Flexible Seating-A Leap of Faith

Maybe you've been thinking about giving flexible seating a try in your classroom...if so, then keep reading!  I took a leap of faith into the world of flexible seating several years ago but each year is a new adventure in trial and error.  Here's my story of making the switch and some of the successes and stumbling blocks I've encountered over the years.

Having flexible seating in your classroom just means that not everyone sits at a desk with a chair. Some children might be in what I call "soft seats" which range from pillows to camp chairs. Some may be standing or sitting on tall bar stools. Some may be in groups, some may be in pairs and some may be sitting alone. A few might be bouncing around like little Tiggers on yoga balls or rocking back and forth on wiggle seats. Flexible seating gives the kiddos in your classroom the opportunity for movement and to sit in a way that is comfortable for them.  It helps promote attention and helps those little ones who wiggle a lot have an acceptable outlet for all those wiggles in the classroom.

About 5 years ago, I had a wonderful class of 2nd graders who needed to change things up a little bit. They were by no means "behavior problems" and were actually a really great group of kids but about mid year I could tell they were getting a little bored with the day to day classroom routine (and to be honest I sometimes feel the same way). So, I did a little research, talked with some of my teacher friends, went in over the holiday break and took the leap into flexible seating.

This picture is of my very first leap into flexible seating. I was so proud I took a panoramic shot of my classroom before walking out the door-he!he!

I moved my classroom around in ways I had never considered and I was pleased with the results  but then I walked out, shut the door and the butterflies started fluttering!  My mind raced with questions that I DIDN'T know the answers to and it made me VERY nervous.  I felt like I would no longer be in control of my classroom but deep down I knew it was worth the try.

Fast forward to Monday morning and all the butterflies went away as the kids bubbled with excitement as they walked into the room.  I wasn't quite sure how to start but I had a simple assignment that could be done at the carpet for morning work, then we started our morning meeting.  I was honest with the kids and told them I was nervous but that we would figure it out together.  I proposed a set of "rules" for the seats and we made an anchor chart for reference.

I started slowly with the children choosing their seats for the week, then over time switched to choosing new seats daily.  The biggest adjustments for me were 1) thinking ahead to allow the kids time to get the needed items from their cubbies, instead of their desks and 2) switching to teaching ALL of my mini-lessons at the carpet then sending the kids off to work AND 3)not going crazy in my own mind when the kiddos were bouncing, spinning and wiggling-LOL!  I will admit the biggest adjustment was mine, not theirs!

Did it make a difference? YES, ABSOLUTELY!  Contrary to what you may think, I have had very few major behavior problems in my room since switching to flexible seating.  I think one of the biggest misconceptions is that the kids will be crazy but my experience was just the opposite. The same children that used to be in trouble (by me, the mean teacher) for moving around, wiggling, and being out of their seats, were the very children that it helped the most.  No longer did they get in trouble for doing what kids do because it was acceptable in my classroom. Can you say BIG learning curve for me as both a teacher and a mom? The kiddos who could only focus for a few minutes at a time were more attentive because going from the carpet to their seats gave them LOTS of movement throughout the day AND they could choose a place to work that was comfortable for them at the moment.

So, are you ready to take the plunge or do you already use flexible seating in your classroom?

Are you nervous and need help working through it in your mind?

Comment below...I would love to hear YOUR questions or experiences with flexible seating!