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Ms. Jalkanen's Classroom Edit display name

  • Gladstone Elementary School
  • Kansas City, MO
  • Nearly all students from low‑income households Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more

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My students have a hard time sustaining independent reading while seated at a desk or table. They need to be able to move or stretch out in order to maintain independent reading time of 20 minutes or more. They also need to put distance between themselves and their neighbors in order to maintain their focus. I would like students to be able to choose to lay or sit on a large pillow or carpet or choose a bean bag chair to sit on. If we had large pillows and bean bag chairs they could move them to a quiet space in the room. By adding different forms of seating options, kids will be able to spread out across the room and comfortably find a space to read independently without distractions from other individuals or groups. I am hoping to create a more comfortable reading environment for my students. I want my students to be able to choose where to sit when they are independently reading. Having large pillows and bean bag chairs and a soft carpet to choose from will help make this possible. My goal is that they will be so comfortably engaged that they won't want to stop reading! This can't be easily done if they are sitting at a desk or on a hard floor (our floors are tiled, not carpeted). My students do best when given autonomy, which is a researched based practice, so I want to ensure my students have voice and a choice in what we do. Most of my students would like seating that allows them to read quietly, without distraction. Research has found that when students are uncomfortable, they are distracted, and this hinders the learning process (Herman Miller,2008). Everyone should be comfortable while they are working.

About my class

My students have a hard time sustaining independent reading while seated at a desk or table. They need to be able to move or stretch out in order to maintain independent reading time of 20 minutes or more. They also need to put distance between themselves and their neighbors in order to maintain their focus. I would like students to be able to choose to lay or sit on a large pillow or carpet or choose a bean bag chair to sit on. If we had large pillows and bean bag chairs they could move them to a quiet space in the room. By adding different forms of seating options, kids will be able to spread out across the room and comfortably find a space to read independently without distractions from other individuals or groups. I am hoping to create a more comfortable reading environment for my students. I want my students to be able to choose where to sit when they are independently reading. Having large pillows and bean bag chairs and a soft carpet to choose from will help make this possible. My goal is that they will be so comfortably engaged that they won't want to stop reading! This can't be easily done if they are sitting at a desk or on a hard floor (our floors are tiled, not carpeted). My students do best when given autonomy, which is a researched based practice, so I want to ensure my students have voice and a choice in what we do. Most of my students would like seating that allows them to read quietly, without distraction. Research has found that when students are uncomfortable, they are distracted, and this hinders the learning process (Herman Miller,2008). Everyone should be comfortable while they are working.

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About my class

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