Classroom and Furniture design, Student performance andHealth issues K Laxminarayana Rao. Former CEO, TECSOK, Bangalore, Rtd.

Scientist, CFTRI, Mysore, Management Consultant, Bangalore About the Article Education administrators often base furniture-purchasing decisions solely on which arethe cheapest, overlooking the multitude of other important factors . T h e i m p a c t o f poorly designed furniture and the classroom layout on student performance and healthr i s k s a r e a l s o a l w a y s o v e r l o o k e d b y t h e e d u c a t i o n a d m i n i s t r a t o r s . T e a c h e r s a r e generally not involved in furniture selection.When planning lessons, teachers also plan about the layout of the classroom for thed a y o r p a r t i c u l a r l e s s o n . T e a c h e r s t h e r e f o r e n e e d t o c h a n g e f u r n i t u r e l a y o u t i n a classroom frequently. While planning a lesson teacher will ask the following questionsto him/herself: Can I see the faces of every single student and can they see me? Caneveryone see the board (if he/she is planning on using it)? Can the students see oneanother? Can I move around the room so that I can monitor effectively? And comfortsof the students in the classroom. This article discusses the various classroom l ayouts and its use, parameters to beconsidered while designing/purchasing furniture for students comfort, furniture utility,student performance, health risks of poorly designed furniture and need for frequentchange in classroom layout, standards for classr oom furniture and availability of properly designed furniture in India Preamble : The physical surroundings of a class can encourage or inhibit the kind of interaction, and hence learning, which the teacher want. Making distinctefforts to arrange the furniture of a classroom to promote a particular kind of i n t e r a c t i o n a l s o s e n d s s t r o n g m e s s a g e s t o s t u d e n t s w h o a r e u s e d t o conventional layouts that this class is something different. It may be a hassle(particularly when there are instructi ons to "leave the room as you found it")but it is worth it. The ability to "make eye-contact" (look someone in the eye,however fleetingly) is the key to establishing communication in a group, and iti s p a r t i c u l a r l y i m p o r t a n t f o r t h e t e a c h e r . C l a s s r o o m l a y o u t a n d c l a s s r o o m furniture (e.g. classroom desks, classroom tables, etc.) are important to help motivate and stimulate the students. In the beginning of the year teacher mayprefer to organize the classroom seating arrangements (classroom desks) ingroups. Even tually the students have to socialize and work with all types of people later on in life, so why not start now. At the beginning of the year (2ndor 3rd day), one can arrange the classroom desks in groups, either 4, 5, or 6people in each group. After 6 to 8 weeks it is time for them to move and theychose who they sat with. They couldn't sit beside, across from or diagonally across from a person in their last group. While the students may be allowed toh a v e t h e i r o w n s e a t i n g p l a n a n d w h e r e e a c h g r o u p w o u l d b e s i t t i n g i n t h e room, teacher will have of course the final say of changing someone around if he/she felt there might be some issues(e.g. too friendly with each other, or 1

couldn't see the front of the class). Each time the classroom lay o u t a r e reorganized students will have the opportunity to work with new classmatesand will see the class from a different perspective. By doing this, every 6 to 8weeks, students would eventually sit with everyone in the class; get to know each other personally and perhaps form new friendships by the end of the year.Group seating is also better for doing group work, distributing materials, and f o r b e t t e r g r o u p i n t e r a c t i o n w i t h t h e t e a c h e r . I f p o s s i b l e t e a c h e r c a n a l s o change his/her desk around. Sometimes teacher may like to sit at the back of the room, which brings a whole new perspective. Group seating arrangement isalso useful for revision classes, when teacher wants to form small groups with abrighter student as the leader of the group and help others for completing thetask given and the teacher can monitor the performance through the group leader. 1.0 Seating arrangements in a Classroom:Desks in Rows: Rows indicate a no-nonsense, academic focus. It immediatelyd r a w s a t t e n t i o n t o t h e t e a c h e r . I f t h e t e a c h e r i s h a v i n g p r o b l e m s k e e p i n g students focused on him/her, perhaps arranging the desks formally will changetheir perception of the class. Desks in Circles: Circles and/or squares indicate an open, sharing classroom.S t u d e n t s m u s t f a c e o n e a n o t h e r a n d c a n n o t h i d e . T h i s c a n b e n u r t u r i n g t o some students, terrifying to others. If the teacher is having trouble getting a smaller group to share and interact with one another, a circle or square mighthelp. Desks in U-Shape: U-shaped arranged desks indicate a stage. It allows for more students to sit in the front, and can accommodate doubling or triplingthe U-rows. It creates a presentation-centered classroom, where the teacher orstudents present lessons to the rest of the class. When the teacher is focusingon presentations, this model works well. A passageway at the vertex of the U isoften helpful so the teacher dont have to travel around the perimeter of the classroom. However the U-shaped arrangement requires a large space; and if the classroom is small with many students to accommodate, one should forgetsuch arrangement. Desks in Pairs: Pairs are tricky. They seem great from a teachers standpointsince students have instant partners for activities, and the primary focus is stillo n t h e t e a c h e r . S t u d e n t s a r e p a i r e d u p w i t h e i t h e r s t u d e n t s w i t h s i m i l a r abilities, or students with opposite

a b i l i t i e s , t o c o m p l e m e n t a n d h e l p o n e another. This theory, however, is often detrimental to many students. Would astudent like to be paired up for the year with a lazy co -worker or a co-workerw h o c o n s t a n t l y o u t p e r f o r m s t h e p a r t n e r ? L e t s f a c e i t ; s c h o o l s m u s t t e a c h students to have tolerance and work together with many types of people, but in 2

