69传媒

Student Well-Being

5 Tips for Designing School Spaces That Support 69传媒鈥 Mental Health

By Libby Stanford & Laura Baker 鈥 April 06, 2023 3 min read
Student Well-Being

5 Tips for Designing School Spaces That Support 69传媒鈥 Mental Health

By Libby Stanford & Laura Baker 鈥 April 06, 2023 3 min read
A large tree offers shade over the picnic tables in the Senior Courtyard at George C. Marshall High School in Falls Church, Va., on March 1, 2023. 69传媒 often use the outdoor space to eat lunch on sunny days.
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Email Copy URL

As more students struggle with depression, anxiety, and stress more than three years into the COVID-19 pandemic, schools are prioritizing mental health support. But as schools make investments in counselors and social-emotional learning, small improvements to the physical environment can also make a difference.

Claire Latan茅, a landscape architecture and environmental design professor at Cal Poly Pomona, has dedicated her career to helping school districts design buildings with a focus on student mental health and well-being.

In 2021, Latan茅 published her book 69传媒 That Heal: Design with Mental Health in Mind, which provides a comprehensive look at how schools can improve their environments to support student well-being.

鈥淭he school environment is so often ignored in terms of how it makes students and teachers and the community feel,鈥 Latan茅 said in an interview with Education Week. 鈥淔or the last 40 years, they鈥檝e really been designed to look like and feel like prisons, often by the same architects that design prisons.鈥

Studies have shown that views of nature, outdoor spaces, and places to gather can improve mental health and well-being. Here are five tips schools can use to transform their buildings into more positive environments. Yes, some apply to the design of new or renovated spaces, but schools can incorporate others without undertaking new construction.


Windows

A student walks past a wall of windows overlooking the Five Star Courtyard at George C. Marshall High School in Falls Church, Va., on March 1, 2023. One of three courtyards, it鈥檚 surrounded by classrooms with large windows looking over the space.

Spaces with lots of windows and ample light have a positive impact on student and staff well-being, particularly if the windows capture a view of nature.

A school that supports mental health 鈥渞eally takes advantage of natural ventilation and sunlight but also provides big windows so that students, teachers, and staff can see trees and gardens,鈥 Latan茅 said.


Outdoor spaces

Freshmen at George C. Marshall High School in Falls Church, Va., eat lunch outside in the Senior Courtyard on March 1, 2023. The high school has three courtyards where students can access the outdoors during the day.

69传媒 are often happier when they have access to nature. That鈥檚 why outdoor spaces can be a great way to improve students鈥 mental health and well-being.

Although it may seem like school yards where teachers can have a view of every student make the most sense, wide open spaces actually correlate with more disorderly conduct among students and crime, Latan茅 said.

鈥淚t鈥檚 the smaller spaces and more variety of spaces that correlate with better pro-social behavior, less bullying, and less crime,鈥 Latan茅 said. 鈥淪ometimes we need a small space to go away from other people and restore our sense of calm.鈥


Cozy common areas

Image of a lounge area at school.

Natural materials, soft fabrics, and comfortable seating all help students feel calmer in the school environment. Enhancing a space鈥檚 sense of calm can be as simple as adding a few couches to common areas or decorating classrooms with curtains, soft lighting, and varied places to sit.

鈥淥ften, we don鈥檛 have the budget, we don鈥檛 have the time, but there are some small things you can do,鈥 Latan茅 said. 鈥淪tarting with really looking at the school and each classroom and figuring out how to make them feel homier.鈥


Classroom Pets

Kalani greets Madeleine, the guinea pig in Jessica Heath's 2nd grade class at Morris Elementary School in Morris, Okla., on Jan. 17, 2023.

Pets, such as goldfish, hamsters, or even visiting dogs, are a great way to help students feel happier and more connected to the school environment.

Teachers who can鈥檛 have classroom pets can add plants to the classroom. The goal is to bring life into the room and help students feel connected to the environment around them, Latan茅 said.


Quiet Zones

Image of measuring decibel level.

Loud noises, such as HVAC, street construction, or alarms, can be distracting and potentially trigger stress or trauma.

69传媒 can help offset some of those noises by giving students access to quiet spaces where they can relax and restore their sense of calm, Latan茅 said.

鈥淢aking sure spaces are quiet and students aren鈥檛 interrupted by loud, jarring, or irritating noise is really important, especially for students and teachers experiencing or recovering from trauma,鈥 she said.

Related Story

Freshmen at George C. Marshall High School in Falls Church, Va., eat lunch outside in the Senior Courtyard on March 1, 2023. The high school has three courtyards where students can access the outdoors during the day.
Freshmen at George C. Marshall High School in Falls Church, Va., eat lunch outside in the Senior Courtyard on March 1, 2023. The high school was highlighted in Claire Latan茅's book <i>69传媒 That Heal: Design with Mental Health in Mind</i> for its abundance of outdoor spaces.
Jaclyn Borowski/Education Week

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Artificial Intelligence Webinar
AI and Educational Leadership: Driving Innovation and Equity
Discover how to leverage AI to transform teaching, leadership, and administration. Network with experts and learn practical strategies.
Content provided by 
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
School Climate & Safety Webinar
Investing in Success: Leading a Culture of Safety and Support
Content provided by 
Assessment K-12 Essentials Forum Making Competency-Based Learning a Reality
Join this free virtual event to hear from educators and experts working to implement competency-based education.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide 鈥 elementary, middle, high school and more.
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.

Read Next

Student Well-Being Opinion 3 Things You Need to Know About Absenteeism
We studied the data from more than 1.5 million students. Here鈥檚 are some overlooked insights to boost attendance.
Todd Rogers, Emily Bailard & Mikia Manley
4 min read
Scattered school desks seen from above, some with red x's on them signifying absences.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week and iStock/Getty Images
Student Well-Being SEL Has Become Politicized. 69传媒 Are Embracing It Anyway
Eighty-three percent of principals report that their schools use an SEL curriculum or program.
5 min read
Image of positive movement when attending to a student's well-being is a component.
Dmitrii_Guzhanin/iStock/Getty and Laura Baker/Education Week
Student Well-Being 69传媒 Don't Want to Talk About Politics, Either
The election is occurring at a time when many schools are discouraged from having tough conversations in class.
6 min read
Viewers gather to watch a debate between Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at the Angry Elephant Bar and Grill, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024, in San Antonio.
Viewers gather to watch a debate between Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at the Angry Elephant Bar and Grill, Sept. 10, 2024, in San Antonio. Researchers say students are more reluctant to talk politics this election cycle.
Eric Gay/AP
Student Well-Being Opinion Can Athletic Coaches Help 69传媒 Learn More in the Classroom?
School sports can provide an opportunity for mentorship.
8 min read
Image shows a multi-tailed arrow hitting the bullseye of a target.
DigitalVision Vectors/Getty