My experience with Flexible Seating.

My experience with Flexible Seating.

As I was making my list of goals for the new school year I decided on a challenging goal and that was to expand my flexible seating in my classroom.  I had disks, yoga mats, and stability balls in the past but this year I decided to really expand my vision.  Over the year the children really looked forward to the opportunity to learn on their own terms.  I also began to go beyond my own comfort level and think outside the box in what could help my students achieve more in their thinking and learning.  Flexible seating is another tool for every progressive teacher that should be in their pocket of tools for teaching and reaching students.

Most people think of flexible seating as a free for all but in my case you start with  parameters though needed to be specifically and directly addressed.  That included rules and boundaries for the seating.  I also had to keep in mind that I needed to stay within the rules of my school and how the students would react when they went to other classrooms since I only had them for a short time each day.  First of all I had a rule chart of using the seating.  There was a list of days that each child would utilize the equipment per their needs and specific times for when they would be utilized. This helped eliminate arguing and frankly it helped them become more independent because instead of me deciding who would get what they knew what to get independently each day. Because life is not always about being comfortable and there are times we need to sit in a desk and concentrate I also kept my seating as a privilege and also taught my students that there are times we need to sit and focus as students in a regular classroom.   Using this philosophy I also treated my classroom as a community and had them help with the clean up of the seating.   The responsibility for putting them away was on the students.  For some groups I found that rules were not as necessary as common sense and others that could not handle the seating as well.  I needed to make adjustments in my thinking and also realize within the rules for example of basic safety that sometimes they used the equipment slightly different than their original intended use.  An example of this was when one child used the disk and wobble seat and her grades improved dramatically in her classroom.  Students could also focus sometimes more lying in the prone position on the stability ball All equipment required two feet but I was pretty flexible if the student sat, or was prone on the ball as long as they were working and not disturbing others.  

Some of the equipment I used was stability balls with a pool noodle in a circle tapped together with electric tape, disks that would be on the smooth or spiky sides, the teachers chair since I used my desk as a storage space and I was rarely there, yoga mats to sit and do work, throw towels, Snuggies, pillows to do independent work and pillows from small to large to lounge with during work periods. My OT also allowed me to borrow a wobble seat

  I also had picnic chairs that could be folded and moved to various parts of the room, a small vinyl carpet, foam squares that were in the shape of the alphabet or squares that could be changed to various formations.  I also had beanbags but rarely were a choice this year. The wobble seat was a big hit in many classrooms and I saw first hand how some kids could benefit from them and how others it really was a distraction instead of help.  They did double nicely if  someone was not feeling well and with an old blanket or pillow from home provided a sick area for those children whose parents did not come to pick up their child after they were diagnosed ill.  Equipment could be easily cleaned with a wash or Clorox wipes.  

You can make your own bouncy bands using therapy bands from therapy centers.  Often they will donate a dozen for your class.  Also I have rubber dots.  They are great for arranging for seating, playing games and sitting.  Last I have found that when students take leadership for their flexible seating under your rules it can make all the difference.  I would of never considered using the teacher chair ( which I never use) for flexible seating.  Letting kids take turns on the chair can be used a reward that does not cost anything.  

Flexible seating does not have to be expensive.  I have equipment from things at home, items from Five Below, Amazon and also garage sales.  Sometimes people give up things and they end of in the teachers’ lounge.  The key is to think outside the box to the needs if your room.

As someone myself who is easily distracted and having boundless energy myself I also found benefit from flexible seating.  I was able to get at the kids level without losing my position as the lead teacher in the room.  My students were able to focus longer and even off topics proved to bring my students and I closer.  It was a win win situation.  

Last I suggest you stalk on social media to get other ideas.  Teachers Pay Teachers, Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest have tons of ideas for buying, implementing, arranging flexible seating.  As a teacher myself I would consider it a high compliment to replicate what I am doing in your classroom.   

Next year I will have a lower functioning group.  I will instead of rolling everything out immediately to slowly bring each part of the equipment.  In the past I had enough for each student to have their own and this year I started the seating at the beginning of the year. Some years you will use it easily and some you might have to put it completely away.  But I have found with proper education you can use it at least as a part of your learning.

For the past four years I have had Flexible Seating in my room.  It has been a great experience as a whole and I hope through my success will help others get on board to using it in their classroom too.