Covid-19 brought abrupt and immense changes into our lives. It won’t be wrong to say that it transformed our lifestyles entirely. And one place where these sudden changes are most prominent is the school. Schools all across the globe had to end in-person classes and switch to distance learning. On one hand, e-learning is very convenient, not to mention that it protects thousands of students from the pandemic. However, on the other hand it poses great challenges for the students, teachers as well as parents. One of them being, setting up a home classroom. It is important for students as well as teachers to have a separate classroom setup at home for a better learning environment.
How to Set up a Home Classroom
But first let’s get to know the basics. You might be wondering how to get started on setting up a home classroom? Here’s is all you need to know about a Virtual Classroom Setup. Note that you don’t need expensive furniture or a spacious house with ten rooms for this. You can easily set up a home classroom on a budget.
Finding a Separate Place
One of the essentials about a home classroom setup is having a separate place. By separate place, I don’t mean a different room. I just mean some corner of the room dedicated for online classes. We have many examples of people using their kitchens, bathroom tubs, balconies, patios, bedrooms, etc, for their remote education. The important aspect of a good virtual classroom setup is to have personal space with no distractions. A space that isn’t invaded by other family members. This is also a good way to deal with a disrespectful grown child. Giving them their own space and privacy will lessen tension at home and improve their academic performance. If you have a lot of kids, you can allot each of them their own corner of the room. One can work on the kitchen table, one can take over the bedroom, others can use the living room, etc.
Ensure Good Lighting in your Virtual Classroom Setup
For a classroom setup at home that is not only productive but also motivates children and teachers in the process of distance learning, it is significant to have good lighting. Natural lighting is the best. Choose a place with an incoming source of natural light for example a window, a door or the outdoors, such as a balcony, a veranda or a patio. Natural lighting is easy on the eyes. If kids are focusing constantly in artificial light it can impact their eyesight badly.
Moreover, natural sunlight helps in keeping us alert and awake, contributing in creating a better learning environment. Not to mention that a breath of fresh air keeps the anxiety attacks away which are increasing common in students overwhelmed by the pressure of academic success.
Essential Home Classroom Materials for Distance Learning
Here are all the required essentials you need in order to set up an effective home classroom.
Appropriate Table and Chairs
It might be tempting to attend lessons from the bed or take online classes lying down lazily on the floor. Not only can it reflect badly on your academic performance but it can also cause health problems. You need an appropriate study table and chairs for your home classroom setup. Make sure this furniture is according to your size and affords a good sitting posture.
Whiteboard/Chalkboard
This one is essential for teachers and makes the difficult task of teaching from a computer screen really easy. You might need to write things down or make the students understand the concept visually. For these purposes, having a whiteboard or a chalkboard at hand it is really helpful. Students can also use a whiteboard as a makeshift bulletin board to keep track of things.
Bulletin board
This is another essential for students and teachers alike. A bulletin board in your home classroom helps you keep things organized. For example, you can use it as a calendar for your online classes schedule. You can also use it to keep track of upcoming deadlines for assignments and projects, etc. Plus, if you need a positive reminder, you can fill up your bulletin board with uplifting quotes and messages.
Storage Shelf for Books and other School Essentials
Not having all your school supplies at hand is the easiest recipe for distraction and low productivity. It is difficult to concentrate when you have to get up to find a book or a pen after every five minutes. That is why, a shelf or any sort of storage unit is an essential for a home classroom setup. It doesn’t have to be a big fancy shelf. You can easily use shoe boxes to keep all your pens, pencils, highlighters, printouts of assignments and other school supplies.
Fun Backdrop/ Inspiring Décor
Since distance learning takes place through Zoom, Microsoft Teams or other Online Education Apps, one thing everyone notices is your background. A plain and simple background works just fine. However, to make things fun, you can decorate your backdrop. There are numerous examples of amazing backdrops for home classrooms available on the internet, you can take inspiration from any of them. For teachers, it is extremely important to not make the online lessons boring for students. A colorful background with useful infographics and cool artwork works great for this purpose.
Conclusion
It is really simple to create a learning space for your kids at home to transition to distance learning. All you need is a few things, some privacy and you’re good to go. Make sure to pay special attention to good lighting in the new home classroom setup for your kids as it can impact their eyesight badly due to prolong hours in front of a computer screen. Teachers at home can also benefit from the tips provided above.
