" Kinesthetic learners often wiggle, tap their feet, or move their legs when they sit (and) ... were often labeled 'hyperactive' as children." Unfortunately, not much movement is associated with English class! I want my kids to be able to fidget if necessary to focus their brains
Going from a construction site to a traditional classroom is a giant shift!
Many of my students take building trades courses alongside my English class, putting them in exactly that position and challenging them to sit still before even thinking about content. They need to move!
They go from walking and standing for hours, talking freely and swinging hammers to sitting sedately in a classroom being told to read quietly and be still. Many of theses kids live on farms and do not function well sitting still. If I expect to engage them in my classroom I need to not only make the material relevant to them but also give them as much physical freedom as possible. Standing desks and moveable chairs are a good start.
That boy last semester, whose name was always followed by "...sit down!" "...leave me alone!" or simply "...argh!" might have been less frustrating to others had he had these options. Such active learners have such potential if we only give them outlets for all their energy.
My Project
Students used to doing physical work struggle to do what feels like nothing in a traditional classroom. While I work creatively to find more ways to physically involve them, I will always have a need to present things to the class on a regular basis in a "sit and get" setting. With a stand up desk or wiggling chair, they will at least have some small outlet for their energies when I need their minds focused on me. Perhaps writing will not be such a struggle if legs are not scrunched under a too-small-for-a-six-foot-tall-boy desk. One boy looked so uncomfortable last semester that it was little wonder he struggled to feel included in this academic setting. How could he feel a part of a group when even the furniture did not fit? New furniture would allow active students to feel more at home in my classroom and let them focus on learning, not their physical presence.
No matter what role students will have in the world they will need to effectively communicate.
What I have to share with them in English class is necessary for their success, but getting them to see, feel, and live that connection with what they would prefer to do (anything besides sit still in a small desk!) is a struggle. These students who already know they learn best by being active will benefit from this purchase because it will allow them to mesh how they learn with what I want them to do.
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. Kwiatkowski and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.