I was honored to be invited to present about Flexible Seating as the featured "Innovative Educator" at this awesome conference this weekend! It was such a pleasure to *hopefully* inspire other teachers and future teachers to implement flexible seating in their own classrooms.
3 Q&As I get ALL the time that came up again today:
Q: How can a teacher AFFORD all of this?
A: Remember, a Flexible Classroom is a work in progress. You do not have to start off with as many choices as I have currently. It took me 18 months to get to this point! Start small with just an open mind to allow students to move freely around your room. I have kids who will flip a chair upside down and lean on it- right on the tile floor- and are very focused working that way! Tie some RepBands around your room to give students more sensory and movement opportunities. Throw some bed raisers under a table ($15 at Walmart) and make a standing space. It doesn't have to cost a fortune unless you allow it to! Be sure to utilize your resources, such as colleagues, friends and family who are getting rid of old furniture, cushions or seating that they would be willing to donate. It doesn't have to be pretty! It just needs to purposeful and offer students choice. (See below for some pics of more cheaper ideas!)
Q: What about next year when they go to a new classroom that does not have Flexible Seating?
A: Just like anything else I do in my classroom with the belief that it is best for kids (guided reading, small group instruction, Daily 5/Daily 3, Writer's Workshop, positive behavior systems, ClassDojo), I can NOT control what my colleagues do in their classrooms. Therefore, I focus on what I can do THIS year in THIS classroom to help my students. If a child finds a mode that is HOME RUN, then perhaps the parents or child can have a conversation with the teacher to accommodate that the following year. If not, then the child can certainly apply their preferences at home when they are doing work, and moving forward into adulthood. Yes, it very well may changes, but they would have developed the awareness to perhaps explore their new needs. Either way, I am going to continue to do what I think is best for my students as long as I have them!
Q: Would this even work in my (kindergarten, spec ed, middle school, high school) classroom?
A: That is completely up to you! The beauty of flexible seating is that there are not rules other than to offer students choices and flexibility in the classroom. You do NOT have to do it the same way as me! I truly believe that with the desire to do so, and a growth mindset, ANY teacher can make Flexible Seating work for them- for students of ANY age, in ANY setting. However, without the personal belief in the value of Flexible Seating and the ability to struggle and step out of your comfort zone, it will NOT work.
3 Q&As I get ALL the time that came up again today:
Q: How can a teacher AFFORD all of this?
A: Remember, a Flexible Classroom is a work in progress. You do not have to start off with as many choices as I have currently. It took me 18 months to get to this point! Start small with just an open mind to allow students to move freely around your room. I have kids who will flip a chair upside down and lean on it- right on the tile floor- and are very focused working that way! Tie some RepBands around your room to give students more sensory and movement opportunities. Throw some bed raisers under a table ($15 at Walmart) and make a standing space. It doesn't have to cost a fortune unless you allow it to! Be sure to utilize your resources, such as colleagues, friends and family who are getting rid of old furniture, cushions or seating that they would be willing to donate. It doesn't have to be pretty! It just needs to purposeful and offer students choice. (See below for some pics of more cheaper ideas!)
Q: What about next year when they go to a new classroom that does not have Flexible Seating?
A: Just like anything else I do in my classroom with the belief that it is best for kids (guided reading, small group instruction, Daily 5/Daily 3, Writer's Workshop, positive behavior systems, ClassDojo), I can NOT control what my colleagues do in their classrooms. Therefore, I focus on what I can do THIS year in THIS classroom to help my students. If a child finds a mode that is HOME RUN, then perhaps the parents or child can have a conversation with the teacher to accommodate that the following year. If not, then the child can certainly apply their preferences at home when they are doing work, and moving forward into adulthood. Yes, it very well may changes, but they would have developed the awareness to perhaps explore their new needs. Either way, I am going to continue to do what I think is best for my students as long as I have them!
Q: Would this even work in my (kindergarten, spec ed, middle school, high school) classroom?
A: That is completely up to you! The beauty of flexible seating is that there are not rules other than to offer students choices and flexibility in the classroom. You do NOT have to do it the same way as me! I truly believe that with the desire to do so, and a growth mindset, ANY teacher can make Flexible Seating work for them- for students of ANY age, in ANY setting. However, without the personal belief in the value of Flexible Seating and the ability to struggle and step out of your comfort zone, it will NOT work.
Please follow me on Twitter @KSchiffert and share pics of your "baby steps" or "big steps" as you get started or dive into Flexible Seating!