Flexible Seating- 5 Months Later...

This post is a follow-up to my original Flexible Seating Post. If you would like to see how our adventure began click here!

5 Months Later…
It has been quite the whirlwind end of the year and I am excited to bring you some helpful tidbits I have experienced with flexible seating during the past five months of implementation. I must start off by saying I LOVE the way this new seating routine has impacted the learning in my classroom. Yes, there were days where I thought I must be crazy to change my seating so drastically! There were times where I wanted to pull the plug on the whole thing, but once we got going, it really made a positive difference with my students and I plan on continuing the seating plan with future classes. So, what I have I learned from the process…

Rising to the Occasion

My students took the responsibility of this special seating very seriously. They were careful and respectful of each other, they took amazing care of our yoga balls, cushions, and kneeling mats. They took ownership of the new plan and worked together to ensure everything was put away each day. When a pencil was found on the floor near a yoga ball, it was immediately picked up to ensure the ball was not damaged. My students knew that our seating was special and a privilege. They knew that it would all go away if our special tools were not used appropriately. Yes, this took a lot of modeling and explicit teaching, but boy was that worth the extra time at the beginning of our adventure. 

Expectations and a Surprise Outcome

Of course this type of seating will not have a chance if expectations are not explicitly modeled and practiced. Just like anything with teaching, it takes time to build the routines and expectations for something that gives students this much choice… Saying, "Okay everyone, go find a seat!" will lead to noise, pushing, arguing, and LOTS of problems. To avoid chaos and to set ourselves up for success we came up with procedures that enabled students to resolve their own problems that arose with our seating plan. For example, if two children chose a spot at the same time, they would play "rock, paper, scissors"to determine who would sit in the desired spot. But in all honesty, most of the time, one student would make the choice to walk away and find a different workspace. This was an unexpected positive outcome… problem resolution practice! I would always call carpet rows of six students at a time to choose a spot. Students who rushed and were noisy had to come back to the rug and pick last. We went over our rules poster multiple times each day during the first few weeks of implementation and reviewed it when necessary. We talked about what using the tools appropriately looks like, and what it doesn't look like. We talked about using small bounces only on the yoga balls, keeping feet on the floor, and being safe. All students learned the expectations and few problems arose due to the procedures we put in place.

Choice Within Boundaries
We have all heard the phrase "choice within boundaries" as teachers. As with any group of students, some children will need extra guidance. I had one student that continually had trouble choosing a spot that best fit her needs. We decided together where her "special spot" would be. If I noticed her having difficulty in her chosen workspace, I would discretely encourage her to move to her "special spot" so she could work more effectively. As time progressed, she needed far fewer reminders. This still gave her the power of choice, with the boundary of being moved to her special spot if she was not working effectively.

I know some of you are wondering about those students that will "work" right next to their best friend EVERY-SINGLE-TIME if given the chance. Yes, I had a few of those! Well… those special friends still have the choice of where to work, BUT- their boundary is they must not sit next to, or in the same area, as their best friend. This is also a discreet conversation to have with the particular students once you see the problem arise. By the end of the year though, I can say that even if the "besties" ended up working in the same vicinity, there were few problems because they understood the expectations of our seating arrangement and realized it is a privilege. If you drive home the idea that this seating is meant to help them learn best- they will understand sitting right next to their outgoing best friend will not allow them to do their best work.

If problems arise, I would advise looking at the way the expectations were set up at the start of the seating plan before making too many separate rules for students. I found going back to review expectations with the whole class was a sufficient reminder and prevented further problems.

Novelty vs. Best Fit Workspace

I introduced the seating a few options at a time. Once the yoga balls came, I implemented them. When the cushions arrived, I had students using them the next day…. so not all of the seating was available to the students from day one. Thinking ahead to the coming year, I would prefer all the options to be available to the students at the same time. The "new" option was of course the most popular and therefore it took time to see which workstations worked best for each student. For the coming year we will implement all choices from day one and the students will have time trying all seating to see which workspaces work best for them during different parts of our daily routine. I am very excited to get rid of my desks next year! My principal has allowed me to switch out desks for round tables. I LOVE this idea and I know it will be a wonderful way for me to build community and team building while keeping with our flexible seating plan. I will reserve some desks for standing, but the round tables will be great for use with yoga balls, fidget bands, and traditional seating.

