How to create a sensory-aware classroom and why it matters
By Sandy Ewert (she/her), registered clinical counsellor and school counsellor,
North Vancouver
Two decades ago, I became a classroom teacher. During my practicum I observed many different types of classroom environments with different styles of teaching. Some teachers had loud, boisterous classrooms and others had classrooms that were so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. Although classroom culture was usually heavily influenced by the age group of students, I decided at the beginning of my career that I was a “pin drop” teacher. I taught the upper intermediate grades and although I didn’t know it at the time, my drive for a quiet environment was part of my own unique sensory profile. Having a quiet classroom wasn’t just a preference, it was a necessity to being able to focus and regulate my nervous system. After teaching for over a decade, it became clear that my passion was fostering the social-emotional aspect of learning and building emotionally safe relationships with children. This led me to complete my master’s in educational counselling.
The shift from teaching to counselling brought an acute awareness of how different sensory input can affect students’ regulation and capacity to learn. This is where I began to examine learning through a sensory lens and reflected upon what the words “sensory aware” meant.
Regulation must occur before education.
Having a sensory-aware classroom means that you are taking multiple facets of the environment into account when designing your learning space. These environmental factors can significantly affect a student’s nervous-system regulation, which then directly affects a child’s capacity to learn and manage their body in a group environment. Regulation must occur before education. If a child’s nervous system does not feel safe, the higher-thinking areas of their brain will not be accessible for learning. I see children who are regulated, able to follow expectations, and respond to redirection when in the counselling office. These same students are often not yet able to do the same when in the classroom. Like me, some students crave a quiet space to let their nervous system breathe. Let’s look at the different ways we can meet the sensory needs of students within the classroom.
Some schools have a “sensory room” where children may go to regulate. This is an excellent resource to have, with the caveat that it requires an adult to take students out of the classroom to directly supervise them. In many instances this is not possible due to staffing and support limitations. Providing students with a safe space within the primary learning space of the classroom allows them to have their sensory needs met, which in turn supports regulation, a greater ability to learn, and a more peaceful classroom. Setting up this space doesn’t need to be complicated. A sensory regulation space within the classroom can be branded many ways. You can call it a “cozy corner” or a “cool-down corner.” You may have a specific student or two in mind as you read this article, but you may be surprised at the number of students in your class who will use a space like this. When considering sensory needs in the classroom as a whole, you may wish to consider the following categories: lighting, seating, movement, sound, temperature, and providing fidget tools.
Dim the lights, if the lights in your classroom are dimmable; having them on one of the lowest settings can greatly reduce the sensory load for those sensitive to visual stimuli. If dimming the lights is not an option, using lamps can also be very effective.
Open the blinds in the classroom to let in as much natural light as possible.
Open the windows year-round, even if it is just a small crack. This will allow for fresh air to flow, allowing some students to feel less claustrophobic in the classroom.
Offer different seating arrange-ments: seat cushions, a rocking chair, Hokki or wobble stools, and an option to stand for those who need it.
Allow movement for students who require it to remain focused (stretching, rocking, etc.).
Offer noise-cancelling headphones for those students who have a hard time with noise.
Ensure comfortable temperatures in the room with fans in the hotter months and blankets in the cozy corner.
Offer fidget tools for seat work in the cozy corner.
As you think about your classroom and the sensory experience it provides students, I encourage you to reflect on your own unique sensory profile. In my workspace, my lights are dim or completely off, depending on how much natural light the day provides me; I have crystals on my windowsill and plants in the room; I sourced comfortable squishy chairs and an area rug to make my office feel warm and cozy. All of these small, nuanced details affect how I feel in the space. I leave the school building every day, no matter what the weather is, to walk outside and breathe the fresh air and orient myself to the sky. The awareness of our own unique needs can be powerful protection from burnout in a profession that, arguably, asks more of us than ever before.
After nearly 20 years in education, one thing I have learned that transcends all learning environments is this: the more we adopt the lens of changing the environment to suit the child, rather than trying to change the child to suit the environment, the more regulated students will be and the greater success they will find in their time at school. Creating space to self-reflect on our own sensory needs may have unintended, significant positive outcomes for us as educators as well.
