Proper seating and adequate work space impacts how well students learn.
School desks come in many shapes and sizes. A typical school desk is made of metal, wood laminate and plastic. They provide students with a place to store their school supplies, sit and work. You can find a school desk that fits your needs and budget by taking a few considerations into account such as cost, design and student characteristics.
Left-handed or Right-handed Desks
Right-handed desks are simple and inexpensive desks.
Half-desks feature combined seating and writing space, usually joined together by a metal frame. Most schools purchase desks of this type for right-handed users, which have arm support only on the right side. The left side of the desk is open to allow students to sit down easily. Their design is usually very simple, with a metal frame, laminate writing surface and chair. Some designs of this type have storage space in a wire basket located under the seat.
According to the Handedness Research Institute, "A right-biased tablet arm desk does not offer left-handed students the same arm support that right-handed students enjoy. Depending upon the width of the half-desk, and the way the student holds the pencil, left-handers are susceptible to back, neck and shoulder pain. A left-hander who writes with an inverted or "hooked" (bent wrist) style at a narrow desk must twist around in a contorted posture that is awkward and uncomfortable."
Desks with Book Boxes
Desks with storage can be ideal if students have lots of materials.
These desks are more old-fashioned and generally heavier pieces of furniture; the materials required to build them cost more and therefore the desks are sold at higher prices. This desk design features a writing surface and chair that is attached by a metal frame that connects on the floor. These desks have storage space under the writing surface that is accessible either by lifting up the tabletop or through an opening that faces the student.
One advantage of this style of desk is that both sides of the desk are open, meaning that a student can sit down from either side. Also, a full writing surface allows both left-handed and right-handed students to study comfortably.
Chairs with Detached Desks/Tables
Desks with detached chairs can be easily moved.
These are the most versatile desks for students. A separate table and chair can be moved anywhere in the classroom or combined with other desks to create group workstations or learning areas. According to cooperative learning classroom research, "When the chair and work surface are not connected, the work surface can be an individual student desk or a table shared by more than one student." This allows students to work efficiently together.
Another advantage of this type of seating is that chairs and tables of different sizes can be mixed and matched so that a student can find a comfortable desk arrangement for his height.
Alternative Desks
Ergonomic chair designs offer students maximum comfort.
Some schools have done their best to find ergonomic solutions to hard, plastic student seating that won't blow their budget. Examples of alternative desks include items such as floor cushions, bean bag chairs or even yoga balls used in conjunction with tables or lap boards to write on.
Research shows that students have better memory and retention when they have movement. Also, alternative seating may help special-needs students, such as those with ADHD, focus on school work if they are allowed to move around.
Tags: writing surface, Desks with, metal frame, this type, advantage this, desk open, desk that