My students need the ability to move and find comfort better than our metal stools allow. The various sized stability balls and cushions give them more options for comfortable seating.
Einstein once said, “life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving,” and in high school our students aren’t given the opportunity to move enough. Instead of moving they go from class to class sitting in small desks that restrict movement. By the end of the day they are lethargic and out of balance. I would like to remedy that by providing alternative seating.
My school is located in a small, rural town with an enrollment of 385 students with diverse interests.
I teach biology to sophomores and elective classes to upperclassmen. Some are affluent, while quite a few come to school hungry. For the most part, they have been with each other since kindergarten, and have become like a family.
My Project
In our classroom, my nearly 100 students sit on 24-inch metal stools during our time together. In years past, they have complained about their backs hurting, had terrible posture and would end up standing around the room to allow some movement and to avoid using these seats. For first semester this year, I purchased 1 small stability ball and 2 wobble cushions to see if the students would use them. After the first month of school, students completed a survey to help me determine what type of seating they prefer. Some preferred the stools, while others wanted larger stability balls and some enjoyed the cushions so they could bounce through Biology! These students range in age from 15 to 18 and vary significantly in size, so the survey results confirmed my expectation for diverse seating preferences.
Providing additional flexible seating options will allow more students to be comfortable, but also increase blood flow (yay, science) and concentration.
Additionally, these balls and cushions will reduce the daily battles over their current options, and like Einstein suggested, allow them to keep moving in order to keep their balance!
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