What is Flexible Seating?
Flexible Seating, according to Jim Paterson, a newspaper and magazine editor and award winning writer for The Washington Post, states, "The flexible seating classroom with couches, mats, optional and alternative seating, and cozy corners for kids to concentrate, is cropping up more often." Classrooms are looking like Starbucks, inviting learners in to a place that reflects the teacher, subjects taught, and the learners themselves."
As an educator, I have used Flexible Seating for more than 8 years and love the atmosphere it creates for myself and more importantly, for my learners. It is a journey I have loved taking and I want to share this knowledge with you.
As an educator, I have used Flexible Seating for more than 8 years and love the atmosphere it creates for myself and more importantly, for my learners. It is a journey I have loved taking and I want to share this knowledge with you.
Why is this important?
Flexible seating is vital because it gives both the students and educator freedom to move furniture around to meet the needs of the situation. It isn't uncommon to see 4-5 different configurations in my room in a week. Sometimes students move the furniture into setups I wouldn't have imagined, to achieve their learning goal. I have seen what I thought was a piece of furniture intended as a "pair" or "group" piece, used individually. Once students know they can take charge of their learning environment, they do! Furniture shouldn't be a hindrance to learning: it should support the type of work being done on any given day. Even sitting on the floor for an impromptu gathering works.
What can you do to implement Flexible Seating in to your Classroom?
To implement Flexible Seating you can contact me!
I have simple and effective ways to introduce this type of seating in the classroom. I have done the research and used a transition procedure to make this learning environment successful. I have also learned that flexible Seating takes time, effort, commitment, and a willingness to be flexible! (no pun intended). Even though I have flexible Seating in my classroom, we go back and forth, depending on the learning situation, changing up the "degree of flexibility" as the situation demands. There are other educational components needed to help ensure the success of this environment: classroom instruction and delivery, expectations, lesson plan development, educator and student mindset.
I wish you and your journey into flexible seating be a wonderful journey for you!
Kelly