Improvement in Focus
I am very pleased with the positive impact this seating has had with my students. My highly active, distractible students benefitted from the extra movement. They were able to channel their energy productively, freeing up their hands and minds to complete their tasks. I saw higher work production and more time-on-task from the most distractible students. For example, instead of fixating on a pencil and not completing work, a student stretched a fidget band with his feet while working at a standing desk, enabling him to focus on his work. Even my students who did not have any problems with focus enjoyed the extra movement (what six-year-old wouldn't?!). Of course this isn't a "magic pill" and it wasn't the perfect fix for every challenge each student is faced with, but anytime you can incorporate more movement and engagement in a classroom is a welcome change!


Taking Part in the Action
I also wanted in on the action of flexible seating and replaced my teacher chair with a yoga ball. I hardly sit during the day as it is, but it was wonderful to use the yoga ball during my small group instruction time. I must admit that I did all of the things I tell my students not to do at the start (big bounces, rolling around, lifting both feet up and balancing, etc.). It was fun :). What I found, is the extra movement and subtle core work was a nice addition to my day and kept me energized and moving around just the right amount. The downside… my yoga ball didn't have the little legs so it ended up rolling around all over the classroom!

List and Links for Seating
I have been asked by some readers what type of yoga balls I purchased and others have inquired about where I purchased other seating options. Here is a list of items I purchased. I have been very happy with the durability of the seating options and would highly recommend them.

Yoga Balls: Gaiam Kids Stay-N-Play Balance Ball 
I purchased mine through Amazon. The only downside to these yoga balls is the green color got a bit dirty after 5 months, although Lysol wipes cleaned them up fairly well.

Stability Disks: Trademark Innovations 13'' Fitness and Balance Disk Seat (Set of 10)
I also purchased these through Amazon. My students really like this option when they sit at the low tables and while sitting on the carpet. I will also try them in chairs for the coming year. These are great because they have two textured sides the students choose from.

Rainbow Kneeling Cushions: I purchased these from the Dollar Store. They are actually gardening pads made of foam. They ended up with holes and dents, which isn't surprising based on  material they are made from and the price paid. I am planning on replacing them for the next school year.

Fidget Bands: TheraBand 6-Yard Exercise Band
These bands were also purchased from Amazon. I was able to cut the band to the size I needed to fit around 5 chair legs and 4 desk legs. I just wrapped the band around and tied it in a double knot. These held up well and ended up being a favorite among students with busy feet.

I will be looking into scoop chairs and lap desks as an addition for next year. I would love to add wobble stools, but I have a feeling my budget won't allow for those to be added quite yet.

Flexible seating isn't for everyone, but after giving it a whirl, I found it is DEFINITELY for me and my students. It takes a bit of relinquishing of control, careful planning, and patience during implementation. I am very happy with my trial run and can't wait to see how a new group of students will benefit from the plan.

Want to check out the seating in action? Visit my classroom website here.

Happy Teaching!

Flexible Seating

I am so excited to tell you all about a new adventure in my classroom! After careful research and much contemplation, I decided to incorporate Flexible Seating into my first grade classroom. While I have always had a variety of seating options in my classroom (bean bag chairs, small rugs, and special children's chairs), this idea of flexible seating is very different from what I had implemented in my classroom before.

I follow Mrs. Delzer, an innovative teacher from North Dakota, on Instagram. She posted pictures of her classroom and she wrote a great article titled Why the 21st Century Classroom May Remind You of Starbucks. I was very inspired by this article and realized that many of the students in my classroom could benefit from this type of seating and classroom layout.

I then set out to find out what I needed to make flexible seating happen in my classroom. I searched the internet to find more teachers using this innovative set-up. I found great pictures of classrooms on Pinterest and found a wonderful blog post with flexible seating FAQ's by Angie from Lucky Little Learners. Her FAQ's helped me to gain the courage to try it out…

My principal was very encouraging and fully supported my plans. I wrote nice emails to the head custodian explaining that I needed some desks lowered and some raised. He kindly obliged and jokingly told me that this might not be the end of these kinds of requests, now that I had taken the plunge (and he was right!).

