Editorial

Eden Marine High School (EMHS) is your ordinary, average, everyday high school, meaning it has a very limited colour palette and a fondness for concrete. This, coupled with a number of external factors, is one of the major contributions to poor motivation in schools. Not only is the physical environment bleak and disheartening, but most teachers tend to turn a blind eye when it's brought up. So what are some of these issues, and how can we fix them?

Students spend much of their day in classrooms that almost never feel warm or welcoming, where as rooms that do improve student's morale and motivation, while also encouraging the students to actually be there. And although the education system seems to think so, this requires having more on the walls than just white paint and blank boards. Decorating the classrooms also provides an opportunity for students to help create an interesting and inviting environment that supports positive interaction. If teachers took a period or two to brainstorm with the kids how they could improve the classrooms, productivity would skyrocket.

Classrooms with minimal windows and/or inadequate natural light can increase student depression and inattentiveness, while at the other extreme, windows without blinds or other light blocks make visual medias difficult to use. The design of the building has a huge impact on the student's learning too. EMHS was built in xxxx, and hence has no regard for eco design and can't harness natural energy. This makes the classrooms extremely hot during summer and freezing in winter (the gas heaters don't do much aside from asphyxiate us faster), some of the windows don't even open. There is a simple solution to this. Upgrade the facilities. Give us openable windows and a/c. The only reason this hasn't been done is cost, and that can be solved with grants and proper funding.

Last but certainly not least is the colour schemes. Black, white, grey and one shade of blue may be appealing to some, but a little variation is in order. EMHS has started down this path by installing 'colourful' carpets and repainting some classroom doors, but we can do better. Hire local artists for murals, consult with the students on how to improve the learning environment! Plants! Anything to add a pop of colour into the classrooms. It will help us, the teachers, other staff members, everyone, and will encourage more kids to the school in the future.