the real world, you are rarel y f orced to work continuously one -on- one w i t h someone who makes you feel uncomfortable or inferior. Putting students in thisstressful one-onone situation may not be as kind as it seems. Desks in Groups: Groups of three or four, however, work wonders. Addingmore students to the mix alleviate the tension that pairing creates. It creates both an atmosphere for teacher-centered and student-centeredactivities. Students can be expected to be silent for a short period, butrealize that they will naturally want to interact with the students in theirsmall groups. Teacher can also encourage competition between groupsby having them name their group and post group progress on specific activities. Tables as Desks: Tables indicate large group activity. If the teacher expects asilent classroom, do not sit students at tables. Tables are for interactive,p r o j e c t - b a s e d c l a s s r o o m s w h e r e s t u d e n t s s p e n d m u c h o f t h e t i m e discussing, planning, and creating. You dont need actual tables, either;putting groups of desks together gives the same effect. Remember thatchoosing a desk arrangement is never set in stone. Rethink arrangementwhen your students need to refocus or when their learning styles on a whole favor a different environment. Traditional Classroom Layout: The traditional classroom layout, in rows,allows the teacher to make eye -contact with all the students (although it is important to keep looking around to move beyond a narrow arc of vision, if youwant everyone to feel included). T r a d i t i o n a l C l a s s r o o m l a y o u t ( R o w s o f s t u d e n t s f a c i n g t h e t e a c h e r a n d t h e Chalkboard) facilitates traditional teacher-s t u d e n t d e l i v e r y a n d q u e s t i o n i n g , o r "teacher-centred" teaching. The studentscan also readily see a screen or board at t h e f r o n t . B u t i n o r d e r t o t a l k t o e a c h other, they need to turn in their seats or a d d r e s s t h e b a c k o f a f e l l o w - s t u d e n t ' s neck. U Shaped Layout: For whole-group discussion, the U-shape layout is moreeffective. The students can make eye contact with each other (although theystill have to twist to talk to a person along the same side of the table). 3

However, apart from those along the b a c k , t h e y a l s o h a v e t o t u r n t o s e e whatever the teacher is presenting. If the group is too large to get around a Ushaped layout or a board-room table,w i t h c o n c e n t r i c c i r c l e s o f students,m a x i m i s e s t h e p o s s i b i l i t i e s o f d i s c u s s i o n . C l e a r l y t h i s w o r k s w e l l without tables, and it is useful to makee f f o r t s t o e n s u r e t h a t o v e r s e v e r a l sessions, everyone has their turn in the"inner circle". Students in Groups: For sessions involving small group working, it is useful toa r r a n g e t a b l e s a t w h i c h f o u r o r f i v e s t u d e n t s c a n s i t , t o p r o m o t e t h e e a s y formation of the small groups from the start of the session. It encourages talkwithin the small groups, and exchanges with the teacher, but communicationbetween the groups can be awkward, and people still end up talking to others'backs.S m a l l g r o u p a l s o a v o i d s t h e d i s r u p t i o n caused by people moving about half-waythrough. Small groups will also address then e e d s o f s e n s o r y impairments of somestudents in the class and the extent to w h i c h , needs of such students can bec o n s i d e r e d , w h i l e m a k i n g s e a t i n g arrangements. Teacher can move aroundgroups and help them. The arrangements of the class room have large effect on the students and thelesson. Sometimes the teacher wants the focus of the students on him/her,while at other times he/she wants them to work in groups or pairs. Teacher w a n t s t o b e i n a p o s i t i o n t o m o v e a r o u n d the room easily and monitor thewhole class, and som etimes the students w i l l h a v e t o w a l k a r o u n d t o g e t materials or talk to other students. W hile the class strength is generally 40during the examination only 24 students are permitted in each room. Thuswhile creating a class room plan following steps need to be taken:1 . E n s u r e m a t e r i a l s l i k e a r t s u p p l i e s , b o o k s o r a u d i o v i s u a l e q u i p m e n t a r e accessible no matter how you arrange the desks. The doors should also beeasy to get to. 2. Use a horseshoe arrangement of desks for the most versatile set u p . Sometimes two horseshoe shapes with a smaller horseshoe inside a larger 4

one will be necessary for larger classes. This arrangement allows studentsto collaborate easily in pairs or small groups without shifting desks around,and it gives the teacher a larger space to move around in, or to set up largeaudio and visual aids. Or use two seater desks. 3. Seat students around a conference desk if the class is very small. This arrangement is particularly effective for encouraging asking questions andfostering discussion amongst students. It also gives students more space formaterials to read from or work on projects. This arrangement also helps topromote a sense of equality between teachers and students. 4. Put desks together in groups to make small tables for projects, learningstations or collaborative activities. Students can work together easily and spread out their materials, and the teacher can monitor groups comfortably.Avoid a lot of teacher-centered activities with this arrangement, as somestudents will have to crane their necks around to see you.5.Use the traditional rows-and-columns arrangement of students' desks for t e a c h e r - c e n t e r e d o r blackboard-centered activities because all of thestudents will be facing the front of the classroom . Leave enough space between the colum ns so that you c a n p a s s e a s i l y t o m o n i t o r i n d i v i d u a l students. This arrangement also works well for exams because you can seeall of the students, and it discourages interaction between them. Thus ideally provide 24 two seater desks p e r c l a s s r o o m s o t h a t y o u d o n t h a v e t o m o v e desks from room to room duringe x a m i n a t i o n t i m e a n d e a c h c l a s s c a n a c c o m m o d a t e e x t r a p e r s o n s d u r i n g inspection, review or few guest teachers occasionally in the class.R e a r s i d e o f t h e C l a s s r o o m m a y b e planted with flower plants or a small tree and semicircular skylights can be

providedt o a l l o w n a t u r a l l i g h t i n t h e c l a s s . D e s k s can be rearranged in to any form of layouta s r e q u i r e d b y t h e t e a c h e r a c c o r d i n g t o the lesson plan. 2.0 Furniture designs and its effect on learning a t m o s p h e r e a n d health of Children: Children spend a large part of their times in the classroom. School age is a vitalperiod for child development. Regarding low back pain, sitting posture is the m o s t t r o u b l e s o m e situation. Some studies showed that design of school 5

furniture is one of the contributing factors to back pain among pupils ( 1 ) . Research has implicated that mismatch between school furniture and body sizemay be regarded as a causative factor for musculoskeletal disorders amongstpupils (2). For this reason, conducting a study to help develop appropriate design strategies for school furniture design may be necessary, if such data arenot available.In order to reach an optimal fitness between school furniture and the pupils, the furniture should be designed according to psychophysical characteristics of the users as well as educational environment specifications discussed earlier. 2.1 Anthropometrical dimensions of the boys and g i r l s a n d t h e furniture design: School furniture must respond to the characteristics of thepopulation that uses it. The dimensions of school furniture must conform to theanthropometrical dimensions of the boys and girls and designers must haveinformation available to meet those requirements.S c h o o l s i n I n d i a g e n e r a l l y h a v e a n t h r o p o m e t r i c a l d a t a o f s c h o o l c h i l d r e n (height and weight), that can be used for the purpose of furniture design. Theheight and weight of children depends upon the age and nutritional status.W ith more and more private schools established under the guise private ismore efficient, schools are becoming business enterprises where profit motto ist h e m a i n t h e m e and the collection of anthropometrical data is consideredunproductive by m a n y . T a b l e s 1 a n d 2 p r o v i d e a s a m p l e d a t a f o r a p r i v a t e school where children mainly from low and middle income group families study. Table -1: Mean age of School Children (Years)G r a d e B o y s G i r l s 5 th S t a n d a r d 1 0 y r s 4 m o 1 0 y r s 8 m o 6 th S t a n d a r d 1 1 y r s 5 m o 1

