Page 39 - DEDU503_EDUCATIONAL_MANAGEMENT_ENGLISH

Unit 3: Management at Different Levels-Elementary, Secondary, Higher Education

The walls of the room should be utilized to the fullest advantage. One wall should have writing Notes
surface throughout its length, and green is preferable to black because the latter causes glare. One
wall should have wooden surface covered with flannel for pinning notices, news sheets, charts,
maps etc. The other walls should have built-in cup-boards for keeping books, equipment and other
teaching aids. The class-room should have one door opening outside.
Requirements of a Classroom
1. Space : A classroom needs plenty of area, lighting, ventilation, furniture of good taste and
decoration of atmosphere. A room should be large enough to accommodate 40 to 45 pupils. The
dimensions should be 22 x 23. The Secondary Education Commission recommends that with a
view to establishing personal contact between the teacher and the taught and to exert a
wholesome influence on the pupils the optimum number that should be admitted to any class
should be 30 and the maximum should not exceed 40. On general principle each pupil must
have a space of ten square feet. The height of the room must not be beyond 15 feet. A very high
room will mean more cost without any commensurate advantage in the educational effort.
Moreover, a very high room is hard to ventilate or decorate easily.
2. Lighting : Proper means of lighting should be provided. Every room should be well-lighted.
Light should be well diffused and should not fall directly on the eyes of the students. It should
come from the left. Where light from the left is not possible, light from the right may be allowed.
Direct front light will be injurious. The desks, therefore, should be arranged in such a manner
so to take full advantage of light coming from the left; otherwise the light will either shine in
the teacher’s face or dazzle the children. The colour of the walls also should not tax the eyes of
the students.
Windows serve two purposes : admission of light and admission of air. The window area
should not be less than one-fifth of the floor area. The window still should be placed at not
more than four feet and not less than three-and-a-half feet above the floor of rooms in which the
students are seated.
3. Ventilation : Ventilation can be done by natural and artificial methods. Natural ventilation
depends upon natural forces while artificial ventilation is brought above by the use of fans etc.
4. The Blackboard : The blackboard is a very necessary equipment of the class-room and a handy
apparatus in hands of a teacher. A teacher who does not use the blackboard properly is not a
good teacher. There are usually two types of blackboards — wall blackboards and easel
blackboards. The latter are better as they can be moved to any part of the room and their angle
changed to suit the light. The blackboards should never be placed between windows. Its back
should not be towards the light, otherwise the surface would be dark and it will tax the eyes of
the students in trying to read what is written on the blackboard. The blackboard should be
either black or green in colour.
5. Furniture : The Secondary Education Commission observes : The whole of the furniture and
equipment of a school can be divided into two sections—movable and immovable. The latter
are usually provided during the courses of the building and since they are fixtures, great care
should be given to their design. Movable furniture should be given equal thought and because
it can be moved, there can be variety in design, the school furniture and equipment is a very
prominent feature in the child’s environment. It should be pleasing the design and efficient in
function.
The child spends a good deal of time at desk, it is but obvious that right postures can be
maintained only when good seats are provided. A comfortable child will pay more attention
and concentration to his work.
The following points should be borne in mind while providing furniture to the students in the
classroom :

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