Make Your Classroom Sensory Friendly

When I began teaching, it was common for teachers to cover nearly every inch of the classroom in posters, students work, and other items. Over the past few years, people have recognized that classrooms can be visually overstimulating for learners.  Many teachers now know that walls cluttered with posters actually distract learners rather than helping them. 

However, we need to consider more than just visual stimulation when we talk about making classroom sensory-friendly.

Let me explain.  I am very sensory sensitive, and visual stimulation is just one part of this.  A number of things might make someone sensitive to sensory input, including autism, ADHD, allergies, and even introversion.  For me, it is part of my autoimmune issues. 

I am very smell- and noise-sensitive. My teacher friends were always amazed when I asked if they smelled something and they would say no, but a few minutes later they could. Noisy places like pep rallies are just exhausting.

What causes sensory overload?

Sensory overload is when a person simply can’t stand any more sensory input.  I think a good analogy for this is a mall during the summer versus a mall during the Christmas holiday.  I try to avoid shopping after November 1st because after about 30 minutes I want to run out of the building!  It isn’t just the never-ending music on a loop, but the lights, the decorations, the huge crush of people, and the heat.  One of them would be okay, but put them all together and it is too much.

A lot of teachers have a huge amount of sensory things in their classroom and don’t realize it.  If you aren’t sensitive to it, you might not notice. 

How can you make your classroom sensory friendly?

1.  Consider your visuals.  

Please understand, I am not saying that your classroom needs to be cold and uninviting. No one wants to be that classroom that looks like a hospital room.

However, the decor should not overpower everything else in your room. (I affectionately call this “throwing up a rainbow.”) Every square inch of wall space does not need to be covered with something. When I first began teaching, I also felt the need to cram as many educational posters on the wall as possible. However, it is a lot of work for the teacher, and it isn’t really necessary as students can’t read most of what is displayed anyway, as the print is too small.

2.  Cut back on scents.

Don’t just declutter your visuals, but also consider the odors.  Your kids with really bad allergies will thank you. 

Yes, it is so nice to have a really pleasant-smelling room (especially if you teach middle grades!)  However, when you have a plug-in, plus hand sanitizer, plus perfume that you wear, plus all the girls in your class that need their own hand sanitizer and perfume…..it becomes overwhelming.  (Don’t even get me started on the overpowering body spray for boys.)

In a classroom, everyone is so packed in that each individual smell mixes with the others.  Every year, I kindly asked students to only bring hand sanitizer in the normal version or a citrus version.  That helps to cut down on the smells, and most students will comply if you explain why.

3.  Reduce the classroom noise.

Another issue can be noise.  Sadly, this is really hard to fix in most schools.  I haven’t worked in many places where you couldn’t hear noise in the hallway or the teacher in the room next door.  Just be aware of how much sound is coming in your room and try to monitor it. 

Playing soft classical music can help provide atmosphere in your room, but there may be some students who find it distracting. The only way to know is to ask.

At the same time, there may be students who benefit from wearing headphones, as sound distract them from their work. My son had this problem - every time someone would talk, even if it was the teacher helping a student, it pulled him off task and he couldn’t get work done.

4.  Declutter the classroom layout.

Finally, think about your classroom layout and space.

Again, some teachers are really limited by the size of their room, but try to space your tables and desks so that everyone can at least get in and out of their desk with ease.

I also try to establish pathways through the room, so students aren’t squeezing through a ridiculously small space.

(You know some students will always squeeze through a microscopic space no matter what you do….)

What is your best tip for keeping students focused?