From this NY Times article, I learned that humans are more productive when they work in well designed, well decorated spaces. A study on people in hospitals, offices, and schools has shown that a window view with a landscape outside helps them be more productive and healthier. Also, humans like to look at fractals (and fractals of a certain density), and this helps them perform better, too.
The implications for teachers are clear.
1. Try to get a classroom with a view!
2. Decorate your classroom with shades of green and landscapes.
3. Put fractals up – not too sparse and not too dense.