Before I started this blog post, I wanted to say that flexible
seating is not for every teacher, student, or classroom. That is okay! If I had
flexible seating with my group of students three years ago, I might have walked
away from teaching right on the spot. Luckily, I didn’t. When I do have a group
of students that are able to handle it, flexible seating has been amazing. I
have been flooded with all kinds of questions about how I implement flexible
seating in my classroom. I have compiled many of the questions along with my answers.
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My students love being able to pick where they work best! Flexible seating is also great for group work. |
How do you introduce flexible seating
to your students?
I have always started flexible seating the first day of school.
Each year I start out with all my students’ names on name plates. As they come
to school each day, they put their name plate on a different seat. They attached
with tiny pieces of Velcro. I do this for three reasons.
1. Students in kindergarten might still need a model on how
to spell their name correctly.
2. It allows students to explore all the different seating
options in the room.
3. There is an incentive to getting to school on time. My
students pick their seat as they walk into the classroom.
I do this method for the first few weeks which allows my
students to explore all the different options and learn where they work best. Do
not plan for this to work magically the first day. Some students will need more
guidance on how to sit correctly on each seat and how we take care of our classroom.
My one rule with flexible seating is that Miss Arnold can move anyone at
anytime if they are not using their seat correctly or if they are distracting students
around them.
I stress self-awareness. The students are responsible for
finding what feels best for them and what kind of seating will make them the
best learner. Once they understand what type of seat helps them learn the best,
I allow my students to move to different seats throughout the day based on the
activity. They no longer need their name plate to select their seat first thing
in the morning.
Did you have a problem with students
arguing over seating options?
Luckily in the primary grades there is so much movement
throughout the day, there was always an opportunity to sit at a first-choice spot.
I taught my kids to say “oh well, maybe next time” if the spot was occupied
before they picked it. If there continues to be arguing over one area in the
classroom, those seats might be put in the closet for a while until we are able
to handle it again. Last year I had to put the stability balls in my closet
because they were too much fun to bounce on. Many of my students had a hard
time using them correctly. One thing I did find interesting was that seats I
had anticipated as being the most popular were often the last ones picked. This
past year the top choices were lap desks and the lowered tabled. The year
before, my students wanted nothing to do with sitting on the ground. It’s
important to feel the vibe in your classroom and modify if needed.
Do you have any challenges with
students choosing to sit next to their friends and getting distracted?
Like I stated in a previous question, my one rule with flexible
seating is that Miss Arnold can move anyone at anytime if they are not using
their seat correctly or if they are distracting students around them. Once you
move a student once, they learn quickly to make a better choice the next time. There
are no warnings or punishments, they simply are asked to move their seat. My
students enjoy sitting next to their friends but are also very aware of making the
best choice for their learning. I feel that incorporating student choice into
the room has helped them take more ownership in their learning.
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| I change my room around based on the needs of my students. There is not just one way to do flexible seating. |
How do you do direct instruction?
Majority of my direct/whole group instruction is done from
our carpet. I do have assigned seats on the carpet because I strategically
place students who would work well together for a turn and talk. There are a
few exceptions each year when a student might need to sit at a lowered desk or
a seat with bands throughout the instruction.
Where do
your students keep their materials?
On each table there are general supplies for all students
which include markers, crayons, and colored pencils. I also have supplies available
to all students in my room including glue sticks, scissors, and expo markers. My
students keep all of their personal learning materials such as book bags, pencil
boxes, folders, and journals in magazine book bins. This allows them to bring
their supplies with them to any seat in the classroom.
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| Pencil boxes and book bins help keep everything organized in the classroom. I bought both from amazon. Another option is to create a project on Donors Choose. |
Where did you buy/find everything
that you use for flexible seating?
Flexible seating does not have to be an expensive endeavor. Many
of the options can be used with items you might already have in your classroom.
This year I plan to use:
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Stability Yoga Balls -
Target
Low tables- Just remove the legs from a regular desk/table
What has been the most difficult part
of transitioning from tradition to flexible seating?
I’ll admit that I have a Type A personality. I like to be in
control. The hardest part of switching
from tradition to flexible seating was giving up control and allowing my
students to explore and make their own choices. There were days where it was difficult,
and I was ready to go back to traditional seating but for the most part it has
been a great experience. I find that my students are more flexible in general when
they feel they have a choice in their learning.
*The pictures are from a few different years in my classroom. I don't change a lot but add new seating arrangements as I find them.
Here are some links to other
resources about flexible seating:
