Will changing the colors you use in your classroom actually change the way your students act or respond to your instruction? Does color have anything to do with effective classroom management? Will students work harder, stay on task longer, focus better, perform better and generally act better?
This is the question I asked myself when wondering if colors could actually impact the way my students acted and performed.
Years ago I remembered hearing a story about a prison which conducted a similar study with their inmates. My recollection was that changing colors calmed down their most violent offenders. I searched for the story to confirm my memory to no avail but in the process I did discover some interesting information that supported that notion.
A study was done by professor Andrew J. Elliot from the University of Rochester which demonstrated the negative effects that the color red alone can have on student test performance. Even the slightest glimpse of red before a test caused student performance to decrease.
That is a powerful statement when considering whether or not to consider color usage in a classroom environment. The science behind the effects of color is a relatively new area of research but the use and ideas of color usage are many and have spanned across the centuries. Color symbolism and color psychology can vary by culture and time period but the idea that color is important to the way we feel is strongly supported. Just think of how much thought you put into picking the right color paint when painting a room, bathroom, kitchen or bedroom.
We all feel very strongly about the feelings that colors evoke. Why should we give color any less significance when it comes to designing our classrooms, especially when it come to an effective classroom management plan.
So when deciding on my own concept of color usage in regards to my classroom I thought about the feelings I wanted my students to experience or the mood I was trying to establish in the classroom. It dawned on me that almost every spa resort I have ever seen or been to has a very similar usage of colors. Green, blue, brown, beige, and white undertones always seem to be present. The atmosphere is always inviting, warm, calming and relaxing. I want my students to feel welcome, calm, relaxed, focused and comfortable so I decided to use the same spa color platform. I changed my colors to mainly greens, with some blues and brought in real hanging plants for a living green environment.
Whether my students perform better may never be scientifically established but the room undoubtedly has a much more inviting feel. My informal observation is that the students are considerably more relaxed than previous years. While this is only my opinion it does makes logical sense. If color didn't impact the way we feel than why would we care so much about the color of our new car, house, comforter, clothes, website or hair for that matter. Why should we care any less about our classroom when it comes to designing our overall classroom management plan?
So the next time you set out to design or redesign your classroom I would suggest that you give color some serious consideration. Color is just another piece to a well designed classroom management plan for a classroom that runs smoothly and effectively. Give it a try and you may just be surprised at how positively your students respond.
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The Use of Color to Improve Student Behavior and Performance
By Ron McDevitt