Have you ever walked into a classroom where students are scattered around the room, sitting on beanbag chairs, stools, balance balls, or scoop rockers? If you have, you'd notice one thing. Students were working collaboratively, communicating, and engaging in critical thinking.
Comfort is not always a quantifiable phenomenon, but we know that when people are uncomfortable, they are distracted.
Students feel empowered by having some degree of choice and control over their environment. Flexible seating allows students to choose where they work and with whom. It also allows them to change their location and positions as needed.
Children need to move. Flexible seating allows them to wobble, rock, bounce, lean or stand, which increases oxygen flow to the brain, blood flow and core strength. In turn, this burns more calories and increases metabolism. It also helps keep young minds more alert and focused.
An uncomfortable student, is a distracted and unproductive student. For example, picture a student who skipped or didn’t have access to breakfast. As the countdown to lunch approaches, the sound of his or her growling stomach will make it impossibly hard to hear the teacher’s voice. A uncomfortable chair can have the same affect.
Traditional desks can make students territorial or possessive over their space and supplies. Flexible seating encourages students to share both. And, it encourages them to take turns in different locations and with different seating options.
Flexible seating allows students to quickly and easily pair up, work in small groups, or discuss as a whole class – without moving mountains of heavy desks to establish eye contact.
While research on flexible seating is limited, it’s clear that learning environments can have a direct impact on student achievement. Please consider helping us bring our learning to the next level.
About my class
Have you ever walked into a classroom where students are scattered around the room, sitting on beanbag chairs, stools, balance balls, or scoop rockers? If you have, you'd notice one thing. Students were working collaboratively, communicating, and engaging in critical thinking.
Comfort is not always a quantifiable phenomenon, but we know that when people are uncomfortable, they are distracted.
Students feel empowered by having some degree of choice and control over their environment. Flexible seating allows students to choose where they work and with whom. It also allows them to change their location and positions as needed.
Children need to move. Flexible seating allows them to wobble, rock, bounce, lean or stand, which increases oxygen flow to the brain, blood flow and core strength. In turn, this burns more calories and increases metabolism. It also helps keep young minds more alert and focused.
An uncomfortable student, is a distracted and unproductive student. For example, picture a student who skipped or didn’t have access to breakfast. As the countdown to lunch approaches, the sound of his or her growling stomach will make it impossibly hard to hear the teacher’s voice. A uncomfortable chair can have the same affect.
Traditional desks can make students territorial or possessive over their space and supplies. Flexible seating encourages students to share both. And, it encourages them to take turns in different locations and with different seating options.
Flexible seating allows students to quickly and easily pair up, work in small groups, or discuss as a whole class – without moving mountains of heavy desks to establish eye contact.
While research on flexible seating is limited, it’s clear that learning environments can have a direct impact on student achievement. Please consider helping us bring our learning to the next level.
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