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Goal

Where do you do your best learning? That is the first question I ask my students when they enter my room. Then, I allow them to show me. Some choose to sit on yoga balls; others stand at tall tables; some stretch out on a couch or take regular seats and work off excess energy using exercise peddlers. The point is that my students are ready to learn the standards I am charged with teaching them while they are simultaneously figuring out what type of environment they will learn best in. With pedagogical and empirical research supporting the use of flexible seating in my classroom, the goal of this grant is to be able to replace flexible seating choices that have become well-worn over the last several years and expand the selection of seating my students have available to them.  

What will be done with my students

Five years ago, I decided to implement flexible seating in my classroom. As I watched students with varying learning styles and needs struggle to focus and learn, it became clear to me that not all my students were performing at their best in traditional classroom seating. Many could not sit at desks in hard chairs in one place for long periods of time any more than I could. Additionally, the Florida Health Education Standards I taught were pushing students to focus on decision-making and self-regulation.
In response, I began slowly, experimenting with yoga balls and seats that required students to balance while sitting, helping them channel excess energy. Some of my students expressed that after sitting all day, they needed to stand while working. Some needed to stretch out on the floor, using small tables and clipboards to complete their work. I began using my personal carpentry skills to build tables and chairs that would meet their needs; then expanded to soliciting donations from friends, family and scoured garage sales. The result was a classroom that looked warm and inviting (think Starbucks) and where my students were productively attentive and learning.
The data collected under our school behavioral plan demonstrated that flexible seating worked in my classroom. The number of behavioral infractions and referrals I had to write decreased. Anecdotally, I knew it was working because my students would hurry to class to secure the seat they had learned worked best for them. They were excited to learn in my classroom. Last year, despite having a particularly challenging set of classes, I only had to write three behavioral referrals for the entire year, one of which did not pertain to behavior that happened in my classroom. Additionally, I saw students working collaboratively with greater ease. The seating promoted discussion and teamwork.
This August, when I returned to my classroom and looked at my furniture with fresh eyes, it was clear that some pieces need to be replaced. Several stools have become wobbly and one of my tables has become rickety from use. These pieces were originally donated or purchased at garage sales and were not built with the intention of supporting 140 students through the course of a school year, let alone several years. To maintain safety standards in my classroom, while meeting the environmental and developmental needs of my students, I would like to purchase two additional tall tables, 6 additional stools and 2 unique ball chairs. This particular selection will also allow my students an increased opportunity to work collaboratively as required for labs and projects.
As we teach students to focus on their social-emotional growth, we also need to teach them a level of self-awareness and self-regulation. Part of that awareness is empowering them to determine what type of environment supports their learning style and physical needs. Throughout the school year, my students will have the opportunity to try different seating, learn what works for them and take that information with them into the future as they become more accountable for their learning.
 

Benefits to my students

Middle school provides students with a number of academic challenges. These challenges coincide with a period of intense physical and emotional growth. This combination can often lead to students feeling at a loss for control, uncomfortable with their own bodies and unable to focus on the task of learning. By providing my students with improved flexible seating, I am providing them the opportunity for control over their environment, in that they can take the time they need to learn the seating type that best accommodates their learning style as well as their rapidly changing bodies. I am providing them with outlets for excess energy and increased opportunities for appropriate group interactions and collaborative learning. With fewer external distractions, my students, will more receptive to learning difficult curriculum. They will also be able to put into practice the Florida Health Education Standards that focus on decision-making and self-regulation.  

Budget Narrative

Item 1 - 2 SAFCO Oasis™ Teaming Table Standing Height Cherry Tables @ $294.95 each https://www.privateschoolpartner.com/product/46502/safco-oasistm-teaming-table-standing-height-cherry-3020cy/

Item 2 - 2 SAFCO Twixt® Active Seating Chair, Extended Height Green @ @137.95
https://www.privateschoolpartner.com/product/47774/safco-twixt-active-seating-chair-extended-height-green-3001gn/

Item 3 - 2 MooreCo Hierarchy 4-Leg 30" Stool @ $141.95
https://www.privateschoolpartner.com/product/48162/mooreco-hierarchy-4-leg-30-stool-green/

Item 4 - 2 30" Heavy Duty Adjustable Steel Lab Stool with Padded Seat and Backrest @ $72.19
https://www.privateschoolpartner.com/product/16086/30-heavy-duty-adjustable-steel-lab-stool-with-padded-seat-and-backrest-6430hb/

Item 5 - 2 SAFCO Zenergy™ Ball Chair @ $130.95
https://www.privateschoolpartner.com/product/47748/safco-zenergytm-ball-chair-grass-4750gs/


 

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