We all know the way schools used to look. Buehler? Buehler? Chairs in straight rows, kids bored out of their mind, with a teacher lecturing in the front of the classroom. According to Kay-Twelve, a leading national school furniture company, the traditional style of school furniture is actually doing harm to the kids.
“We now know only 15% of students learn best in a lecture setting,” says Kevin Stoller, CEO and Co-Founder of Kay-Twelve. “The other 85% of students learn in other, more engaging ways.”
According to Ed Market, the industry association for school furniture, the past 10 years has seen a drastic change in the way schools look. However, if you ask any adult to describe what a classroom looks like, it is the same as what they remember when they were in school or what they see in movies or TV shows about school.
“It’s pretty amazing to see what schools can look like now. Typically there will be several options for students to learn the way they learn best. It can be in soft seating options, wobble stools, standing desks, or even a comfortable space on the floor.” says Stoller, author of Creating Better Learning Environments.
That is why his company took a hard line stance on what they will offer to the schools they serve. Kay-Twelve announced they will no longer sell the dreaded chair & desk combo. “We know those chair/desk combos are bulky, heavy, and uncomfortable for students. Once they are set up in straight rows, they’ll stay that way for years. In an era where we value collaboration and communication skills, they are now obsolete” says Stoller.
The move is likened to a decision CVS Pharmacy made several years back when they decided to stop selling tobacco. They claimed to be a healthcare company, so it just didn’t make sense to sell harmful items like cigarettes. Kay-Twelve views it similarly. “We can’t claim our mission is to improve education and then continue to sell these harmful products that keep kids from becoming engaged in school.”
If you’d like to learn more about the research behind the impact space has on learning outcomes, please visit www.Kay-Twelve.com.
Want To Learn More About Kay-Twelve?
Are you ready to get started on your upcoming school furniture project? We want to help you avoid these 3 major issues that affect school administrators today and want to take the first step with you! Schedule a free collaboration session with a local Kay-Twelve Educational Design Specialist today so that we can help you select the perfect furniture for your environment! After our collaboration session, we will provide you with customized planning, support, and implementation so that you don’t have to worry about the stresses that come with ordering school furniture!
