Study Finds Physical Environment Influences Learning

Maureen Downey writes in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (1/17) "Get Schooled" blog, "The current debate in American education is how much a teacher influences a child's success in school," while "yet to be understood or even much considered is the role, if any, that the school building itself plays in student success." She cites a British study finding that "the classroom environment - defined as classroom orientation, natural light and noise, temperature and air quality, color usage, organization flexibility of space and storage facilities - can affect a child's academic growth by as much as 25 percent in a year."