My Work, My Way! Flexible Seating for Engaged Learners
My students need workspaces that are comfortable and meet their individual learning needs to help with focus and engagement!
$504 goal
Hooray! This project is fully funded
Hooray! This project is fully funded
Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month
This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because
it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.
One of the most amazing things about our middle school is the diversity of the student population! Our school serves a rural community with high poverty and a majority of students who receive free or reduced lunch.
Even though many of our students come from challenging circumstances, they strive to excel and love to learn!
Our ELL, EC, and AIG students bring different challenges and rewards to the classroom, which makes differentiated learning pathways necessary for individual success! We use a wide variety of teaching techniques and technology applications to provide differentiation to meet the needs of EACH student, whether they are just learning English or are ready for more challenging materials.
My Project
It's easy to see that students are more engaged in learning when they are comfortable in their learning environment! We want to make ours even more comfortable! We forego the traditional overhead fluorescent lighting in favor of lamps, we have a few cushions, clipboards, and blankets for those who prefer to work on the floor. But when I asked my students in a survey what they needed to be more successful in class, they responded with these ideas:
"Flexible seating can help me succeed because I tend to get very hyper when I don't get to move around, which means I don't think as well as when I do move around."
"Flexible seating would really help me succeed because I can think so much better when I am comfortable so I'll be able to be more successful in my class work."
"Flexible seating can help me succeed in class by helping me stay focused because like if I sit for a long time then it makes me kinda sleepy and I get bored too. But to help me stay focused I like moving around and sitting on soft things like couches, cushions, stools, and standing up."
"Flexible seating will help me focus because if I am comfortable I am more likely to actually be concentrating and engrossed in what I'm doing."
As you can see from the student responses, they have a clear idea of how more flexible seating options will improve their opportunities for success in the classroom. Our media center has recently incorporated Hokki stools into the learning space and my students have embraced this new seating option. For students that are easily distracted, the rocking or wobbling motion provides just enough stimulation to help keep them focused on their reading or work task. We're ready for change!
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. Wheeler and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.