Next was the fun part... Shopping!! I found 6 exercise balls with legs for children found on Amazon, 10 stability disks, containers for shared supplies, and kneeling mats. I already had some fun chairs, bean bags, clip boards, and rugs.

I rolled the seating plan out little-by-little and the students, of course, were super excited for the change in our classroom. I started with low tables with the stability disks. We took turns working in this space and the students were loving it. We used the disks on the rug and I had students take turns working on the disks.

I then raised 4 desks to standing height and had the students experiment with working while standing. I added some fidget bands to the legs of the standing desks and some chairs to incorporate more opportunities for movement. I then slowly introduced the exercise balls. We talked about how to use the balls appropriately. We talked about small bounces and how to safely sit on the ball without rolling out of the door! They know that these items are tools, but when the tools become toys, they will be taken away. Surprisingly, I have had very few problems with our new set-up!

This chart was inspired by Angie's Chart from Lucky Little Learners

The next step was to have the students clean out their desks. Folders and journals were placed in bins, reading books were stacked in easily accessible crates, and the only personal supplies my students need were kept in their pencil boxes and placed in their classroom mailboxes. I removed their name tags, and students were then told that we were sharing all of the spaces in the classroom. Some of them were a little taken aback at first, since they had gotten used to their own space, but it didn't take long for them to take some chances and find workspaces that were better suited to their needs. Plus, it so nice to have  clean and organized work areas, not desks stuffed with papers and toys/items brought from home.

Most of my direct instruction is taught at the carpet, with some students seated on stability disks. When it is time for independent work or group work, the students are dismissed by rows to make their choices. Some of the areas to choose from include: standing desks with fidget bands, laying or sitting on the floor with clipboards, Sitting on exercise balls at desks, sitting in chairs with fidget bands, sitting or kneeling at low tables, sitting in bean bag chairs, or sitting at a traditional desk with a traditional chair.

A few weeks ago one of the district's occupational therapists came in to see the set-up. She was so excited to see what we were trying (she was the one who gave us the fidget bands to wrap around some of the chair legs). My students were immediately drawn to the seating where they could manipulate the band with their feet while they worked. I found additional fidget bands from Amazon. I eventually purchased some Kore wobble stools that my students LOVE! They came from Amazon and have been very popular choices for flexible seating.

I am truly amazed at how flexible seating has transformed my classroom. This group of energetic and enthusiastic six and seven year olds is more focused and their energy now can be channeled in a productive way. This movement is allowing them to truly focus on the content and tasks necessary in our classroom. I don't know many adults who would want to work at a desk for 6 hours each day, so why should our students have to learn in this rigid way?

After six weeks of implementation, I will confidently say that flexible seating has been a success for my class. I can't imagine ever going back to traditional seating. I even bought myself a yoga ball for small group instruction!  Do you have flexible seating in your classroom? How is it working for you?

Check out my Flexible Seating Freebie in my TpT store. In the pack you will find a poster of flexible seating expectations, a student contract, procedures information, stamina charts, and a flexible seating mini activity book to help your students understand the expectations.

Check out the follow-up post- Flexible Seating 5 Months Later.
Check out flexible seating in action by visiting my classroom website.

Happy teaching!

The 100th Day of School

Last Friday was the 100th Day of School! It was such a fun day and I think the students will remember it for quite some time. I had the students dress up as 100 year-olds and boy did they come up with some adorable outfits! I even had one student bring in a walker and wore a bushy gray mustache and eyebrows. The boys were so cute with their canes, glasses, mustaches, suspenders, and overcoats. The girls were adorable with their floral dresses, glasses, hats, pearls, and huge handbags. They were just the cutest! The parents really got creative and I posted some pictures of the kids in our class website for them to enjoy. I even dressed up also! I got many funny looks at first and some of my colleagues had to ask who I was!

After the costume excitement and arrival we got right to work with our 100th Day of School activities. We played bingo (because lots of 100 year-olds enjoy bingo of course). We also completed our 100th Day of School activity books. Check them out here!

My students loved the 100th Day of School celebration! I am so glad we have made these memories in our classroom together and I hope they remember this day for years to come.

Happy Teaching!

The Importance of Art in the Classroom!

Integrating art into the classroom is a topic that is near and dear to my heart. In fact, I spent over a year writing about the topic when I was completing my Master's thesis titled, The Integration of Visual Arts and Literacy in the Elementary School Classroom.

