My Ideal Classroom

Dan Jacobson

When designing my ideal classroom, I took into consideration the learning, emotional,

and sensory needs of ASD students. First, I wanted it to have a flexible and adaptable feel. In my

classroom’s layout, there’s many different seating options (couches, chairs, desks, beanbags,

carpet, etc.) that can easily be moved around to best suit students’ needs. Clare Vogel’s article in

Classroom Design for Living and Learning with Autism s​ uggests that by offering flexible

furniture options, students tend to engage in a range of activities which are beneficial to their

learning and development. It also states that use of shelving, storage units, and other furniture

items are useful in serving multiple purposes. In my classroom, I used the shelving and storage

units as a way to create barriers for more private, quiet sections of the room. Within these

barriers are “activity pockets” designed for students to have calming time or quiet reading time

to themselves, etc. The corner on the opposite side of the room will be focused more on sensory

experiences. Designating these spots and areas for instruction helps build a sense of

predictability.

Another important aspect of creating the ideal classroom environment is to make it feel as

“non-institutional” as possible. For example, when students feel more at home in their

surroundings, it will allow them to relax and retain more information (Vogel, 2008). In order to

reach this goal, I added some catalogue furniture like couches, chairs and beanbags for seating

instead of just the traditional desk option. In addition, I would add light covers (not pictured) for

softer lighting from the fluorescent. Not only is it easier on the eyes, but it makes for a cozier,
more relaxing environment. Also not pictured would be a large fish tank, to add another homey,

non-institutional feel.

Finally, the space that I create needs to be safe. One of the details that makes a room safe

in an ASD classroom is the fact that there’s no large open area, but just enough space with clear

walking paths and lines of sight. The majority of the furniture have soft padding, to reduce

potential injury. “Children with ASD are often prone to seizures and behaviors like tantrums or

“stimming”, where injury to self and others can occur” (Vogel, 2008). Although there is no

perfect design for setting up classrooms, I feel that these are a few examples of setting up putting

careful thought into a classroom design that will benefit students with ASD.
 References

Vogel, C. L. (2008, May/June). ​Classroom Design for Living and Learning with Autism.

Design Share.

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