My students need both soft seating and active seating options. The futon is going to be the heart of the classroom. This area will be for independent learning or collaborative learning.
My students come from a rural community, Newville, PA, where there are more farms and cows than there are street lights. Because we are a small school, we are a very close knit community, supporting each other in sports and academics.
My students are the salt of the earth.
Many did not grow up with much, a percentage of families living below the poverty level. However, they work hard consistently, spending many of their after school hours working.
Many of my students thrive in hands-on learning experiences. Flexible seating creates a student-centered workspace that focuses on student engagement, voice and choice, collaborative learning, and kinesthetic learning. Much of my teaching style is student-centered and revolves around discussion and collaborative learning. I want my classroom to reflect my teaching style, which integrates transition activities every 15 minutes through the incorporation of group work and learning stations.
My Project
Research shows that students with ADHD concentrate better when they are allowed to fidget. The ability for movement and open space to work is limited by my 28 desks.
Flexible seating engages students in an authentic learning environment through diverse seating arrangements that meets the needs of all students.
I have many autistic students. I watch as Kevin, who is sitting at his desk, pull his legs underneath himself, contorting his body to resemble that of a pretzel. At the same time, he is listening to music through headphones. He is completing his work but he looks uncomfortable. I need a flexible space for students like Kevin. Maybe he needs a pillow on a carpet in the corner of the room or maybe he would prefer a standing desk, or maybe he likes to be curled up in a ball without the restrictions of a desk. I would like to find out by creating a space for my students feel comfortable yet promote active learning.
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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 Ms. Hernjak and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
