The Problems with the Classroom Environment
By Emma Foley
1. My suggestions for changing the school environment are as follows: educate Teachers on
Neurodevelopmental Disabilities: In my educational career, the majority of the ableism I experienced didn’t
come from other students, but teachers and other school authorities I believed were supposed to help me. I
remember in my Sophomore year of high school, I emailed my English teacher to let her know I had ADHD.
Her only reply was to drop the class; it was too hard for someone like me. Mind you, the school year hadn’t
even started. I still took the class, and received quite high marks, but she would belittle my efforts
consistently, chastising me from everything to my discussion points being “wrong” to my handwriting. Thank
God for my high school’s strictness about fair grading. Secondly, educating teachers about neurodivergencies
would help them with classroom and coursework planning, as well as help them to better understand
disabled students.
2. Make Classrooms More Comfortable: Cramped, uncomfortable classrooms are no good for all students, thus
we need to get rid of the desk-chair model, and provide students with larger desks that have unconnected
chairs, as well as space out desks. Though this is a reach, lecture halls needs to be completely redesigned to
space students out (which is also helpful to prevent the spread of COVID!) and allow them greater desk
space, as well as leg space! Another issue is lighting, with many classrooms lit by bright, irritating industrial
lights. All classrooms should have windows, or at least less abrasive lighting, in order to combat seasonal
mental illnesses, and make the classroom appear more “open” than cramped. The spaces between desks
should also be accessible, to prevent others from tripping, and for students with mobility issues to access the
entire classroom.
3. Classroom Rules: It was always embarrassing for me when I had to ask for the bathroom, especially when a
teacher denied my request. These rules are generally ridiculous, especially for younger children, who often
are barely potty-trained. Neurodivergent children, especially those with autism, often have gastrointestinal
disorders as a result of their disabilities. Some neurodivergent children simply can’t hold it either, as often
times our basic needs are only sensed by us when they’re demandingly present. Asking to go to the
bathroom is frankly antiquated and only hurts the student, a child shouldn’t need permission to complete
such a necessary task. Another issue is that neurodivergent students are often prohibited from engaging in
focus-strategies, such as doodling or using fidget toys. Both of these are proven to help maintain a
neurodivergent person’s focus and help them relax. Making sweeping generalization about if the student is
listening or not is simply unfair to the student, as this doubts their ability.
4. Class Structure: Many classes are just based upon listening to the teacher/professor, with little stress placed
on applying the learned material within the classroom. Therefore, lessons should be much more dynamic,
whether that be through inclusive, smaller-group discussions, or via hands-on activities. Just reading notes
off of slides doesn’t cut it for most students anyways, so a more dynamic model of teaching is absolutely
necessary! Teachers should also assign course-long classroom groups in larger classroom environments,
which helps neurodivergent students initiate connects with their peers, and be able to seek help out easier,
especially if these groups have TA leaders, which help coordinate the groups.
5. Overall, the standardized learning environment that’s currently in place in most schools and universities
totally excludes the needs of neurodivergent learners, and the need to be changed in order to benefit both
disabled students and the student body as a whole.
Spring, E. (2022, March 17). The problems with the classroom environment.
Retrieved from
https://sites.psu.edu/emmaspring/2022/03/17/the-problems-with-the-classroom environment/.