A classroom in Japan with polyester fiberboard tiles on the ceiling to promote sound absorption. Credit: Ikuri Matsuoka When children are dropped off at a school or daycare for the first time, there can be a lot of feelings and sometimes meltdowns caused by being separated from parents, meeting new people, and hearing new noises. Could the architecture of the room help to soothe at least some of the children's concerns? "Classrooms without any sound absorp