Why would I like flexible seating in my classroom? There are lots of reasons, but the big two are choice and physical health.
Flexible Seating is about choice. 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.
Kayla Delzer, is the author of the popular 2015 EdSurge story, “Why the 21st-Century Classroom May Remind You of Starbucks.” In a 2016 follow-up story on Edutopia, she says giving students choices about their physical classroom space teaches them higher-order thinking skills.
“Outside the windows of our classroom is a dynamic, fast-paced, and ever-changing world full of choices. How can we expect our students to solve problems and make choices independently if we constantly solve their problems and make their choices for them?”
Another reason would be physical health. 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.
It’s no surprise that physical activity is linked to higher academic performance, better health, and improved behavior. An academic paper by Matthew T. Mahar, et al, found that simple in-class activities can boost performance. Studies suggest that children who participate in short bouts of physical activity within the classroom have more on-task behavior, too.
An uncomfortable student is a distracted and unproductive student. For example, picture a student who skipped or didn’t have access to breakfast.
While research on flexible seating is limited, it’s clear that learning environments can have a direct impact on student achievement.
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Why would I like flexible seating in my classroom? There are lots of reasons, but the big two are choice and physical health.
Flexible Seating is about choice. 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.
Kayla Delzer, is the author of the popular 2015 EdSurge story, “Why the 21st-Century Classroom May Remind You of Starbucks.” In a 2016 follow-up story on Edutopia, she says giving students choices about their physical classroom space teaches them higher-order thinking skills.
“Outside the windows of our classroom is a dynamic, fast-paced, and ever-changing world full of choices. How can we expect our students to solve problems and make choices independently if we constantly solve their problems and make their choices for them?”
Another reason would be physical health. 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.
It’s no surprise that physical activity is linked to higher academic performance, better health, and improved behavior. An academic paper by Matthew T. Mahar, et al, found that simple in-class activities can boost performance. Studies suggest that children who participate in short bouts of physical activity within the classroom have more on-task behavior, too.
An uncomfortable student is a distracted and unproductive student. For example, picture a student who skipped or didn’t have access to breakfast.
While research on flexible seating is limited, it’s clear that learning environments can have a direct impact on student achievement.
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