Do Students Need More Flexible Seating?
Flexible seating in educational classrooms is paving the way for a change in the future direction of teaching styles and student learning experience. The days of rows of desks are changing to a collection of bean bag chairs, scoop rockers, floor chairs, stools and even pillows as cushioning for students to sit on.
The Next Generation Classroom
Some classrooms may be equipped with lap desks including folding ones and collaborative tables for students to sit around on floor seats. You may wonder if this sounds like a classroom at all; with bean bag chairs and cushions, it could sound like a playground. Yet it is a very important step in new ways to educate children. It can offer a new perspective by students on their learning experience such as collaboration with other students. However, collaboration is an important technique for future endeavors and a more relaxed atmosphere for learning rather than a strict desk set up. People tend to learn better when they are more relaxed and comfortable in their surroundings and this applies to the educational classroom as well. A setting which fosters creativity and collaboration is key for learning and development such as expression of self and communication with others. Cooperative learning is facilitated through collaboration tables and arranged flexible seating which enables students to either work autonomously or collaborate with their peers.
Advantages of Flexible Seating
Choice Making
Aside from collaboration, flexible seating can be arranged to foster pairing and group work without shifting desks around. An advantage of flexible seating is the choice that it offers to students. If you have a classroom which offers a variety of seating styles and options for students, it empowers them with a choice as to how they seat themselves and engage in their learning experience.
Physical Health Benefits
Another interesting advantage of flexible seating is that if can offer positive physical health benefits: students can find themselves comfortably supported in a bean bag chair, floor seating chair, scoop rocker or flexible stool and can bounce, lean or even stand which drives oxygen and blood flow.
Mental Health Benefits
Given that physical well-being and mental health are linked, it is conducive to have physical advantages of flexible seating which aids in mental stimulation and academic performance. The sensory features of different seating arrangements such as cushions and bean bags or flexible stools means students feel the differences in the flexible seating and this delivers sensory input into their system. Touching and engaging in bouncing induces sensations and can be a fun way to learn in a classroom. Furthermore, sensory input is highly-important for students with different learning capabilities or special requirements such as those on the Autism spectrum and those with ADHD.
Community Approach
Additional to collaboration, community approach is the advantage of a flexible seating in educational classrooms. Traditional rows of desks represents a strict separation of students and the idea of territorial space. Whereas flexible seating arrangements offer a community feel which prepares children for the world that awaits them as they pass school and enter the community. It harness the reigns of their lives as adults within their community.
References:
https://smithsystem.com/smithfiles/2019/05/21/top-10-benefits-flexible-seating-classroom/https://infograph.venngage.com/p/226127/6-benefits-of-flexible-seating