1 y r s 8 m o 7 th S t a n d a r d 1 2 y r s 5 m o 1 2 y r s 8 m o 8 th S t a n d a r d 1 3 y r s 5 m o 1 3 y r s 1 0 m o 9 th S t a n d a r d 1 4 y r s 6 m o 1 4 y r s 8 m o 10 th S t a n d a r d 1 5 y r s 6 m o 1 5 y r s 6 m o Table 2: Descriptive Statistics of height in School Boys and Girls (Low and Middleincome Families) G r a d e B o y s G i r l s R e m a r k s H e i g h t W e i g h t H e i g h t W e i g h t Heightandweightareonlyindicativeandactualheights 5 th S t a n d a r d 1 3 8 1 4 4 3 3 3 6 1 3 2 1 3 6 2 6 2 8 6 th S t a n d a r d 1 4 4 1 4 9 3 6 3 8 1 3 6 1 4 3 2 8 3 2 7 th S t a n d a r d 1 4 9 1 5 6 3 8 4 3 1 4 3 1 4 8 3 2 3 6 8 th S t a n d a r d 1 5 6 1 6 2 4 3 4 8 1 4 8 1 5 3 3 6 3 9 6 9 th S t a n d a r d 1 6 2 1 6 5 4 8 5 2 1 5 3 1 5 6 3 9 4 1 10 th Standard1 6 5 1 6 8 5 2 5 3 1 5 6 1 6 2 4 1 4 4 Height and weight of children depends upon the nutritional status, and age.M i n a k s h i A g a r w a l i n a s t u d y o f n u t r i t i o n a l s t a t u s o f r a g p i c k e r s a n d s l u m dwellers in age group of 8-14 years has compared the data with that of

variouso t h e r r e s e a r c h e r s a n d n a t i o n a l d a t a p r o v i d e d b y i n s t i t u t i o n s l i k e I C M R a n d NNMB. The data is shown in table 3. The data provided by Vijayaraghavan andAggarwal and shown in column 2 and 5 in table 3 is for well to do and affluentclass children, whereas ICMR and NNMB data in column 3 and 4 in table 3 isfor rural children. Furniture selection (Table 4) can be made using such dataand furniture size as per ISO 5970 (ref Annexure for summary of dimensions asp e r I S O 5 9 7 0 ) . F u r n i t u r e d e s i g n e r s c a n a l s o m a k e u s e o f s u c h d a t a i n t h e absence of custom data from schools. Table 3: Descriptive Statistics of height in well to do and rural children A g e V i j a y a r a g h a v a n I C M R N N M B A g a r w a l M e a n 1 0 1 1 y r s 1 3 8 1 4 4 1 3 2 1 3 6 1 2 9 1 3 3 1 3 5 1 4 0 1 2 6 1 3 2 1 1 1 2 y r s 1 4 4 1 4 9 1 3 6 1 4 3 1 3 3 1 3 8 1 4 0 1 4 6 1 3 2 1 3 4 1 2 1 3 y r s 1 4 9 1 5 6 1 4 3 1 4 8 1 3 8 1 4 4 1 4 6 1 5 1 1 3 4 1 4 5 1 3 1 4 y r s 1 5 6 1 6 2 1 4 8 1 5 3 1 4 4 1 4 8 1 5 1 1 5 8 1 3 4 1 3 3 Source: Minakshi Agarwal, Solution exchange New Delhi Table 4: Grouping of pupil according to ISO: 5970 M e a n h e i g h t I S O S i z e o f f u r n i t u r e r e q u i r e d 5 th S t a n d a r d 1 2 0 2 6 th S t a n d a r d 1 2 5 2 7 th S t a n d a r d 1 3 5 3 8 th S t a n d a r d 1 4 0 3 9 th S t a n d a r d

1 5 0 4 10 th S t a n d a r d 1 6 0 5 2.2 Sitting posture and Furniture design : The sitting postures of childrenhave been cause for great concern, and of disciplinary crises in schools. Erectposture, or sitting pretty, with a flexion of 90 at the hip joints and preservedc o n c a v i t y a t t h e s m a l l o f t h e b a c k ( l o r d o s i s ) , h a s a l w a y s b e e n c o n s i d e r e d correct posture, despite there being no basis for it in science. It is reportedthat a forward inclination of the seat decreased the backward tilt of the pelvis 7 and increased lumbar lordosis. The muscle activity of m. Erector Spinae also decreased. A desk with a 10 inclination required less trunk and neck flexion.However, hardly anyone can sit this way and work simultaneously for more than one or two minutes. The reason is simply that normal people cannot bendmore than about 60 at the hip joints. When sitting upright, one need to bendforward about 30 further in the lumbar region. When reading and writing, oneneeds to bend an additional 30 to 40 just to be able to read normal text. Thisresults in a hunched-over position that strains the muscles and tendons of theback and compresses the soft bones of the spine. This is the most likely causeof backache among schoolchildren, and it often leads to chronic backache laterin life (Around 1870, German orthopedic surgeons recognized the problem andattempted to construct a new style of school furniture that would enable pupilsto sit more upright, in such a way as to reduce tension and compression. In 1900, local German governments adopted the socalled Rettig-bank as the idealfurniture for schoolchildren. The Rettig -bank was also adopted in many othercountries in the industrialized world). The Rettig-banks were rather tall, of wooden construction, and with narrow horizontal seats and sloping desktops. The seat and desktop were connected toform a unit. The seats also featured lumbar support, which was considered themost effective means of securing an upright sitting position. The feet could besupported at three different levels, reducing the problem of dangling feet .Normally the Rettig-banks were positioned in three to four long rows in thec l a s s r o o m , a n d p u p i l s w e r e n o t a l l o w e d t o m o v e a r o u n d w i t h t h e h e a v y furniture. Better posture could be achieved using furniture that is 15 to 20 cmhigher, with seats and desktops that sloped towards one another. This explainswhy children typically find it far more comfortable to tilt forward on the fro ntlegs of their chairs. By sitting with a more open angle in the hip joint, lumbar lordosis is preserved, and pupils can sit in balance with a straight back similarto a horse rider. To eliminate the problem of dangling feet, transverse bars likethose on the Rettig-bank were installed.Furniture has definite effects on student performance. Classroom furnituremust be both flexible and ergonomic . F l e x i b i l i t y o f c l a s s r o o m s i s o f t e n limited. The classroom environment is usually focused on one objective andpurpose . Some will argue that the architectural plan needs to be focused onone objective so that students are not distracted and the teacher has all thea t t e n t i o n . F o c u s i s a c h i e v e d t h r o u g h t h e a r r a n g e m e n t o f a r c h i t e c t u r a l elements, proper acoustics and lighting. T hough teachers differ greatly as totheir preferred arrangements, almost all agree that the days of thirty desksaligned in neat rows in front the teacher's desk are long gone. Schools need toupgrade their furniture because today's children have outgrown the tables andchairs designed to meet the needs of 1960s pupils. 8 Todays furniture often uses the same clunky and unduly heavyd e s i g n s o f t h e 1 9 6 0 s , p r e v e n t i n g t h e e a s y r e c o n f i g u r a t i o n o f classrooms as the learning situation requires.

