The physical environment that is created in a school impacts on the emotional wellbeing of everyone who comes in to school. For children who experience disorganization and unpredictability outside of school, the organized and ordered environment of school contributes to their sense of safety and wellbeing. Classrooms that are clean, tidy and enable children to find things easily and have things in the same place so children can access them easily, provide a sense of stability in children’s otherwise unstable lives. A child who returns to school after a chaotic and unstructured week end can feel soothed by knowing the felt pens will be in the same place on Monday morning. The children can be encouraged to have responsibility for taking care of their class and this can involve a team work approach. A sense of ownership and pride can be encouraged across the school but specifically in relation to individual classes. It is important to involve children in this as it is their space and the more comfortable they feel the easier they will find it to engage with their learning.
Remember how unsettled we can feel as adults when things have been moved around and changed, these feelings are amplified for children, especially those whose lives outside of school are unsettled. Its crucial to make children feel safe and secure at school.