Feng Shui Your Classroom

Some of you have already returned to the classroom (ACK!), others will be there in a few weeks, while a few lucky ones have one more month of summer vacation left.  Now is the time to think about how you can prepare your classroom according to Feng Shui to make this year's environment the best ever.  As a result of your efforts, you should have the best educational year ever, too!  Here are the steps:

1. De-clutter.  The custodial staff probably left your room in a shambles after they cleaned and polished the floors.  Now is the time to toss those aging posters and unused files into the recycling bin. 
2. Follow the bagua.  Look at the bagua at the bottom of this blog and energize those areas of your room with the appropriate chi-friendly items.  For example, to energize the chi in the creativity area, you might use an aluminum foil background for the bulletin board with 7 affirmations for creativity written on it.  Or, to energize the self-worth area, place four plants there.  Remember to rotate your bulletin boards and water your plants!  Attack the other areas of the room in the same manner, always considering how the chi would want to move from one area to the other as it energizes your students in the middle.
3. Remember Yin and Yang.  Most classrooms are way to yang (loud, noisy, bright).  So tone down the yang with some yin by lowering the lights, closing the shades, and adding incandesent rather than flourescent lights.  It's all about the balance!
4. Energize missing areas. If your room is not square or rectangular, consider what area is missing.  Add the appropriate elements to help the chi adjust to that missing corner.  For example, if you are missing. the "helpful people" area, you might find that your students are less than cordial to each other.  Energize the area around this missing corner with a gray earthenware pot that containes six wrought iron designs (think flowers!) of some sort.  Yard sales are wonderful places to find treasures to Feng Shui your classroom.  However, be careful that you don't bring other people's problems back with you.  Cleanse the items either physically with soap and water or metaphorically with incense before placing in your classroom.
5. Work on odors and ions.  When I was teaching, I ate an orange for lunch nearly every day, and then placed the peelings in a bowl near the door.  The natural orange scent welcomed students into the room and masked some natural teen odors!  Also, I absolutly love this Himalayan Salt Crystal Lamp because it acts as a natural air purifier.

For more tips, read my book Feng Shui for the Classroom.

Happy Teaching!