A teacher might want toarrange desks in cooperative groups of four, and then switch to a U-shapedconfiguration for the remainder of the class, but are prevented from easilydoing so by the furniture's weight.Education administrators often base furniturepurchasing decisionsbased solely on which is cheapest, overlooking the multitude of otherimportant factors .I t i s m o r e t a x i n g f o r c h i l d r e n t o s i t s t i l l . The static sittingposture may cause long -term health issues in children,w h o s e p h y s i c a l d e v e l o p m e n t r e q u i r e s m o r e e x e r c i s e t h a n adults less strenuous maintenance needs. From their very firsty e a r i n e l e m e n t a r y s c h o o l o n , c h i l d r e n a r e e x p o s e d t o sedentary strain under adverse ergonomic condition. If a bodyis permanently inactive, brain activity is reduced.M a n y c o u n t r i e s h a v e e s t a b l i s h e d r e g u l a t i o n s a b o u t t h e w o r k e n v i r o n m e n t . Preventive measures with regards to working conditions for children would m a k e e v e n g r e a t e r s e n s e . I t i s m o r e t a x i n g f o r c h i l d r e n t o s i t s t i l l t h a n f o r adults. The static posture causes long-term problems in children who require m o r e e x e r c i s e t o b u i l d t h e i r p h y s i c a l h e a l t h t h a n a d u l t s n e e d f o r i t s maintenance.Most teachers seem to associate learning with quiet, disciplined sitting. Theya r e m a k i n g c o n c e n t r a t i o n a n d c o g n i t i v e a t t e n t i o n d e p e n d e n t o n p h y s i c a l inertness the students need for physical relaxation, signalized by fidgetingetc, is suppressed. Movement is not desirable because it disturbs the class Many adults still think the ideal student sits in class receptively, attentivelyand motorically passive.School-children want to be really good at school. If they want to stay awakeand focused they have to be able to move even when seated. Their temporaryfidgety or restlessness is just another expression of this need. And the result ist h a t t h i s m e n t a l a n d p h y s i c a l s u r v i v a l s t r a t e g y w i l l o n l y e a r n t h e m t h e premature and wholly inappropriate label ADD or AD/HD.One need not worry about students which are rocking on their chairs. Theyre just carrying out their physical and mental survival. The commonly held opinionthat movement detracts from attention and concentration is no longer valid. Movement is an anthropological need and a basic behaviour for adolescents tosupport a well balanced physical, mental and em otional development. Thehighly sensitive and changing organism of adolescents requires a lot of physical 9 activity to supply growing organs, muscles and brain with blood, oxygen and nutrients. Today, people of all ages suffer from an ever increasing lack of exercise and asedentary lifestyle. Therefore these anthropological principles should no longerbe stymied by static-passive ergonomic standards but incorporated in ergo-dynamic solutions which encourage dynamic and productive sitting as well astemporary standing and active learning.G r o w n u p s n e e d h e i g h t a d j u s t a b l e f u r n i t u r e . T h i s i s a n a b s o l u t e l y b a s i c requirement. But productive workplace conditions also demand productive andphysiologically body behaviors. This is especially important for adolescents whod e p e n d u p o n t h e i r n e e d t o m o v e ( c h a n g e s i n p o s t u r e ) b e c a u s e o f t h e i r developmental physiological prerequisites.Only a continual rhythmic change between passivity and activity, strain andrelief, tension and relaxation will lead to conditions which ensure a balanced p h y s i c a l , e m o t i o n a l a n d m e n t a l s t a t e . T h e p h y s i o l o g i c a l l o a d s h i f t i s automatically executed even while lying down and sleeping. T his shift issignif icantly m ore im portant in a ph ysiologically adverse position such assitting. Therefore active -dynam ic s i t t i n g i s a n i m p o r t a n t p a r t o f a n e r g o - dynamic and healthy work station in school.A c t i v e dynamic sitting is enabled by a swivel chair featuring a m o b i l e construction where the seat is flexible towards the back, the front and towardsthe side. The seat will follow any movement while encouraging a change in posture. This promotes the natural impulse to move continually and effectively. The best sitting posture is always the next one Active-dynam ic sitting alwa ys includes active leg m ovem ent. Foot and l e g movements are physiologically important for two reasons. Not only do they activate, they improve the blood circulation, but they also have a direct impacton the position of the pelvis. The activity is determined by the seats mobility,if, for example, the body teeters, rolls around or swivels on the chair. Considert h e p r o b l e m s p a s s e n g e r s h a v e i n c r a m p e d s e a t s o n l o n g f l i g h t s o r l o n g distance busses. Any intermittent movement o f the legs has an effect on theposition and dynamics of the pelvis.With the pelvis, the position of the sacrum and its base - on which the bottomdisk and therefore the entire spine rests - changes as well. This

