By Patti Clark
As conversations about education increasingly center on technology and innovation, many teachers across the country are seeking educational environments that foster a sense of connection and calm for students.
Lakeshore Learning’s recent Educator Pulse Survey made this desire clear: 59.2% of respondents identified outdoor learning areas as additional spaces they would like to see available for students, alongside 38.7% of respondents wishing for zen zones and calming corners in their schools. These priorities outweighed technology and media hubs nearly two to one, which only 14.9% of respondents selected in comparison.
As students continue to face a growing sense of disengagement, along with rising mental health concerns, providing spaces for them to unwind, refocus, and collaborate with peers may be one of the most effective, and overlooked, responses.
In the same survey, 56% of educators cited behavioral issues as their top challenge—nearly nine times more frequently than the integration of AI and new technologies. While behavioral challenges are not new, their persistence suggests that current tactics to address them may not be enough.
Creating a zen zone or calming corner can offer the support that students may otherwise lack, offering spaces to reset emotionally and engage with peers in new and more productive ways. Outdoor learning areas similarly encourage hands-on learning and support the improvement of students’ overall well-being by supplying a connection to nature and the world around them.
Classroom rebuilds, renovations, and refurbishment can sound daunting, especially for schools that might be facing budgetary restraints. But meaningful change doesn’t require full-scale renovation, and the size of a budget shouldn’t be a deterrent from creating the best possible environment for the students.
Smaller, intentional upgrades such as adding new flexible furniture, repainting a classroom, or adding a calming corner can significantly impact how students behave and learn in their classroom environment. Providing students with the ability to move around during the school day and with furniture options to choose from impacts their overall engagement.
Investments such as calming corners might be smaller in scale but they provide a space for educators to guide students, building spaces for self-regulation. These changes can be as simple as adding a few pieces of lounge furniture to a classroom, giving students casual spaces to collaborate, innovate, and build community with their peers.
Smaller projects and investments can have just as much of a significant and meaningful impact on students and educators as large ones.
When considering updates for a classroom or the development of an outdoor learning area, student benefits are often the primary consideration. Yet educators benefit from these spaces as well, as they often spark renewed energy in teachers.
The Educator Pulse Survey found that teachers who reported strong leadership support and access to quality learning environments also reported higher energy levels, demonstrating that when teachers feel heard by leadership about the issues that are important to them, they are more likely to feel supported, engaged, and resilient overall.
The needs of educators should not be falling through the cracks. It’s important that, like students, teachers also have dedicated areas to work, build community with their colleagues, and spaces within the school that are dedicated to them. Providing these spaces for educators sends a clear message that they are valued.
This correlation should not come as a surprise, as teachers have been expressing the same needs since schools reopened post-pandemic. While the Educator Pulse Survey shows that teachers’ needs have largely remained the same, schools should continue to check in with educators to determine which types of spaces are of value to them and to keep in mind the importance of other types of spaces that can have an impact on students.
School leaders must approach upgrades and updates in a holistic way, to ensure that both educators and students are supported.
Patti Clark is the Chief Academic Officer at Lakeshore Learning. Before joining the Lakeshore team, Patti spent ten years as an elementary school teacher. This experience influences her work to support schools across the country in addressing their biggest challenges through the transformation of their classrooms and learning spaces.
