Every classroom speaks. Before teachers say a word, the way the room is arranged and the rhythm of the day communicate expectations, values, and possibilities. Children quickly sense: Is this a place where they belong? Is this a place that helps them stay calm, focused, and engaged?
Adam Holland, in his new book Thinking Outside the Prize Box, reminds us that classroom management is not about control but about ethics: “The ethical appeal I want to make around behaviorism goes back to a basic ethical principle: the Golden Rule. The version I grew up with (in the American South) was, ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.’” Responsive classroom design—physical and social—follows this principle by creating spaces where children are respected, supported, and set up for success.
Moving Beyond Rewards
Many classrooms still lean on clip charts, stickers, or treasure boxes. Holland warns that these methods change the heart of relationships. He writes, “The offer of the reward changes the fundamental underlying nature of our relationships with those around us from a social one into an economic one.” And this remains true in our relationships with children.
While such systems may gain short term compliance, they miss the deeper goal of nurturing autonomy and belonging. As Holland notes, “Scaffolding that remains past its usefulness makes for ugly buildings and ugly classrooms.” Rewards might serve as temporary scaffolding, but long-term support must come from the design of environments, routines and relationships that honor children’s developmental needs.
Attention Is Built, Not Bought
“Attention is not a skill that is present at birth. Rather, it improves and develops over time, with marked improvement between three and five years of age,” writes Tourigny in Alert and Attentive.
This means classrooms must support children’s limited attention spans instead of working against them. Tourigny writes, “A classroom is filled with visual and auditory distractions—children are talking while the teacher is talking, people walk by the classroom, an overhead fan whirls and clicks, toys are left out.” For young learners, such clutter and noise can derail focus.
Teachers can design for attention by simplifying wall displays, positioning group spaces away from busy doorways, and offering quiet zones where children can refocus.
Lessons from Nature
Natural design elements help children regulate their emotions. “Human beings are literally hardwired to respond to the cues of nature. Our nervous systems, our circadian systems, our heart rate and breathing, our gut, our skin. We are of nature, not separate from it,” write Duncan and Burkholder in Inspired by Nature.
Simple touches—plants on a windowsill, natural light, wood textures—signal calm. Even scent matters. “Rather than being known for ugly smells, what if early childhood environments for wee ones became known for happy and pleasant aromas, such as the smell of vanilla?” Duncan and Burkholder suggest.
Like Tourigny, Duncan and Burkholder believe that children also need places for solitude. They note, “Children have an innate need—and the right—to be alone so they can regroup, recalibrate, and refocus.” A cozy hideaway or nook can prevent meltdowns and support self-regulation.
Curating Calm and Belonging
The authors of Curated Moments stress that environments should be designed with purpose. “The physical environment can be a powerful teacher, shaping children’s behavior, learning, and sense of belonging,” they write.
Rather than filling rooms with every possible material, thoughtful curation means choosing what invites exploration without chaos. Lighting, furniture placement, and materials become tools for guiding behavior. As the authors explain, “When environments are intentionally designed, children are given opportunities to explore, test ideas, and make meaning in ways that foster both independence and collaboration.” The classroom environment, then, becomes the “third teacher, encouraging children to regulate themselves and work together" (a basic tenet of the Reggio Emilia educational philosophy).
Routines as Regulation
Predictable routines are as critical as physical space. Tourigny explains, “When children are well regulated, their attention and focus is better because they are able to resist distractions, persist at tasks, and remain calm when they become frustrated.”
Transitions, lining up, and cleanup can either be flashpoints for conflict or moments of practice in self-regulation. Strategic tools like transition songs, picture schedules, or built-in movement breaks give children security and help them manage big feelings.
Holland reminds us that every decision carries weight. “For the record, all decisions we make in the classroom come with costs and benefits,” and choosing routines that reduce stress and foster predictability tips the balance toward calmer, more positive behavior.
Every Choice Matters
Every detail of classroom design, from the respect in the way adults speak to children, to the light filtering through the windows, to the ritual of lining up for recess, communicates expectations and values. Responsive environments don’t direct children; they help them learn how to guide themselves, preparing them for success in and beyond the classroom.