means thatever y change in the pelvic position results in a corresponding activity of thespinal column. 10 As long as this active -dynam ic balance exists, there is a natural strain andrelief on the muscles, sinews, ligaments, disks and vertebrae involved insitting. Moreover, a frequent load shift supports the demand for a musclecontrolled sitting (sitting up) because - in contrast to passive s i t t i n g i n a comfortable chair - the muscular endurance improves. As the posture changes,t h e r e is always one group of m uscle fibers at work to m aintain the posture w h i l e others can relax. The result is a symmetric muscle strain w i t h a coordinated agonistic and antagonistic muscle balance. This continual muscleactivity not only builds the muscles of the spine, it also supports its economicalsupply.Productive, dynamic sitting also supports diffusion in the disks because theyare no longer partially exposed to permanent pressure, but the pressure is distributed over their entire surface.M a n y o f t h e s i t t i n g v a r i a t i o n s a d o p t e d b y t h e s t u d e n t s i n a c t i v e - d y n a m i c sitting, sitting astride on the chair, sitting back on the chair or slouching areimportant relief postures. These targeted measures temporarily relieve thespine. They are partly based upon the physical fact that the torsos center of gravity does not have to keep up a posture if resting on a large supportingsurface. Any enlargement of this surface helps to relieve the body. Movement doesnt only come from the head; movement also supportsthe head The positive effects of active-dynamic sitting on neurophysiologic parametersshould not be underestimated. Static-passive sitting, however, has a long-termnegative effect on a students ability to concentrate. After all, it is not only themuscles of a child which cannot take constant physical strain; a childs mind cant either. For children between the age of seven and nine, time passes threetimes slower than for adults.As we know there are a number of regulating systems in the human organismwhich are assoc iated with posture and physical activity. The most importantone is the neural and neuromuscular system. Traditional static-passive sittingand a lack of physical activity during lessons leaves the neuromuscular systemunchallenged. This has a negative impact upon the entire organism and leadst o s u c c e s s i v e p h y s i c a l a n d m e n t a l d e g e n e r a t i o n . T h e n e c e s s a r y neurophysiologic impulses are provided by a varied range of physical activitiesduring prolonged periods of sitting, because the control circuits control the reflexes and keep up motor activity.A c h i l d s h e a l t h y brain will signal its need for a dynamic load s h i f t s unconsciously by rocking or fidgeting on conventional chairs. Neuro-scientificf i n d i n g s confirm the hypotheses that physical activity and related 11 psychological-emotional control processes are essential for c o g n i t i v e performance. A common proverb says: The mind forms the body, but whatabout the body forming the mind? There have been studies confirming that physical activity alone and its sensory effects develop, maintain and strengthensynapses in the brain (Hollmann et al. 2005; Spitzer 2002).A n e r g o - d y n a m i c s o l u t i o n f o l l o w i n g t h e slogan A s m u c h s t a t i c a s necessary, as much movement as possible is an important component of an active school. This makes learning more varied and thus more interesting.Students eagerness to learn and their learning performance can be provablyincreased, a n d s u c h b a s i c c o n d i t i o n s w i l l a l s o m o t i v a t e a n d r e l i e v e teachers. When students are feeling good about going to school theywill perform better2 . 3 T h e i m p o r t a n c e o f F u r n i t u r e l a y o u t a n d l i g h t w e i g h t furniture: When planning lessons teacher should also plan about the layout of t h e classroom. Sometimes it may be impossible a nd impractical to move t h e furniture around at all for reasons including the fact that in schools the tablesare bolted to the floor! However, even if the furniture is immobile, remember t h a t y o u r s t u d e n t s a r e n ' t , s o y o u c a n t h i n k a b o u t h o w y o u w a n t t o g r o u p students and how you can use the space you have to your advantage. This mayinvolve using spaces at the front or down the side of the classrooms, letting students stand up or to sit on the tables to do certain activities. Ideally the classroom furniture should be light and mobile so that theteacher could come in and quickly rearrange it to his/her liking as perthe lesson plan

. Unfortunately, in the most schools furniture is often heavyand the rooms themselves are too small to make too many changes. Havingsai d that, it's worth thinking about the classroom layout and doing what you c a n t o m a k e i t a s a p p r o p r i a t e a s p o s s i b l e t o y o u r l e s s o n . H e r e a r e s o m e questions to consider: Can I see the faces of every single student and can they see me? Can everyone see the board (if you're planning on using it)? Can the students see one another? Can I move around the room so that I can monitor effectively? The first question is really important. Teacher doesnt necessarily know all thestudents' names so it's vital to be able to see them all. Although it can seemlike an extra effort and a waste of time, spending the first two minutes of aclass moving the furniture so that teacher can see every single face is time wellinvested. Teacher can get the students to help him/her and as long as he/shegives the instructions in English it's all good language practice! The horseshoe: Tables in a horseshoe or three sided square shape. This isg r e a t i f t h e t e a c h e r i s d o i n g board work and speaking activities. All the 12 s t u d e n t s w i l l b e a b l e t o s e e h e r / h i m , t h e b o a r d a n d e a c h o t h e r a n d t h e teacher will have a lovely space in the middle of the horse shoe and aroundthe outside to monitor. If the class is ver y large teacher can get a similar effect by having one horseshoe inside another and using double rows. Chairs in a circle: Tables pushed to the walls and just the chairs in a circle. T e a c h e r c a n s i t i n t h e c i r c l e w i t h t h e s t u d e n t s . I f t h e y n e e d t o w r i t e a t certain times of the lesson they can either go to work at the tables facingthe walls around the outsid eor they can rest a folder on their knees ands t a y i n t h e c i r c l e . T h e c i r c l e f o r m a t i o n i s g r e a t f o r m a n y g a m e s , g r o u p discussions, welcoming the students at the beginning of the class, doing theregister and really talking to the students. Traditional rows: Although many schools still use traditional rows, as onecan pack in lots of people in a small space. There are very few advantagesfor a language teacher in traditional rows. If students are sitting in twosteacher will have immediate pairs made for pair work but as teacher willp r o b a b l y w a n t t o c h a n g e t h e p a i r s a t s o m e p o i n t t h i s i s o n l y a l i m i t e d advantage. If the teacher can't get around behind the students to look at their work it can be really difficult to monitor. If the teacher has to work inthis layout think about the spaces at the front of the class and the aisles between the rows. For mingle tasks make use of these. Look for alternativespaces for certain group tasks, such as the corridors, playground or halls. Nested tables in groups: Nested tables are obviously great for small g r o u p w o r k a n d p r o j e c t w o r k . I t c a n b e d i f f i c u l t t o s t a r t c l a s s e s w h e n students are already sitting on small tables as some students will have theirbacks to you. If possible have the students sit so they're side on to you andr e m e m b e r t o m o v e a r o u n d t h e c l a s s r o o m w h e n y o u n e e d t o g i v e instructions or change activities. Choosing the right Classroom furniture: Many people may consider schoolfurniture to be somewhat of a trivial item. The fact of the matter is, choosingt h e r i g h t s c h o o l f u r n i t u r e t h a t c a n a c t u a l l y m a k e a l a r g e d i f f e r e n c e i n t h e overall productivity of the classroom. The desks t h a t y o u ' r e g o i n g t o c h o o s e a r e g o i n g t o b e a m o n g t h e m o s t important school furniture that is inside of the classroom. Allowing storage forthe student is very important, and

