Classroom Environment Reflection Poster

One of the first “aha moments,” early in The MEHRIT Centre’s work with educators, was how classroom environmental stimuli such as visual clutter, excess noise and lighting levels—even the colour of walls—proved to be hidden stressors for a surprising number of children. Many teachers found that changing the classroom environment to reduce these stressors had a transformative impact on the self-regulation of individual students and the class as a whole.

This one-page poster provides reminders of key hidden classroom environmental stressors and how to reduce them, along with information about how to create microenvironment that meet a diverse range of Self-Reg needs. It’s a great teaching tool for adults and students alike.

Classroom Environmental Checklist

When designing a classroom environment with Self-Reg in mind, it’s important to take into account stressors that may be affecting students’ self-regulation, and hence, their learning and behaviour. 

Many teachers, not only in Canada, but around the world, have found that reducing environmental stressors in classroom (visual clutter, noise, background noise, excess lighting etc.) has a noticeable and positive impact on self-regulation, and as a result, behaviour and learning.

This two-page checklist provides guidelines and instructions to help you identify what you have in place and what you can strive towards to make your environment as Self-Reg friendly as possible. Originally designed for schools, our checklist can also be used to reduce environmental stressors in child care, recreational and home settings. 

Additional Learning

Self-Reg 101

Havens 101

Self-Reg in Schools