Kindergarten is the best! I have been living the kinder life for six years now and I cannot imagine myself anywhere else. Five and six year olds are very active. I love to engage them and make them a part of their learning. My students range from all abilities, cultures, and backgrounds. I have a large population of special education students each year as my school district is inclusion based. I began to explore flexible seating for my special education students. They had a variety of options and each kid seemed to gravitate towards a certain option. Then I started to realize that these adaptations are beneficial to ALL learners. I want my students to know that they can accomplish anything and I do not want to squash their energy, I want them to use it.
My Project
I have implemented some flexible seating in my classroom already. I have bouncy ball chairs, floor cushions, and small stools. The students LOVE being able to not only pick their seats each day but have the ability to move while working. The wobbly stools from Lakeshore are perfect for my high energy kids. Kids have both feet on the floor but they are constantly in motion. This also helps engage their core muscles and fine motor skills. The students in my class who have trouble holding a pencil are the ones who often lean over or lay down on the carpet. They need exercises that strengthen their abdominals and the wobbly stools are the best for this! The cushions would be great to put on the low stools that I already have in my classroom. They provide a squishy feeling that students can feel as they squirm in their chair. Sensory is very important to kinder and they are always looking for something to touch. The seating options I already have are amazing but I would LOVE to have a full class set that provides an array of options. Some students need to bounce. Some students need to wobble. Some students need to feel grounded and some need sensory input at all times. The possibilities are endless and the outcome is oh so rewarding.
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