Last January at Morning Meeting I spoke with the class about "flexible seating" this relatively new change that is occurring in some classrooms where students are allowed the choice to where they can sit and work. As a class we decided, we wanted to try it! That day nine students asked to stay in for recess to help me change the classroom. We pushed tables aside and moved tables, cushions, and book cases to the center of the room. From January- June, we experimented with different table height, use of rockers, cushions, work options on the floor, or at tables. We set up different group work areas but also made areas where students could work by themselves. IT WAS FANTASTIC!
That isn't to say there weren't challenges and "bumps" we needed to work out along the way. This summer I was fortunate enough to attend the SDE conferences in Las Vegas with some other educators from Bakie and Memorial Elementary school. There I got to attend some conferences with Kayla Delzer who was the pioneer behind flexible seating. We were able to discuss about how much we love using flexible seating in our classrooms and she gave me some advice to improve it this year. Below you will find a link to an article she wrote about flexible seating. I encourage you all to read it!
https://www.edsurge.com/news/2015-10-01-why-the-21st-century-classroom-may-remind-you-of-starbucks
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