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Ms. Derks’ Classroom Edit display name

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Last week, a student entered my 7th-hour class--our last class of the day--with a bundle of energy. I had already had him in class once earlier in the morning, but his energy, attention, and activity levels were off the charts. This class is just 1 hour after lunch and recess, so my kiddos are typically a bit more revved up than in the morning. As the bell rang, I asked the kids to find their seats so we could continue our read aloud of "The Outsiders". This kiddo, my high energy student, exclaimed, exasperated, "Why do we always have to sit in school?--I'm so TIRED of sitting!". I said to him, "I know, buddy. That's just how school is." But as that last hour wore on, I couldn't help but think about what the student said and more importantly, my reaction to that statement. It truly was a lightbulb moment for me as a teacher. Sitting all day should not be the norm just because it's how we've always done it. And sitting all day should not be the expectation just because our classroom furniture dictates it. My classroom contains 26 desks--the ones with the chair attached to it. You probably remember them from your days at school; they are not the most comfortable and are not always conducive to learning for some students with different learning styles. The furniture I'm looking to add to my classroom would give all students additional seating options to better attend to the lesson. Hokki stools allow the user to wobble while staying in one place--this is not only stimulating to students with attention difficulties, but they are not distracting to others around them. Additionally, the stools and table will give a standing option to students who'd rather stand than sit down during a lesson.

About my class

Last week, a student entered my 7th-hour class--our last class of the day--with a bundle of energy. I had already had him in class once earlier in the morning, but his energy, attention, and activity levels were off the charts. This class is just 1 hour after lunch and recess, so my kiddos are typically a bit more revved up than in the morning. As the bell rang, I asked the kids to find their seats so we could continue our read aloud of "The Outsiders". This kiddo, my high energy student, exclaimed, exasperated, "Why do we always have to sit in school?--I'm so TIRED of sitting!". I said to him, "I know, buddy. That's just how school is." But as that last hour wore on, I couldn't help but think about what the student said and more importantly, my reaction to that statement. It truly was a lightbulb moment for me as a teacher. Sitting all day should not be the norm just because it's how we've always done it. And sitting all day should not be the expectation just because our classroom furniture dictates it. My classroom contains 26 desks--the ones with the chair attached to it. You probably remember them from your days at school; they are not the most comfortable and are not always conducive to learning for some students with different learning styles. The furniture I'm looking to add to my classroom would give all students additional seating options to better attend to the lesson. Hokki stools allow the user to wobble while staying in one place--this is not only stimulating to students with attention difficulties, but they are not distracting to others around them. Additionally, the stools and table will give a standing option to students who'd rather stand than sit down during a lesson.

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About my class

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