Help me give my students the ability to enjoy a variety of flexible seating and dividers to create work space options outside of the traditional classroom design.
FULLY FUNDED! Mr. Mahan's classroom raised $1,975
This project is fully funded
My Students
We are an inner-city school that serves a population of 80% free and reduced lunch. 35% of our students are ELL (English Language Learners). Like most children, our students have various study styles. Many of our classrooms have the traditional setup of students sitting at desks. Some have a few flexible seating options but our hope is for something bigger. It seems and research shows that more and more children are becoming increasingly inactive these days. We want to get them up...out of their seats. We want to give them more opportunities for activity so they aren't sitting for so much of the day.
My Project
How do you learn best? Do you prefer to sit? Stand? Get comfy in a chair? Chances are, most of us have a different preference on what we would choose. But when we take a look in a traditional classroom, we see a majority of students sitting at desks.
According to "The Whole U" at the University of Washington, Sitting is the new Smoking.
When we ask kids to sit for such a long portion of their day, there is an "increased risk of chronic diseases, organ damage, spine damage, muscle degeneration, and leg disorders." (Washington.edu)
We chose the Ikea Kallax bookcases to be the focal point of our standing work stations. We will turn on the bookcases on their sides to create a 35" tall standing work space. The Balance Ball seats will provide an alternative seating experience at the mini-lesson station. Students work on their core muscles, while getting to have a little bounce to their learning experience. The last item that we selected will transform the traditional classroom into a coffee shop feel with the addition of the pub tables. Students were excited to help pick out some furniture to transform our 1979 era classroom into a more 2018 vibe.
We want students to be active, but studying in the classroom limits the amount of activity they can have. However, if we give students the opportunity to do much of their work while standing, it will have a positive impact on their health and on their ability to learn.
More than half of students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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