A good smell plays a pivotal role for students in classroom for their better learning and retaining.
Apart from memory-inducing magical powers, there are certain fragrances which can do wonders for mind and body of children. In nutshell, a good smell acts a building bridge between children and their positive memories of school and learning.
Scientists and others are looking into ways to influence the senses of smell in order to achieve the target of better performance outcomes in the classroom.
In a London high school, special educational needs students were exposed to different and specific classroom scents to encourage them while revising different subjects: "grapefruit scents for maths, lavender for French and spearmint for history."
Instead of undervaluing the sense of smell, it has become important to switch to good fragrances in any form: Air fresheners, Oil burners or Fragrance Oils, for better output of students in a classroom.
Following are few fragrances with their benefits that can be used in a classroom:
Cinnamon- A Real booster for brain power…
The relevance of Cinnamon, just like a puff of air has passed away in present scenario but it was used to be considered of more than a worth of gold to the ancient Egyptians. The only reason for its priceless value was the healthful and medicinal properties that reside in it.
In this fast-paced world, where attention span and patience level of a human is decreasing, it is important to come up with solution for our future generations.
A small human study by Wheeling Jesuit University suggests that merely taking a whiff of the sweet smelling spice, cinnamon can improve performance of several types of memory tasks. It can help to improve the cognitive functions like visual-motor response, working memory and attention span.
So, a fragrance of cinnamon can be used in form air freshener or oil burner in a classroom to improve the memory and attention span of students.
Citrus- Injects energy and alertness…
A student going through a tough test or stuck in some complicated mathematics problem, inhaling the citrusy scent could be the best pushing factor what his mind needs.
A Japanese study found that when workers were exposed to the scent of lemon, typing accuracy showed improvement with workers making 54% less errors.
Scents like lemon and orange are not only rich source of Vitamin-C, but sniffing their scent can have many other positive effects on students like:
- Boosting alertness and energy.
- Promoting concentration.
- The calming properties are helpful when one feel angry or anxious.
So, find a suitable place in a classroom to place an oil-burner with a citrus scent so that every student gets an equal share of the whiff.
Peppermint- Stimulates concentration…
At the best of times, it can be difficult to keep children focused on their school work, but peppermint, apart from giving a sweet breath, will also do miracles for their brain. Oil from the little leaves of peppermint has ability to elevate the mood and stimulating the mind and body.
It can act as a magical wand for the students when taking tests and is linked to greater motivation and their overall performance. The other benefits of sniffing a scent of peppermint are as follows:
- Energy booster.
- Promotes concentration.
- Stimulates clear thinking.
- Invigorates mind.
Studies have even shown that athletes who smell peppermint have improved athletic performance and better breathing.
A school in Liverpool perfectly used two senses: sense of smell and sense of sound to improve the concentration, memory and attitude of students in classroom.
A sound of trickling water and smell of peppermint joined their hands for bringing change in student’s life. However, the results of the experiment are yet to come, but school staff claims that it is already having a positive effect on pupils.
Apart from modifying the teaching techniques and changing the school curriculum, bringing a little change in the aroma of classrooms can help students to achieve miracles.
