Feng Shui in the Classroom

Feng Shui principles in the classroom can promote learning and create a stress-free working environment all by careful consideration of the classroom layout, types of furniture and equipment and colour schemes employed.

Here are Ambic’s top 20 Feng Shui tips for teachers:

1. The teachers desk should be placed ideally as far from the door as possible, in a commanding position and giving you the best possible view over what’s happening inside the classroom and just outside the classroom door
2. Feng Shui says that classroom bookshelves should be situated in the far left corner of the room from the perspective of the door – this is believed to promote learning and critical thinking
3. White décor can make the classroom look sterile and uninviting, blues and greens promote growth and learning so whether it’s an accent wall or the colour of table tops and other furniture, blue and green can create a more welcoming and stimulating learning environment
4. Display books covers facing outward wherever possible, particular in early years classrooms, they create an inviting air and entice the students to explore the books from an early age
5. Make your classroom comfortable – if students are uncomfortable it means they will soon lose concentration, chairs should be supportive and the right height and size for the age range, as should the desks in comparison to the chairs to create the correct seating posture.
6. Make sure you and your students can move freely around the room, the room should flow in a manner that makes everything in it easily accessible from the pencil sharpener to IT workstations
7. Minimise the use of fluorescent lights by limiting the time students spend under this light source – move them around the classroom at different parts of the day perhaps into reading corners near a window or better yet, move outside for certain tasks.
8. Incorporate water – Feng Shui says that a room should have the correct balance of the five elements, wood, metal, earth, fire and water. Water is said to promote knowledge and a small aquarium or other water feature can bring a serene feel to the classroom.
9. While most classrooms will have an abundancy of wood and metal, fire and earth features can be created through use of materials or colours – yellows and oranges create an energising effect in Feng Shui and can be perfect for geeing up students for an upcoming test or performance.
10. Don’t overdo it with displays, Feng Shui specifies that there should be minimal clutter in a room and that includes what’s on the walls. Rather than display every assignment or art project students produce all over the room, have one specific area which creates excitement amongst students to have their work displayed there.
11. Avoid sharp corners in the classroom, these are seen as a source of negative energy in Feng Shui – round, curved and shaped tables can help combat this.
12. Play relaxing music during individual study time – classical or relaxing new age style music can help concentration and create a calming effect.
13. To create the right balance in the room, it should flow. Nothing should serve as an obvious focal point but rather the features in the room should flow harmoniously. If you stand at the doorway, see which features immediately catch your eye and try to clear or move them so that no one thing grabs your attention as you enter the room.
14. Feng Shui states that the ideal arrangement of desks is in an open ended octagon shape. This is supposed to promote harmony in the classroom. If you don’t have the room to arrange desks like this, then the next best thing is rows facing the same direction, preferably towards the doorway.
15. Avoid asymmetry, whether it’s notice boards, desks or display units, everything should be in even proportion with no distracting items out of place on their own.
16. Avoid obstructions – however students desks are arranged, there should be no obstructions that either block their view of the teacher or other students.
17. If you have windows in your classroom, make a point of opening them for at least a few minutes a day to allow fresh air in and the stagnant air out, you’ll be amazed how much this can revive students.
18. If you are in an inner classroom with no windows, create a picture window wall with a large mural of an outdoor scene perhaps flanked by lighting to give it the best effect.
19. Bring nature into the classroom whether it be hardy plants that don’t take too much maintenance, or even bamboo which will grow in its own vase with very little attention.
20. Wind chimes and crystals in a classroom with no windows can being a natural source of positive energy much like natural sunlight or plants according to Feng Shui

Whether you believe Feng Shui’s principle of the balancing of the five elements, there’s no arguing that most of this are good tips for managing the layout and feel of a classroom.

So if you’re thinking of giving your classroom a do-over refurbishment and want some advice on how you can implement some of these tips give us a call for a chat over a cup of ginseng!