Subscribe to FeedCreating A Visually Stimulating Classroom For Children…
In my years as an early childhood educator, I’ve come to believe that it’s very important to keep your classroom as visually appealing as possible without overstimulating children. Some teachers have quite a problem with this and it looks like a circus run amok in their rooms. While most normal children may be fine with such stimulation, children with ADHD or other issues may be overwhelmed and not able to concentrate. I think a happy medium is attainable. One thing I have noticed over my years of teaching is that ALL schools seem to have that awful fluorescent lighting! It has to be the harshest lighting I know of. Here is a trick you can try to “calm” your room and the children a bit. I swear by it and after using these light covers for one school year, I decided it made the children and me feel so much calmer; I continued to use them the rest of my 7 years of teaching. In fact, on the last day of school, I removed them while the children were playing on the playground and they said they “hated” being in the room without them.
To make a light cover, cut one yard of any solid color fabric (I usually used a 100% cotton fabric used in quilting). Gently lift the ceiling tiles on each side of the fluorescent fixture and tuck the edges of the fabric in, creating a “swoop” of fabric shaped like a “U” hanging down from the light. The fabric should not actually come in contact with the light but should drape below it. I usually draped half of the lights in my classroom using fabric on every other light. I used primary colors and the effect is marvelous. There is still plenty of light for working and the light is transformed into a calming filtered light instead of harsh fluorescent. There have actually been studies on how fluorescent lighting can cause hyperactivity. Try it in your own class one day or suggest it to a teacher you work with in the future!
Melissa Lorenz
Early Childhood Education Instructor
Ashworth University School Of Professional Services
