I am a kindergarten teacher from Ohio. Our school is going through some big changes this summer as we get a new high school and renovated middle school. Unfortunately, our elementary school is not being renovated. I am unsure of the exact number of students I will have this year as it is summer and I teach kindergarten. My class size is usually around 18 students. We also switch for reading class and since I teach the struggling readers my class size is smaller and is around 15 students during that time.
It is always exciting to start the year with a fun energetic group of five year old's who are open to learning and making friends!
For some students it will be their first experience in a school setting. My kindergarten students are always full of questions, on the move and most importantly just share a love for learning! As a teacher there is nothing better than seeing the growth they each make every year as individuals and as a class!
My Project
The kindergarten students in my class struggle to stay seated. They go from being at home and having free play throughout the day to sitting in a classroom for several hours a day. I differentiate my lessons each year to best meet their needs but am now working on differentiating their seating choices as well! Students deserve the chance to choose a seat that suits their learning best!
Research shows that the brain learns best and retains most when the organism is actively involved in physical activity.
What better way to keep students physically active than to give them chairs in which they can wobble, bounce and move on! Flexible seating not only helps meet the needs of my students but it also helps with any student that has sensory issues. Giving them a choice to not have to sit in a standard classroom chair will open up many opportunities for students to do their best in the classroom.
I know as teachers we are constantly being told about different ways to prepare our students for the future. In the future, my students will be faced with a world full of choices. I can’t expect them to be able to problem solve and make choices on their own if I am constantly making choices and decisions for them. As one teacher stated on her blog, “Our classroom environments should be conducive to open collaboration, communication, creativity, and critical thinking.” Students cannot engage as easily with classmates when sitting in rows at desks. By bringing additional flexible seating into my classroom, I will continue creating a student-centered classroom, full of choices for my students every day.
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