Teacher Desks

The teacher desk is the longest-serving item of furniture in a classroom — student desks may change room by room, but the teacher desk usually stays where it is. Sırasan produces four desks and four lecterns in this category. The two answer different needs: a desk is for seated work and paperwork, a lectern for teaching and presenting while standing.

Desk or lectern?

Four desk models

Four lectern models

Why a lockable drawer matters

A teacher desk drawer holds examination papers, mark books and personal belongings. An unlocked drawer leaves that content unprotected during break. We recommend the lockable option particularly in schools where examination papers are stored and where a classroom is used by more than one teacher during the day.

If you do not want a lockable drawer, the alternative is a separate lockable cabinet in the classroom; but in both space and cost that is usually more expensive than a lockable drawer in the desk.

Layout: where does the desk go?

The position of the teacher desk is set by three criteria. First, sightlines: the whole class, especially the back rows, must be visible from the desk. Second, board access: the desk must not block the board and the teacher should reach it in a few steps. Third, the entrance door: a position with a view of the door reduces the disruption caused by latecomers.

In narrow classrooms, choosing a lectern instead of a desk gains noticeable space. If you are planning the whole room, our classroom equipment page covers layout as a whole.

Staff rooms and administrative areas

Teacher desks are not only bought for classrooms. Staff rooms, head and deputy head offices, guidance services and administrative units all draw on this category — but their needs differ from the classroom's.

In staff rooms desks are usually shared and used by more than one person during the day; a lockable drawer is close to essential there. In head and administrative offices the desk carries more of a representative function, and the closed-frame Leo model is preferred. In guidance services, where meetings take place, the layout must leave a seating area opposite the desk.

To plan these spaces as a whole, our school administrative office page covers desks, cabinets and seating together.

Material, durability and lectern height

Desk tops are standard 60×110 cm melamine with PVC edge banding. On lecterns, Werzalit and CDF options come to the fore — a lectern top is used standing and sees more contact and friction.

A lectern is used standing and its height is set accordingly. At the correct height the teacher reaches the reading surface with elbows slightly bent; shoulders do not ride up and there is no need to lean forward. A lectern that is too low causes back pain during long teaching; one that is too high causes shoulder fatigue. In conference and ceremony spaces there is a further criterion: the slope of the reading surface. The sloping surface of the Wooden Speaker's Lectern angles the text towards the speaker and allows reading without bowing the head, so eye contact with the audience is not lost.