I teach bright, motivated learners who are ready to take on more ownership of their education. At our school, students are provided many opportunities to develop as readers, writers, scientists, artists, and mathematicians.
My 3rd graders are at an important crossroad in their education, they are on the verge of independence and self-knowledge.
Teaching 3rd grade means guiding students from early to upper elementary - and all that entails. One way I can give them more agency is to allow them to make choices in their seating.
I've been teaching 16 years, and am always looking for ways to support my students' growth and development. Flexible Seating allows energetic kids to wiggle while they learn.
My Project
Some children need to move! We've all had (or were) those kids who can't sit still; those that seem tortured by traditional chairs and desks.
Flexible seating is a the way to make our learning environments fit our students - rather than the other way around.
Last year, I dipped my toe into the flexible seating world by taking away individual desks, and allowing my students to choose where they sat. This year (my 17th!), I want to give my students the gift of comfort and choice in their learning environment.
Flexible seating allows students to take charge of their learning and make the choices that work best for them. Last year, I noticed that my students were able to focus for longer periods of time than previous classes. I attribute the difference to choice. Currently my students are choosing to work in a variety of locations in our room such as: at different tables, sitting under tables with clip boards, or sitting or laying on the floor with a clip board. They almost always make good choices about where they sit, are more engaged, and get more work completed than when they are just sitting at their desk.
Your donation goes directly to transforming my classroom into a 21st century learning space!
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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. Kohn-Leyba and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.