One of the most important aspects of school administrators’ jobs is fostering a comfortable and healthy learning environment for their students, and school chairs play an important role in determining this. School furniture has a significant presence in the day to day lives of students as this is where they spend the great majority of their day while attending school. Research shows that teenagers between the ages of 13-18 years old spend about 78% of their time sitting down, which is why it is crucial to provide them with the utmost comfort in order to encourage learning and educational development. Unfortunately, furniture is something that is often overlooked when deciding where the budget should be spent and often results in purchasing cheap or used chairs that fall apart within a year. By fully understanding the benefits of purchasing ergonomic school chairs, administrators can better provide their students with a positive learning environment.
From the first grade, young children are expected to sit and concentrate for extended periods of time. With the amount of distractions available at that young of an age coupled with a sometimes shorter attention span and constant fidgeting, ensuring maximum comfort should be the number one priority. It has been proven that kids that have comfortable school chairs to sit in while learning have increased attention spans, a greater desire to learn, the ability to concentrate for longer time periods, and feel more comfortable at school. Along with increased concentration, children will also be less likely to experience aches and pains that can occur from sitting in a cheap chair that does not offer support. The cheaper the chair the less supportive it is likely to be and the amount of adjustments available to accommodate children of different sizes will be minimal. The last thing that parents want for their children is to come home after a day at school and complain about experiencing back pain from sitting in a poor-quality chair.
There are many different types of school chairs available for purchasers to choose from and each has their own distinct qualities. The most common type of chairs found in elementary schools are plastic chairs, which are more comfortable than their wooden counterparts and also are much easier to clean should spills occur. They are less expensive than their wooden counterparts, however, they are also less durable and more prone to breaking. Wood chairs are another option for classroom seating. They are durable and give the classroom a classic appearance. They are more expensive than plastic or hard plastic chairs, which is why most schools opt for the less expensive choice.
Aside from the material the chair is constructed of, different leg options are also available. The most classic choice is a standard four leg chair base, the most practical choice for schools that will be using the chairs on hardwood floors. The four legs are usually constructed of strong tubular steel and capped with soft glides that prevent the chairs from scraping the floor’s surface when moved around and keep the chair stable. A sled base is another option available and looks just as it sounds, like a sled with a chair attached to the top. The chair is supported on each side by a base that resembles a sled. This type of school chair does not move easily across hard floors, but it glides softly and easily on carpeted surfaces. The third base option for school chairs is a chair with a base and casters. This chair is similar to a chair you might find in an office but generally comes with less adjustments, and allows for students to move and turn with ease. These chairs are recommended for computer labs for older children in middle school or high school.
School chairs come in a variety of colors and can easily be mixed and matched to represent the school’s colors or just brighten the overall learning environment. Black, navy blue, and burgundy are among the most popular colors sought out, however brighter primary colors are starting to make their way into more schools with their ability to transform any room from boring to fun.
When searching for school furniture it is important to consider price, quality, and comfort that it will provide for the students. When on a strict budget, it is critical to take into consideration how long the chair is going to last and if it may be worth the investment to purchase a chair that is a little more expensive in price but will also last for years to come. With school chairs, price generally is a good indication of what the quality of the chair will be. If the chair is inexpensive, you can also bet that it will also not be ergonomically correct and will not provide adequate support for your students. School chairs can be found through both internet providers and retail locations. For a seamless and easy transaction, internet retailers are recommended as you can pick out what you want from the convenience of your office and have it delivered right to your location.