classroom seating Archives - Carroll Seating Company

Published: 28 January 2015

Written by Carroll Seating

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Categories: Seating Solutions

Learning in the 21st century has become a fairly hot topic in recent days. Students now simply don’t need the same skills students did just a few decades ago, so classrooms and other learning areas prize critical and creative thinking with collaboration to ensure students have the necessary skills to move forward in life. Unfortunately, most schools are set up for a very different kind of learning. Flexibility and information literacy aren’t always part of the classroom layout, so while teachers and administrators are rethinking the curriculum, they have to be rethinking the layout of a classroom as well. These design ideas can help you rethink your learning spaces.

Classroom Flow: Collaboration has to be at the forefront of everything your teachers do in the classroom. As a result, you have to create spaces that are ready to foster creative energy in groups. The classic desks and chairs don’t always work well for that. Instead, comfortable tables and chairs that are configurable for a variety of projects tend to work well. Open spaces also work well so students feel like they can move among groups to get projects completed.

Multimedia Friendly: Technological and face to face learning have to work well in the 21st century classroom, so every design you create needs to be ready to integrate technology at a moment’s notice. Whether that means projectors so students can see an instructor’s screen, data connections for students, or even simply space to use tablets and laptops, classrooms should be as wired for technology as they are for students. Don’t forget to factor lighting into this equation, as something as simple as the screen in the wrong place in the afternoon could make a room completely unusable.

Classroom Look: The aesthetic appeal of a classroom has to play a central role in 21st century learning design as well. The goal is to build a student-centered experience where kids feel comfortable enough to learn. That means both a physical and mental sense of ease, and a big part of that comes from the choices you make. Everything from the color of classroom walls to the flooring choices to the furniture you fill the room with can contribute to it, so ensure you’re working toward harmony with teach of the choices, as well as a level of simplicity so the classroom can be easily repurposed in the future as learning needs change.

Good designs can be difficult to achieve in today’s learning environment, which is a big part of the reason you may want to choose a trusted guide to help you through the experience. Carroll Seating can help. The premier school furniture company, we have the project managers, design experts, and catalog to help you build the perfect classroom to meet your needs. Contact us today to learn more.

Published: 21 October 2014

Written by Carroll Seating

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Categories: Seating Solutions

The classroom – it’s a space for learning and discovery like no other. So many amazing things can happen in a classroom, and while a classroom doesn’t even have to be a defined space, it certainly helps to create the right atmosphere for learning. From primary school classrooms through university spaces designed for those obtaining degrees at the highest level, aesthetics can actually enhance the learning process, and one simple way to ensure you’re building the right aesthetic feel is to choose custom casework for every classroom in the building.

Understanding the Process
It starts with a simple idea. You know what you want in a given area. Whether it’s a science lab or a foreign language classroom, your ideas go far during the process. From there, you’ll contact the right custom casework company to meet your needs. While there are many, you’ll want to select one with extensive industry experience so you can make certain you’re getting the best from the outset. You’ll also want one with a fairly large catalog of options so you can make sure you’re getting exactly what you want in terms of look, options, and finishes. Once you’ve found the right company, you’ll sit down with your case or project manager to make your order. Order placed, the waiting process begins. Often within a few weeks, your order will be ready, and installation can begin in your facility. This is perhaps the best part, as you begin to watch your classrooms transform from drab and dull to nothing short of magazine-style amazing. Be sure to take lots of photos during the process for your newsletter or newspaper so everyone can watch the process unfold just as you have. Once the casework is installed and the finishing touches are put on, it’s time for your magnificent unveiling to students and staff. They’ll be so surprised at the new atmosphere you set into motion with a single call.

Making the Right Choices
With so many potential selections out there, it’s easy to wonder if you’ll make the right choice and create that perfect atmosphere for your students and teachers alike. Fortunately, most companies that create and install custom casework have you covered there, too. With designers on staff to help guide your decision making process and ensure you get exactly what you need in your order, you’ll have beautiful classrooms no matter what selections you make.
Custom casework can do so much for your classrooms. Look into it today, and enhance learning throughout your facility.

Published: 11 July 2013

Written by Carroll Seating

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Categories: Seating Solutions

There was a time when designing a lecture hall meant simply finding enough seats to fit in the room so students could passively listen to the professor, take notes, and occasionally look up at a visual aid. That time is long since gone thanks to today’s diverse learning and teaching styles. Designing the perfect lecture hall seating today takes some intuition and thought. Here are a few tips that might be helpful.

Keep the Classroom Style in Mind. You could go with a traditional classroom style, with the instructor at the front of the room and rows of seating moving back from that. You could also go with a banquet round style if you want students to interact with each other more than they focus on the presenter at the front. Another option is to go with theatre style seating, but like classroom style, you’re not going to get much interaction between presenters and students. The key here is to think about how much interaction is needed. In a lab-style class, it’s probably quite a bit. In a more traditional lecture presentation, the chances are good that it’s not much. Options like swivel or moveable seating can help out in this arena too.

Check the Fire Regulations. Your local fire regulations will tell you how many people you can place in each row as well as how many rows can go in each section, so take a look at that even before you contact your local seating company. In most cases, this number is around 20 people per row.

Think About Entrances and Exits. People are going to come and go from the lecture hall late. It’s just one of those things that happens. What’s more, though, is that it can be a real interrupter at times. If you make certain your seating is set up so the entrances and exits are near the back of your seating area, or at least off to the side, someone can slip in almost unnoticed without a problem.

Don’t Forget Obstructions. Support posts, speaker mounts, and more can create real obstructions for students in the room. Factor that in as you design the perfect seating.

Great lecture hall seating isn’t too difficult to achieve. Just make sure you factor in all of the aspects before you select seating that works for you.

Published: 17 October 2012

Written by Carroll Seating

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Categories: Seating Solutions

It is Time for a Renovation
Whether it is an older space that is in need of updating or a new space that is looking for planning and design, choosing the right company for the job is tantamount to getting the best work possible. When in search for seating solutions such as indoor telescopic bleachers, court-side seating, cafeteria seating, classroom seating or auditorium seating the ultimate goal of each end user is to obtain a fully functional and expertly installed product. The best way to achieve complete satisfaction is to recruit the services of a company that has years of experience and continued education within the industry.

The Best for You
Carroll Seating Company began in 1952 by Patrick Carroll, Sr. with a simple goal – to sell quality church pews that any church would be proud to own. From there the business expanded and has grown to serve multiple states while still maintaining the standards of excellence it began with in 1952.

Now in 2012, while we still outfit the school and institutional market throughout Illinois, Kansas and St Louis with various seating solutions, offering architectural woodwork, millwork, casework, lab and healthcare products has grown our well known seating company into a multifaceted solution center.

Smart Partnerships
We pride ourselves on working with the best manufacturing companies in order to provide the highest quality of product. Our staff includes a wide range of people who excel in what they do, from estimators to sales persons, project managers to support personnel. Our job does not stop at the installation of the project. Here at Carroll Seating Company we have a Service and Repair division to help maintain and extend the life of your product.

We know that personal relationships with our clients are the foundation for what we stand for. It’s just one of the many reasons why we don’t just supply you with seating – we supply you with total solutions. Feel free to contact us in person, over the phone, or through email and we’ll promptly address your questions or comments.