Past projects 2
Outer Order, Inner Calm
Funded Aug 15, 2023This classroom project was brought to life by The State of Oklahoma.Flexible Seating to Promote Safety, Autonomy and Comfort in Learning
Funded Dec 12, 2020
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My grant request is for flexible seating that promotes safety and comfort. Currently, I am wall to wall tables and chairs in my room. It is very hard for my students to social distance during our current Covid Crisis. Flexible seating would remove several of the tables and chairs, and replace them with alternative seating options that will allow the students to spread out around the room, utilizing the space to its fullest potential. I am the ELA Special Ed teacher for the middle school, but I also teach an Explore class on Academic Achievement to the entire 6th grade. I expect that over 100 students will walk in and out of my door over the course of the 20/21 school year. The educational goal is for students to be actively engaged in learning in an alternative environment that provides them with options of how they want to approach their learning for the day. Experts suggest that flexible seating allows for a greater sense of control and autonomy among students which leads to improved focus and increased time active learning. Additionally, if the student has chosen the way they physically want to approach their learning, they are less likely to exhibit behavior problems. Another goal is to promote social distancing in a way that feels natural and normal to the students. Flexible seating naturally promotes social distancing, as it scatters the children throughout the learning environment. Instead of being crammed four to a table, students will be more likely to work in pairs or trio clusters around the room.