Disclaimer :: This post contains sponsored content provided by Great Hearts Prairie View.
Fewer things have a greater impact on us than the spaces in which we live, work, and connect. Whether we are sleeping, spending time with friends, or hard at work, our environment has a major impact on how successful we are, and the same is true for our children.
Each space we find ourselves in predisposes our minds to certain activities or dispositions. For this reason, it is essential to think intentionally about the space in your home where your children study.
Whether it be for an extended period of study or just an hour for homework each day, setting up your children’s workspaces beautifully can dispose them to calm, deep, bountiful ideas and creation.
>> RELATED READ :: What I Want My Kids to Know About Homework <<
Beauty Begets Beauty
We are fortunate to have no shortage of great works to draw from that are truly beautiful. Whether you are a Monet or Caravaggio fan, paintings of the masters inspire us to strive for the beauty in our world. While motivational posters can seem helpful, you may find that Raphael’s Saint George and the Dragon inspires a young boy’s imagination more than a neon orange poster telling him to “Keep calm and keep working.”
Elements of Life
People, especially children, are drawn to others, whether it’s wanting snuggles from a parent or seeking out friends on the playground. We get something from proximity to other living things that is unmatched by the inanimate. Try including something living in your child’s workplace. This could be the old playful cat sunning herself in the corner or a lovely orchid sitting on a shelf.
Freedom from Technology
Anyone who has been on Zoom calls in this era knows how technology can be a drain. Not only does it exhaust the eye, but also screens have nasty habits of housing programs that ding and flash into sightlines, interrupting concentration. Removing the distractions caused by televisions, phones, and computers allows students to concentrate deeply and carefully on the work in front of them.
Purposeful Items Only
Every parent knows the struggle that is keeping a child’s room from becoming lost to the mess of toys, laundry, and life. We innately know that less cluttered spaces help our children with the routine of daily life. The same is true for a study space. Even if all the items on a desk are school related, try having your student keep only the work he or she is actively pursuing on the desk, the rest in a backpack or under the desk. A clear table often fosters clarity of mind.
>> RELATED READ :: How to Create a “Library for Life” for Your Child — And What Books to Put on the Shelf <<
These are just a few of the principles we believe in at Great Hearts Prairie view, a classical, tuition-free academy in north Fort Worth. We encourage our teachers to create warm, rich, and inviting classrooms to help their students participate in the beauty of the world and the lessons they are learning.
Ryan Mullins is headmaster at Great Hearts Prairie View. Great Hearts Prairie View is a classical, liberal arts charter school with tuition-free seats available now for kindergarten through third grade. Learn more about Great Hearts Prairie View by visiting its website. Connect with Great Hearts Prairie View via email, Facebook, and/or Instagram.
