My students need a variety of flexible seating options, like the Backless Balance Ball Chair, Inflatable Wobble Cushions, Balance Ball Seats and the Comfy Chairs!
The group of students that will have access to these materials is a very adventurous group. They strive to explore new things and figure out what they can do in this world.
Our neighborhood is divided into two types of living: apartments on one side of the school, then suburban homes on the other side.
A lot of our students come from low income homes of single parents or one working parent. Some live with relatives or are foster children. Therefore, a lot of them do not get the time to get out and explore. Most of their lives are full of strife and heartache.
My Project
Last year I started transforming my classroom from only tables and chairs to the flexible seating concept. There are some floor seating options, a few yoga balls, stools, balance stools, bean bag chairs and the basic table and chair options. As I started this transformation, I saw an amazing change in my students work ethic and focus each day.
I want to continue providing choice to my students.
With this project I will be adding even more variety and choice for them. The Backless Balance Balls provide students with the yoga ball feel, but with a little more stability and then there are the yoga balls with little feet, that provide the same type of flexibility. With the inflatable cushions, students will have the option to either sit on the floor or use them on stools. The comfy chairs will have a designated location in the classroom, but can still be a choice for seating. For my current bean bag chairs, the fillers got pretty flat, so I am also in need of some more filler.
Each day, students will be able to chose their seat. It could be the same each day, or something different, but the purpose is that they're are sitting in a comfortable atmosphere that allows them to focus. After rigorous training, students will be aware and mindful of what works best for them. I found that students never argued about wanting a seat another student chose that day.
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