you have several options that are availablefor you, such as lift top and open end access. You should also make sure to sizethe school desk according to the average size of the student that will be usingit. Chairs: A n o t h e r i m p o r t a n t p i e c e o f c l a s s r o o m f u r n i t u r e i s t h e c h a i r . M o s t people are really surprised when they find out exactly how many options theyhave available to them with the average school chair. You have a variety of different materials from which to choose, along with styles, both in the seat a n d b a c k a s w e l l a s t h e l e g s . A s w i t h t h e school desk, make sure that this 13 important piece of school furniture takes the size of the s t u d e n t i n t o consideration.Finally, you want to make sure that you have plenty of storage available, bothf o r t h e s t u d e n t s a n d f o r t h e t e a c h e r . T h i s s c h o o l f u r n i t u r e w i l l h e l p t o k e e p things out of the way and available at a moments notice in order to keep theclassroom flowing smoothly. 2.4 Traditional School furniture damages backs: Since the days of Queen Victoria and Chancellor Bismarck, the sitting posturesof children have been cause for great concern, and of disciplinary crises in schools and in private homes. Erect posture, or sitting pretty, with a flexion of 90 at the hip joints and preserved concavity at the small of the back (lordosis),has always been considered correct posture, despite there being no basis forit in science. The truth is, hardly anyone can sit this way and work simultaneously for morethan one or two minutes. The reason is simply that normal people cannot bendm o r e t h a n a b o u t 6 0 a t t h e h i p j o i n t s , w h i c h w a s d e m o n s t r a t e d c l e a r l y b y Akerblom, Keegan, and Schoberth in x-ray photos about 50 years ago. W hen s i t t i n g u p r i g h t , o n e n e e d t o b e n d f o r w a r d a b o u t 3 0 f u r t h e r i n t h e l u m b a r region. When reading and writing, one needs to bend an additional 30 to 40 just to be able to read normal text. This results in a hunched-over position thatstrains the muscles and tendons of the back and compresses the soft bones of the spine. This is the most likely cause of backache among schoolchildren, andit often leads to chronic backache later in life. The Rettig-banks were rather tall, of wooden construction, and with narrowhorizontal seats and sloping desktops. The seat and desktop were connected toform a unit. The seats also featured lumbar support, which was considered themost effective means of securing an upright sitting position. The feet could besupported at three different levels, reducing the problem of dangling feet.Normally the Rettig -banks were positioned in three to four long rows in thec l a s s r o o m , a n d p u p i l s w e r e n o t a l l o w e d t o m o v e a r o u n d w i t h t h e h e a v y furniture. The pronounced negative influences of the lower furniture on the postures of pupils have, been ignored. No one has yet been able to demonstrate even oneclassroom in which pupils used acceptable sitting postures, or postures thatmeet conventional correctness, with r ight-angle flexion at the hip joints and preserved lordosis at the small of the back. Several European scientific studiesfrom around 1990 documented that approximately 60 per cent of students aged 16 suffer backaches. Despite intensive posture training over a five-yearp e r i o d i n a s c h o o l n e a r C o p e n h a g e n , n o v i s i b l e e f f e c t o n p o s t u r e w a s demonstrable. During a four-hour examination, time-lapse photos made of the 14 students, using ISO Standard school furniture, showed them sitting a l m o s t consistently in the hunched-over position. M o s t s t a n d a r d S c h o o l furniture today induces muchharmful bending in the lowerb a c k w h e n r e a d i n g a n d writingH i g h e r f u r n i t u r e a n d seatsand table sloping towardse a c h o t h e r r e d u c e s t h e bendingUsing 20 cm higher furniture with about 15 o Slope can givea p o s t u r e a l m o s t a s i f standing or horse riding Since 1970, large-scale experiments have been done in Danish and Swedish schools in an attempt to construct furniture that would enable pupils to sit withb e t t e r p o s t u r e . I t w a s f o u n d t h a t b e t t e r p o s t u r e c o u l d b e a c h i e v e d u s i n g furniture that was 15 to 20 cm higher, with seats and desktops that sloped t o w a r d s o n e a n o t h e r . T h i s e x p l a i n s w h y c h i l d r e n t y p i c a l l y f i n d i t f a r m o r e comfortable to tilt forward on the front legs of their chairs. By sitting with a more open angle in the hip joint, lumbar lordosis is preserved, and pupils cansit in balance with a straight back similar to a horse rider. To eliminate

