can find chairs in unique colors as well as in all the primary colors. For classrooms with a color scheme that is both classy and consistent, Educational Edge(TM) offers a line of completely color-coordinated furniture. And if you're looking for school furniture that is both unusually strong and uniquely designed, try the Inspiration line by Hertz Furniture.
The Finishing Touch - School Chair Frame Finishes
Now that you've selected the height, material, and type of leg you want your school chairs to have, it's time to decide on the frame finish. There are three types of frame finishes for school chairs:
1) Chrome - This is the popular, very shiny silver finish you see on many chairs. It is very easy to maintain.
2) Powder Coat - Powder coat is a paint finish that is electro-statically applied to steel components such as a frame, leaving a highly durable finish. It can be ordered in a number of colors, so if color-coordinating the frame and the seat is important to you, this is the finish you would choose.
3) Mirage - Mirage is also a powder coat, but it is colored to look like the classic chrome.
For more information visit at Classroom furniture suppliers.