If you homeschool your child, classroom furniture may not seem like a top priority, especially when you have plenty of furniture at home. But it’s also important to delineate the difference between home and school, especially when the two are one and the same. For example, buying a nice desk and a plush leather office chair for your home office keeps you comfortable and helps you focus on your work in a household full of potential distractions, making it a sanctuary of sorts. A home school classroom should create a similar kind of environment where students can learn without getting distracted by their toys, electronics, and other personal possessions lying in close proximity at all times. Realistically, you’re probably not teaching your students as they nod off on the couch, or as they sit stiffly in a kitchen chair over a cold bowl of oatmeal. Certain kinds of desks, chairs and tables are used as classroom furniture because educators appreciate their durable designs specially tailored to keep students comfortable, yet attentive and organized in a school environment.

That said, keep a few points in mind as you start the shopping process:

• Save Money and Save Space: Not exactly revolutionary advice, but it pays to know what kinds of school chairs, school desks, and other classroom furniture fit your space and your budget. Just as home shouldn’t distract students from school, school shouldn’t conflict with home life once the “bell” rings. For example, folding chairs and a student desk with optional rolling casters may provide a practical solution that makes moving and storage a lot easier. A chair desk can save you even more space, and some manufacturers offer folding chair desks for optimal efficiency and ease of storage.
• Get Input from Your Small Student Body: Unlike a larger educational institution, you’re fortunate enough to live with your student(s) every day, so it’s easier to get accurate feedback on how to furnish your home school classroom. Do your students find regular school chairs too uncomfortable? Maybe you can buy some upholstered chairs or even cushioned folding chairs for a better classroom experience. Whatever you decide on, a smaller student body makes it much easier to shop because you can tailor each piece of classroom furniture to the individual’s needs.
• Get Up Close and Personal with Students: Another advantage of home schooling is that you don’t have to lecture 30 or more students from a white board that may as well lie in a parallel dimension at times. That means buying classroom furniture tailored for a low student to teacher ratio. For example, if you have younger students who learn visually and need to build their vocabulary, try a teacher easel. We’ve already mentioned how much of an influence they can have in an earlier post, and the wide board and frame in many models provides more than enough room and storage space for everything you need to make engaging presentations, including magnetic letters, markers, storybooks, props, and more.

Hopefully these general points give you some ideas on what to buy as you embark on a unique and very important educational journey with your child. Good luck and if you have any advice or insight to share, feel free to leave a comment.

(Photo by Paul Anderson via Morguefile)