White Homeroom Soothes the Soul

November 30, 2006 at 1:20 pm | In Lifestyle, Sciences |

Some things are universal: everybody hates taxes. Root for the underdog. Monday mornings suck.

These truths aren’t only universal geographically, they’re universal generationally, as well. Twenty-five year-olds hate paying taxes just as much as senior citizens, you root for the Chicago Cubs the same way you root for the little kid fighting a bully, and Monday back at school is just as bad (if not worse) than Monday in the office.

Well, except for the students at Wilkomitz Elementary School in Rosh Pina, Israel. Their principal, Chava Inbar, has developed an innovative approach to getting rid of those Monday morning blues and any others that might arise throughout the week. At Wilkomitz, whenever a student is feeling overwhelmed, or uninspired, or just bored, they head over to a special room designed to brighten their day – aptly nicknamed ‘the White Room.’ Upon entering, one encounters a floor lined with white pillows, soothing music playing in the background, aromatic scents floating through the air, and dim lighting.

Sound like it’s designed to ‘put you in the mood’? It is, but not that kind of mood. Mz. Inbar explains that the room, which is designed to relax each of the five senses, very clearly improves students’ desire to learn, their interpersonal interaction, and the general sociable atmosphere.

Sounds good to me. I just hope that my boss reads this and is similarly inspired.