More than half of students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education.
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In my short two years of being a certified teacher, I have had the pleasure of teaching in both a General Education and a Special Education setting. During this time I've had many opportunities to observe other students and other educators. One thing that I saw often were students who moved around, fidgeted, and lack of engagement, while a teacher battled them to 'stay seated'. The common theme was that they needed to move and were not authentically engaged in the lesson while an educator tried their best to follow the tradition of students at a desk in a chair.
During this time I was also able to witness 2 remarkable teachers who implemented flexible seating seamlessly and the rewards that went with it. I saw were students who were engaged, thriving and taking responsible ownership of their learning. Teachers reported better scores and proficiency levels, students who were authentically engaged and even less behavior problems.
My goal through flexible seating, is to provide my new 1st grade students with just that- an opportunity to learn in avenues that help them thrive and succeed. Research has shown that young children need to move. It reduces behavior problems, engages them in the class, and provides the opportunities for success that they might not get in a desk/chair traditional setting. Being able to use bouncy chairs, engagement stools, and wobble seats allow them to expend their energy, meet sensory needs, and help get them authentically engaged in their lesson.
About my class
In my short two years of being a certified teacher, I have had the pleasure of teaching in both a General Education and a Special Education setting. During this time I've had many opportunities to observe other students and other educators. One thing that I saw often were students who moved around, fidgeted, and lack of engagement, while a teacher battled them to 'stay seated'. The common theme was that they needed to move and were not authentically engaged in the lesson while an educator tried their best to follow the tradition of students at a desk in a chair.
During this time I was also able to witness 2 remarkable teachers who implemented flexible seating seamlessly and the rewards that went with it. I saw were students who were engaged, thriving and taking responsible ownership of their learning. Teachers reported better scores and proficiency levels, students who were authentically engaged and even less behavior problems.
My goal through flexible seating, is to provide my new 1st grade students with just that- an opportunity to learn in avenues that help them thrive and succeed. Research has shown that young children need to move. It reduces behavior problems, engages them in the class, and provides the opportunities for success that they might not get in a desk/chair traditional setting. Being able to use bouncy chairs, engagement stools, and wobble seats allow them to expend their energy, meet sensory needs, and help get them authentically engaged in their lesson.