theproblem of dangling feet, transverse bars like those on the Rettig -bank wereinstalled. The higher furniture allows pupils to move much more freely and usea variety of working postures. (During the first weeks short instructions shouldbe given.) An added advantage is that abdominal respiration is much improved.S e v e r a l s c i e n t i f i c s t u d i e s h a v e d o c u m e n t e d t h e p o s i t i v e e f f e c t s o f t h e t a l l Scandinavian furniture on the postures and comfort of pupils, the results of which have been published largely in Ergonomics. 15 Correct height of furniture is i m p o r t a n t : E d g e o f d e s k a t level with your buttocks andf r o n t e d g e o f c h a i r 2 4 c m above kneeReading and writing position:U s e f r o n t h a l f o f t h e s e a t , b o t h f e e t o n t h e f l o o r , d e s k top slopingR e s t i n g p o s i t i o n : M o v e b a c k w a r d o n t h e s e a t . U s e the lumber support, Feet onfoot rest Since 1991, a new European standard in school furniture has b e e n i n development. It is highly influenced by the tall Scandinavian design, andcomments by the Danish Standardisation Committee about the furnitureincluded that its structural principles represented the st ate of the a r t i n Denmark and accounted for more than 50 per cent of the Danish market. Thesame structural principles have been widely accepted in Sweden, Germany, F r a n c e , a n d t h e Netherlands. In 1989 Stephen Pheasant wrote in his book,Body space, In r e c e n t y e a r s a n e w r a d i c a l a p p r o a c h t o s e a t i n g h a s b e e n proposed: Mandal (1976, 1981) has argued (quite cogently in m y view) thatseat surfaces should slope forwards, hence diminishing the need for lumbar f l e x i o n ( p a r t i c u l a r l y i n s u c h t a s k s a s t y p i n g a n d w r i t i n g ) a n d e n c o u r a g i n g lumbar lordosis.In 2001, the structural principles in the tall Scandinavian school furniture wereformally adopted as the dominant part of the new European pre- Standard forSchool Furniture (Ref figure 3). However, better awareness is still needed, as arange of options are included in the new standards.ISO 5970 specifies basic functional sizes for seating and tables in educationalinstitutions and colour code to be followed (ref. Annexure). As per ISO 5970s c h o o l f u r n i t u r e i s r e q u i r e d t o b e c o l o u r c o d e d b a s e d o n f u r n i t u r e s i z e s (Numbered) for easy identification of sizes so that user will easily identify whichsize furniture will go where in the school. 16 3.0 Availability of right type of school furniture in India : In India wedont have standards for school (Classroom) furniture y e t . H o w e v e r t h e furniture manufacturers have come out, inspired by the E u r o p e a n d e s i g n s (Figure -4), with designs that matches the Indian requirement to some extent(Ref figure 4) Frame size as per DIN ISO 5970. Framefeatures. H e i g h t a d j u s t m e n t i n s t e p s w i t h hexagon key or hand-wheel. Table top of melamine-resin coated chipboard with plastice d g e s o r s e a m l e s s m o u l d e d - o n polyurethane. Safety edges. Top w i t h r e c e s s e d o r m o u l d e d - i n s t o r a g e t r a y a n d stop-edge equivalent to KU or PU. Featureso f t o p . Maintenance-free, working surfacei n c l i n a b l e i n s t e p s ( 0 ; 5 ; 1 0 ; 1 6 ; 20). Accessories and options. Glides forhard and soft floors and briefcase (satchel) h o o k s . P l y w o o d o r g r i d b o o k s h e l f o r c h a i r suspension for all VS school chairs Frame size as per DIN ISO 5970 and CEN. Frame features. Height adjustment in stepswith hexagon key or hand-wheel. Table top of melamine-resin coated chipboard withp l a s t i c e d g e s o r s e a m l e s s m o u l d e d - o n polyurethane safety edges. Top with recessedo r m o u l d e d in storage tray and stop-edgeequivalent to KU or PU. Features of top.

Maintenance-free, working surface inclinable in steps (0; 5; 10; 16; 20) with horizontalshelf. Accessories and options. Glides forh a r d a n d s o f t f l o o r s a n d b r i e f c a s e ( s a t c h e l ) h o o k s . P l y w o o d o r g r i d b o o k s h e l f o r c h a i r suspension for all VS school chairs Figure 3: Sample of furniture available in EU as per ISO 5970Figure 4: Adjustable School Furniture available in India (Curtsey: PAN OfficeSystems Pvt. Ltd.) Adjustable height single and double desk with individual chairs offered by P A N O f f i c e Systems Private Limited. Single Desk and Chair . Both the Desk and Chair are Adjustable in 17 Height Suitable for Any Class from 2nd Standard to 10th Standard s i n c e i t i s H e i g h t Adjustable ( Price: Rs. 1950 per set ). Adjustable Double Desk with 2 Adjustable Chairs Suitable for Any Class from 2nd Standard to 10th Standard since it is Height Adjustable( Price: Rs. 3550 per set ) 4.0 Classroom Lighting: One of a classrooms most critical p h y s i c a l design characteristics is lighting. Even the thought of dull hum and theirpulsating flicker can produce a melancholy feeling or even a slight headache for some students. Windowless classrooms do not promote success in students.From an architectural standpoint, windowless classrooms can be useful to saveresources such as material and building supplies. Windowless classrooms arealso designed to reduce distractions. However, the absence of windows int h e c l a s s r o o m h a s s o m e s e r i o u s overlooked side effects . A s t u d y (Ahrentzen et al., 1982; Karmel, 1965) showed that students' moods are morenegative in windowless classrooms. The study also showed that while a fews t u d e n t s i m p r o v e d w i t h o u t w i n d o w s , m o s t o t h e r s s h o w e d a d e c r e a s e i n academic performance in the windowless settings. Fielding (2006), found thatin natural lit classrooms math scores improved by 20 percent and verbal scoresb y 2 2 p e r c e n t . " N a t u r a l l i g h t i s p e r h a p s t h e s i n g l e m o s t i m p o r t a n t element in the learning environment." s a y s F i e l d i n g . N o r t h a n d S o u t h facing class rooms with windows on east and west may require less artificiala r r a n g e m e n t w h e n c o m p a r e d w i t h E a s t a n d w e s t facing classrooms withwindows on north and south. However teacher may n e e d t o r e a r r a n g e t h e classroom lay out to avoid glare from sunlight from east (morning) and west(Evening). 5.0 Classroom Size: The size of a classroom can have profound effectso n students for many reasons. For example individuals from differentcultures vary in their preferred inter -personal distances during conversation. E v e r y s t u d e n t h a s a n i n v i s i b l e b o u n d a r y a r o u n d h i s o r h e r b o d y , o f t e n referred to as personal space. If someone pierces this boundary, the studentw i l l f e e l u n c o m f o r t a b l e a n d s t e p b a c k . O f t e n , c l a s s r o o m s a r e o v e r c r o w d e d which force invasions of personal space between students. Generally in IndianSchools classrooms are overcrowded with 40-70 students in a class. 6.0 Classroom Colour: Colour is an essential classroom feature, for it can drastically impact the learning process. Colour has the capability to influence astudent's attitude, behavior and learning process. The proper use of colour ina classroom environment can change the mood of student s. Colour isintensely powerful it promotes ardent positive or negative emotions aboutones environment. W armer colors, such as reds, oranges and yellows, weres h o w n t o c a u s e a s l i g h t r i s e i n b l o o d p r e s s u r e b y p r o m o t i n g a

