Walking into New Providence High School on the first day of the 2023–2024 school year, many students were surprised. All of the old desks with their standardized tops, classic for any public school, were swapped out with new, funky shaped desks with wheels attached to the bottom. The metal chairs that were infamous for grating on the ground when pushed were replaced by bright green rolling chairs. All of this new furniture is here, but the real question is: do the students and staff like them? Do they consider them an upgrade, or a wasteful way to spend the school’s precious budget?

Brian Henry, the principal of New Providence High School, explained how the decision to replace the old with the new was “a district decision” that was formulated all the way before the COVID-19 pandemic. Henry went on to elaborate how the main goal was to: “create mobile, flexible learning spaces that are comfortable for students and allow for collaboration.”

In recent years, schools all across the nation have been experimenting with different factors to improve learning in classrooms, including seating arrangements.  When you think of a traditional classroom, what do you think of? A common image would include a wooden teacher’s desk in the corner of the room with an apple on top, a smartboard in front of the class, and a grid of rows upon rows of desks. Many students usually crowd towards the back of the class, wanting to get a couple minutes of shut eye or avoid speaking in front of their peers. Studies, and even teachers, have explained how this way of setting up the desks is not conducive to effective learning as it allows for disconnection between students and teachers.

Ms. Henriques, a Spanish teacher at New Providence High School whose classroom is filled with these new desks that manage to fit together, sometimes magically, claimed that “[the desks] allow for more collaboration.” 

Not everyone agrees that the desks lend themselves towards connection in a positive way.

Hannah Vaikath, a sophomore at NPHS, explained her discontent with the desks: “They are oddly shaped, difficult to put together, and in certain arrangements, they put you too close to the person next to you.” 

Both sides have a lot of weight – yes, the tables can be put in all sorts of fun configurations around the classroom, but is it worth it if every single time the furniture is moved, it seems to take an eternity to figure out how the tables fit together correctly? 

The desks aren’t the only new additions, however. 

According to Henry, the rolling chairs were chosen to provide flexibility, giving teachers and students “the opportunity to reconstruct the classroom.” 

Instead of getting up and walking to the teacher’s desk, it is very common now for a student to just roll their chair to where the teacher is in the room. Furthermore, not only do the chairs have wheels attached to them, but the nature of the seat also allows for students to rock back and forth on them. This mobility, according to research from the CDC, highly benefits the students as they are able to concentrate more on their work. Data shows that even this tiny amount of movement has the capability of increasing brain function for the majority of children. 

There are also some mixed reviews regarding these new chairs, especially when considering the balance between appearance, comfort, and functionality.

Maggie Liu, another sophomore at NPHS, said she has “mixed feelings because the chairs look nice, but personally for me – are not comfortable.” 

The chairs add a pop of color to the classrooms and are an upgrade from the old, metal ones we all know so well, however appearances are sometimes not worth it if it discards the importance of comfort. 

Others, such as Vaikath, like the chairs as it is fun to “roll around in class.” 

Whether or not you believe the wheels on the desks allow for ease when changing the formation of the classroom, and the mobility of the chairs aids students’ focus and concentration, the new furniture is here to stay. 

Henry acknowledged that it is sometimes hard to fully absorb and adapt to such a big change:  “it may take time to get used to.”