The Advantages of Lockers in Schools

There are many advantages of having lockers in schools. Aside from their surface usages, like storing books, clothing and other possessions, they introduce students to a number of features that are less apparent. Learning how to properly use a locker, including the conditions or circumstances that surround its usage, actually mirror a variety of situations that students will encounter in the future.

Lockers provide students with a space of their own. They’re held accountable for its contents and it’s their job to care for and maintain that space. Memorizing locker combinations help students gain a sense of responsibility; if they want to get what they need, they’re required to know the combination and be able to open it. This serves as practice for other things they’ll have to preserve and be able to access later in life (i.e., safety deposit boxes, pin numbers and alarm codes).

Another advantage of lockers is how they teach students to respect other people’s property. A student’s locker tends to contain things that are valuable to them and that they need, like pictures, books, homework and other belongings. A locker is supposed to be a safe place for students to store items without having to worry that they’ll be stolen or ruined. Given that students want to be confident that their locker’s possessions are protected, odds are they’ll show consideration for their fellow student’s lockers.

Additionally, lockers are temporary and belong to the school; hence, students are required to obey all locker rules that are implemented. Lockers are a privilege that provide students with ease and accessibility. Every book is not needed for every school period and school supplies can be heavy and hard to cart around. If a student misuses her locker or breaks a rule, her privilege is revoked and she will have to suffer the consequences. The same system applies to diverse situations that students will inevitably encounter.

Lockers provide students with a key life skill--time management. Students have a designated time period in between classes when they can retrieve their supplies. They need to think ahead and plan how to manage their time so they won’t be late. It’s their responsibility to create a system that works for them. The ability to constructively manage time is relevant in all areas of life, including careers, relationships, homework and studying.

A major advantage of lockers is the social environment that surrounds them. Lockers are where a lot of public interaction takes place. This teaches students about social responsibility and etiquette. Regardless of whether or not they are friendly with the students who have lockers next to them, they need to respect them. In school (work and other social settings), you may not know everyone around you or even like them. However, lockers present students with a chance to converse with different types of people outside a specific peer group and form new relationships.