f e e l i n g o f warmth, while the cooler colors, greens, blues, and purples caused a slightdecrease in blood pressure. Colors can also alter the appearance of roomsize ; by making it seems more compact or more spacious than it is in actuality. 18 It has also been shown that certain colors can increase students auditory verbal memory skills. This would certainly be beneficial during the common activity of teachers lecturing to students, and through the use of audio books inthe classroom. S tudents who have a more positive attitude toward theirlearning environment due to the rooms color scheme will learn moreeffectively, have better attendance and ultimately perform better . Before you place order for classroom furniture Collect Anthropometrical dimensions of the boys and girls discuss with teachers abouthow they would like to conduct the class, classroom activities proposed etc. Take measurement of the classroom and the number of children to be seated including seatf o r s u p e r v i s o r / g u e s t s to be accomm odated in the class occasionally. Num ber of East/west facing classrooms with windows on east and west. Assess the storagerequirement o f s t u d e n t s ( S c h o o l b a g , w a t e r b o t t l e , l u n c h b o x , o v e r c o a t / b l a z e r / sweater, Pencil box). Decide on type of furniture (single seated/ double desks, 4-5seated etc) based on furniture rearrangement requirements, since teacher needs totake the help of students only for rearranging the layout and there will be a limitationof maximum weight of the furniture that can be handled by the students. Single /Double seated desks / tables with individual chairs are ideal for all age groups andfrom the point of view of quick rearrangement of layout.W hile adjustable height furniture may be ideal it also gives room for the children to play with the furniture. In case of fixed height furniture decide on colour code for eachheight or follow ISO 5970 colour code. Furniture for labs and computer room may be of f i x e d t y p e a n d h e a v i e r t h a n f u r n i t u r e f o r r e g u l a r c l a s s r o o m a n d f o r c l a s s r o o m activities, where teacher needs to rearrange the layout often, depending upon theactivity. List out the requirements and type and size of furniture before placing the order References: Traditional school furniture damages backs, 2004 A u t h o r : D r A C M a n d a l ( p u b : Talk book Oct 2004) 1. ATHERTON J S (2009) Learning and Teaching; Physical Layout [On-line]http://www.learningandteaching.info/index.htm 2. Aagaard-Hansen J, Saval P, Steino P, Storr-Paulsen A. Back health of students. Eur J Appl Physiol . 2001; 85(2): 41-8. 3. Parcells C, Stommel M, Hubbard RP. Mismatch of classroom furniture a n d student body dimensions. Journal of Adolescent Health . 1999; 24(4): 265-73. 4. Evans W A, Courtney AJ, Fok KF. The design of school furniture for Hong Kongschool children: an anthropometric case study design. Applied Ergonomics .1988; 19(2): 122-34. 5. ISO 5970,

Chairs and tables for educational institutions functional sizes .International Organization for Standardization, 1979. 6. Motamedzade M. PhD , Dept. of Ergonomics, School of Public Health and Center for Health Research, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Iran. A Practical19 Method for School Furniture Design to Prevent Musculoskeletal Disorders amongPupils, J Res Health Sci, Vol. 8, No.2, 2008, pp. 9-12 7. Evaluation of three types of school furniture according to prEN 1729, R.R.E.E.Motmansa, a Product Ergonomics Research Centre, Katholieke HogeschoolLimburg, Genk, Belgium 8. A h a l e a r n i n g r e s o u r c e s I n c . : http://www.aceofflorida.org/helpdesk/index.html (Ronald D. Froman). 9. Practical Teaching Strategies, For Inexperienced and New T e a c h e r s , http://www.priceless-teaching-strategies.com/ 10. Minakshi Agarwal, Solution Exchange ( a UN network of experts), N ewDelhi Annexure -1School Furniture - Dimensions of Chairs (Seating) as per ISO 5970 20 1)For size 0, the identification colour and the height of seat only are standardized.2) h5 is measured to the highest Point of the front of the seating area on the centreline.3)t 4 is measured on the centre line of the seat plane from the front edge to a perpendicular line from reference Point W.4)W is the maximum height of foremost Point of backrest.5 ) R o o m f o r f r e e m o v e m e n t o f t h e p o s t e r i o r i n t h e w r i t i n g P o s i t i o n s h o u l d b e ensured.6)h 6 and h 7 are measured on the centre line of the seat plane from the lowest partof the seating surface.7)The upper and lower edge of the backrest should be well rounded.8)r 1 is the approximate radius of the top surface. The curve need not be an exactarc of a circle.9)r 2 is the radius of the backrest in a horizontal plane.1 0 ) : t h e m a i n p a r t o f t h e s e a t i n g s u r f a c e s h a l l l i e b e t w e e n t h e h o r i z o n t a l and a slope of 4 o maximum. The seating surface may be flat or include dishing. Anydishing shall occur in the back twothirds of the effective seat depth. The deepestpart of the dishing shall occur at the back part of the effective seat depth.1 1 ) i s t h e a n g l e b e t w e e n t h e h o r i z o n t a l a n d t h e p l a n e o f t h e b a c k r e s t between h 7 and Won the centre line of the seat. The Profile of the backrest betweenh 6 and W is not defined. Annexure -2School Furniture - Dimensions of Tables as per ISO 5970 21 1For size 0, the identification colour and the height of top only are standardized. 2 h 1 : Table top surfaces specified in this International Standard are horizontal. However,should an inclined surface be required an inclination of 10

o to 16 o is recommended. Theedge towards the pupil shall stay at approximately the same height as when the table ishorizontal. 3 h 1 h 2 : If a shelf is provided within this Zone, the opening should be not less than 60 mm high.4 T a b l e 2 g i v e s t h e p r e f e r r e d s i z e s o f t h e m i n i m u m d e p t h a n d l e n g t h o f t a b l e t o p s . F o r standardization purposes it is recommended that these sizes be applied. However, if it isnecessary to deviate from these sizes, the following incremental sizes should be used : a. size b 1 : f r o m 4 5 0 m m t o 8 0 0 m m : 5 0 m m i n c r e m e n t f r o m 8 0 0 m m t o 2 0 0 0 mm: 100 mm increment b. size t 1 : from 450 mm to 1 200 mm : 50 mm increment Annexure -3 Furniture Dimensions reference figure for Annexure 1 and 2 22 23