I love this PBS article shedding light on the benefits of art in child development. According to the article, art can benefit children's motor skills, language development, decision making, visual learning, inventiveness, cultural awareness, and improved academic performance. I couldn't agree with this article more!

In the era of the No Child Left Behind Act, art was in some many cases, eliminated from schools to make room for "drill and kill" teaching of the heavily tested subjects. Now that NCLB is behind us (whew!), there is a push for students to be creative problem solvers in this new era of Common Core and STEM/STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math).

My question is, how can students become engineers when they are not given the opportunity to practice fine motor skills and creativity? Art is such a great way to practice the early skills that can assist students with becoming inventors, engineers, and successful scientists and mathematicians. Don't forget to implement art in the classroom! Integrate art wherever and whenever you can, it has a place in every content area! From math drawings, to science diagrams, portraits of characters, and 3-demensional models, art fits all curricula. Not only will your students be more engaged in the content, they will be able to explain their thinking in multiple ways and build lifelong skills.

Art belongs in the elementary classroom and beyond…

Happy teaching!

Main Topic and Key Details

Main topic and key details of informational text can be difficult concepts for students to grasp. Based on what I was noticing when teaching this concept to my students, I decided to create a product to help my students with identifying the main topic and key details of text in an engaging way. 

I created a pack of informational passages where students read the passage, then cut and paste the main topic and key details. These passages are high interest and engaging. My students have loved these activities and it is a great way for me to check their understanding. Some of the main topics are stated in the passage and some are inferred by reading the passage. Such fun and engaging practice! Check out the pack here!

Grab the digital Google Drive version here!

Happy Teaching!

Missing Punctuation Mystery!

I am so proud of my students and the progress they have made. Their writing has really improved, they are using narrative structure, and I am noticing such an improvement with their use of details! I have noticed though, that they are forgetting some conventions now that they are writing more elaborate pieces. I created a fun resource to help them remember their punctuation when writing many sentences. It is called Missing Punctuation Mystery!

This resource contains both narrative and informational passages, and even friendly letters. The challenge for the students is that the punctuation is missing! The students act as the detectives reading the passages and discovering where the punctuation should be. They cut and paste the periods, commas, question marks, and exclamation points where they need to be. Then the students re-write the passage including the missing punctuation. This resource also allows students to practice fine motor skills, which are essential skills to learn in the primary grades.

This is a challenging and rigorous review of conventions, but it is so much fun as well! It is a perfect activity for literacy centers. I like to have parent helpers work with a group of students on this activity a few times until they get the hang of it… then they are off on their own practicing their punctuation detective skills!

If you are interested in this resource, get it here!

Happy Teaching!

Fall Pumpkins: Watercolor Art!

Every fall I like to do art projects with my students to celebrate the changing season. I normally create pastel scarecrows with my first graders, but this year I decided to try something new and exciting! We created watercolor pumpkins and the kids had so much fun!

First we read all about pumpkins and learned about the lifecycle of a pumpkin. Then it came time for the art portion of our pumpkin study. I taught my students how to draw a pumpkin on watercolor paper. I showed them a horizontal version and a vertical version. I explained how their pumpkin needed to fill the paper. Some of the students drew leaves and vines.

Then, I created black glue by mixing black tempera with glue. The easiest way I found to do this is to take bottles of glue that were half full and pour the tempera inside the bottle. I gave the bottles a little stir and they were good to go.

After the glue was prepared, I had parent helpers assist with going over the student's pencil lines with the glue. Older students could do this part on their own, but I found that the little ones needed a good deal of help squeezing the bottles and staying on their pencil lines. The glue dried overnight and we were ready to paint the next day.

I instructed the students how to use the watercolors and had them paint the pumpkin first using shades of yellow, orange, and red. When the pumpkins dried we went back to add the background, stem, and leaves.

My students love getting creative and art is a wonderful way to incorporate fine motor skills and knowledge of art basics such as color, line, and form.

I know my students will love to look at their pumpkin watercolor paintings hanging on our front bulletin board through the fall season. Check back soon for Thanksgiving projects and resources!

Happy Teaching!

For more fall activities check out The October Draw and Write Pack here!