My 26 third grade students are curious and active. We are a new S.T.E.A.M. focused school and use technology daily. Our class members come with the challenges of low income and difficult home lives (about 50% of them) and learning English as a second language (about 25% of them). But they have great potential and at times they just need extra nurturing and encouragement. These children are kind and love working together. We focus on collaboration and creativity and working in teams to come up with solutions to problems. Communication and respect is important in our classroom. Students love to tell me about their upcoming dance recital, the movie they just saw, or how they secretly want to be an opera singer when they grow up. I love these children and their amazing personalities!
My Project
I am redesigning my 3rd grade classroom to be a "flexible seating" workspace, where students with many different learning styles and preferences have options about where they sit to listen and learn. Elementary school students need to have choice and stay active to keep them engaged with their learning. At times, just being able to wiggle and make small movements in their seats helps them stay focused and make what they are learning sink deeper into their long-term memories. Wobble stools are one very effective seating option for 3rd graders who need to be able to move. These 4 wobble stools will be used by all 26 of my students at different times throughout the day as they choose to sit on a stool that allows them to move as they work independently or in groups. These stools are especially helpful for students with ADD or ADHD and I will have the option to assign students to these seats if I see the need. My classroom, with the addition of these "wobble stools" and other types of seating, with be brain-friendly and learning-friendly, increasing time on task and long-term memory so that each and every child in my class can be successful.
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