Destress with Classroom Fung Shui
Simple Ways to Add Harmony and Balance to the Teaching Environment
Sep 4, 2007
No doubt you have heard of the ancient Chinese art of Feng Shui, which has received notable media attention over the past decade. In short, the philosophy is that the home or workplace can be arranged and items added or subtracted in order to generate more Chi, or positive energy, within the environment. The closer life and environmental energy is aligned with nature, the more harmonious, balanced and productive our efforts.
With the constant awareness of the increasing stress and burnout level within the education community, creative teachers are constantly searching for ways to empower themselves in order to avoid falling victim. If you are a proactive teacher, one willing to jump in and try new things, then the following ideas, gleaned from the Feng Shui literature, just might result in some very positive changes for both you and your students.
Begin with Classroom Observation
To promote the flow of positive energy within the environment, Feng Shui focuses on bringing into balance the five essential elements of the universe: water, wood, fire, earth and metal. Look around your empty classroom for these elements. What do you see? Most likely, wood and metal are the predominate design elements. Begin to think about how you can add the other three elements to your room. Some ideas follow, but you will probably come up with others as you plan for change.
Take Small Steps
Although there may be some things teachers cannot control in the classroom, such as room design and stationary furniture, the following are a few simple Feng Shui principles that can be implemented in just about any situation.
- Clean up the Clutter~Teachers just naturally seem to have lots of “stuff.” It often becomes so much a part of the environment it becomes invisible in the mind’s eye, yet constantly remains a drain on teacher time, energy, and motivation. Try a different approach to the problem by taking your camera to school tomorrow. When the classroom is empty, take a picture of the room and enlarge it. Then sit down and take an objective look at what others actually see when they enter your classroom. Use a black marker to circle the three areas that first catch your eye, and designate those places for cleanup within a month’s time (no sooner). This process is intended to lighten your load, not provide an unrealistic goal to meet. Need help in putting together a specific decluttering plan? See that portion of Tabitha Miller's article, Feng Shui Learning Spaces.
- Light up Your Life~The harshness of fluorescent lighting has long been studied in the workplace, yet most schools continue to use this type of lighting as the primary light source in classrooms. Whenever possible, plan activities for students to do outside in the natural light, or set up work areas near classroom windows. If there are no windows, you might ask parents to donate floor lamps to use in several classroom centers to provide an occasional change in lighting. You might also keep a small work light on your desk to use when doing paperwork.
- Music to the Ear~Play soothing classical music in the classroom whenever possible. It is an ideal way to set the mood for independent reading, to ease the transition of students from one class to another, or to wind up a stressful day.
- Water the Classroom~Add a fish tank or fish bowl, a water garden, or a small tabletop fountain to the learning environment. Children love to watch fish, and the new addition can also serve as a springboard for creative writing, art and research activities.
- Return to Nature~Breathe new life into your teaching environment with earth-toned colors, living plants, free form shapes and photographs or paintings of beautiful landscapes and waterscapes. If you teach in an inner city school, your classroom might be the first exposure students have to the beauty our earth.
Ready to Lean More about Feng Shui?
Feng Shui is a vast and interesting topic for teachers to explore. For example, if classroom management is an issue in your class, you might visit the National Education Association site and read Feng Shui for the Classroom: Creating a Focused Learning Environment .
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