Succulents, roses, cacti: what do they all have in common? They’re plants. These plants are all found around the world, and in some places more so than others. The one particular place that is up for debate is the school classroom. Should teachers have plants? 

According to research by “Science Daily”, having greenery in sight has psychological benefits. They’ve been shown to help motivate, improve concentration along with other benefits.

The question comes in, are plants a benefit or a distraction to students? 

“When I walk into a classroom and see a plant, I want to touch it,” senior Alex Buswell said, “I know I can’t during class, but before or after I definitely want to.” 

Other students agreed on the statement made by Buswell. They want to know what kind of plant it is, what it requires to grow and of course, what it feels like. 

“I like having them in the classrooms,” freshman Olivia Kinnamon said. “I don’t think they really help that much, I just like looking at them.” 

Not only does this topic include small plants inside the classroom, but also the openness of classrooms. Students have reported they don’t enjoy classrooms without windows because they feel “trapped” or that it’s “too dark,” which causes them to be unproductive. 

Based off of scientific research, having plants in classrooms along with open windows does in fact help students perform better. Whether they realize it or they just find the plants “fun to look at” they’re helping them more than they realize.