Classrooms with colour nurture a positive work environment

Photo by Darien Funk

Why are classrooms grey and beige? Seriously, don’t you think a place that’s meant to evoke a positive attitude towards learning and inspire bright ideas should be … more bright and positive?

Every year at Laurier, there’s a poster fair advertising pictures students can decorate their rooms with.

Why wouldn’t you be interested? Because really, who wants to be in a boring room? It’s uninspiring, feels cold and doesn’t leave any room for creativity and daydreaming.

So why are classrooms so boring in their decor?

I know it’s not in the budget to offer bright paint or pictures, but shouldn’t at least some sort of effort be made to increase the appeal of the classroom? 

Think about being in elementary school.

Can you think of a single classroom you had that wasn’t plastered with inspirational quotes and motivating messages?

Of course, we’re not children, but everybody needs to be inspired by what they’re doing to be productive and happy, right?

I don’t know about you, but I personally have tons of posters left over each year when the new poster fair comes around — after a year of looking at the same pictures, you want a bit of a change. 

When I started classes this term, I wondered if it would break any sort of rules to post my old posters around my classrooms.

At least then, there’d be something other than grey or beige walls to look at.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying we should go after school boards for not putting enough effort into making beautiful classrooms a priority, but someone has to do something. 

It doesn’t even seem so unimaginable.

Paint is cheap, posters are cheap, and local artists fill the streets of Waterloo.

Wouldn’t it be neat if Laurier supported them by commissioning an art piece?

Imagine a mural in Shlegel, a mosaic in the Concourse or a portrait in the DAWB. The school is filled with empty walls waiting for something to fill them.

Laurier needs more artwork. 

I’d say we need better buildings in general, but calling for total reconstruction of something that’s already built seems a bit ridiculous.

Have you seen McMaster though? Or Guelph? Or parts of U of T? There are some gorgeous buildings there. How can someone not feel driven to pursue the attainment of knowledge in places like those?

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