Marquette Flexible Seating
Donation protected
Our Goal:
The staff at Marquette Elementary want to help students be more calm, regulated, and on-task by providing them with seating choices that suit their learning style and preferences.
Our project creates movement-permissive classrooms to promote student choice, self-regulation, and mindfulness. Having implemented the Zones of Regulation curriculum school-wide for two years, we have observed that students learn better when they are given choices and tools to help them self-regulate. Whether listening to a lesson on the carpet, talking to a partner at a table, or working alone, students work better when they are comfortable and sitting in a place they choose. The project will expand student choice by providing all regular-education and special education classrooms with alternative seating like yoga balls, desk bikes, cushions, and wobble stools.
Our Story:
Of 75 students surveyed, 72% say they like to learn by moving and doing some or most of the time, and 96% of students say they like choosing where they sit some or most of the time. Flexible seating meets students’ need for movement and choice in the classroom and acknowledges our students who struggle to focus in traditional classroom scenarios. Through the use of the Zones of Regulation curriculum over the past two years, we have seen evidence that giving students choices and fulfilling their sensory needs works to help them achieve greater focus and self-regulation. Zones was first used in our Special Education classrooms, then expanded to all of fourth grade, then the entire school. The language of self-regulation is used in all spaces, where students know how they learn best and get what they need to be successful learners. However, even with Zones of Regulation in place, teachers observe that students rarely have the opportunity to reach deep focus and engagement with a task. One Marquette teacher who is beginning to implement the concepts of seating choice in her classroom notes that her students quickly become focused and stay focused when sitting in their preferred location.
Our Plan:
We plan to create zones for all types of learners by providing alternative seating options like yoga balls and floor seating, that will cater to students’ preferred way to work. We believe this strategy will result in greater calm and self-regulation for all students. We envision the seating options being used flexibly by whichever students feel the need to stand or move throughout the day, much like the sensory tools available in every classroom. Our staff explicitly teaches the routines around sensory breaks and that sensory items (stress balls, fidgets, etc.) are to be used as tools when needed for self-regulation. We will teach the same expectations for the use of the flexible seating. Therefore, all 240 students at Marquette will benefit from the project as all students will have access to the seating options as needed for better focus and self-regulation.
Our Needs:
We are hoping to raise $500 per classroom space. All teachers have identified seating that they would like to add to their classrooms. Some of the items, like yoga balls or under-desk bikes, provide an opportunity to move for students who benefit from movement to focus. Others, like floor chairs or scoop chairs, provide some core support for students sitting on the floor for long periods of time. Some examples of desired seating types are listed in the wish list.
The staff at Marquette Elementary want to help students be more calm, regulated, and on-task by providing them with seating choices that suit their learning style and preferences.
Our project creates movement-permissive classrooms to promote student choice, self-regulation, and mindfulness. Having implemented the Zones of Regulation curriculum school-wide for two years, we have observed that students learn better when they are given choices and tools to help them self-regulate. Whether listening to a lesson on the carpet, talking to a partner at a table, or working alone, students work better when they are comfortable and sitting in a place they choose. The project will expand student choice by providing all regular-education and special education classrooms with alternative seating like yoga balls, desk bikes, cushions, and wobble stools.
Our Story:
Of 75 students surveyed, 72% say they like to learn by moving and doing some or most of the time, and 96% of students say they like choosing where they sit some or most of the time. Flexible seating meets students’ need for movement and choice in the classroom and acknowledges our students who struggle to focus in traditional classroom scenarios. Through the use of the Zones of Regulation curriculum over the past two years, we have seen evidence that giving students choices and fulfilling their sensory needs works to help them achieve greater focus and self-regulation. Zones was first used in our Special Education classrooms, then expanded to all of fourth grade, then the entire school. The language of self-regulation is used in all spaces, where students know how they learn best and get what they need to be successful learners. However, even with Zones of Regulation in place, teachers observe that students rarely have the opportunity to reach deep focus and engagement with a task. One Marquette teacher who is beginning to implement the concepts of seating choice in her classroom notes that her students quickly become focused and stay focused when sitting in their preferred location.
Our Plan:
We plan to create zones for all types of learners by providing alternative seating options like yoga balls and floor seating, that will cater to students’ preferred way to work. We believe this strategy will result in greater calm and self-regulation for all students. We envision the seating options being used flexibly by whichever students feel the need to stand or move throughout the day, much like the sensory tools available in every classroom. Our staff explicitly teaches the routines around sensory breaks and that sensory items (stress balls, fidgets, etc.) are to be used as tools when needed for self-regulation. We will teach the same expectations for the use of the flexible seating. Therefore, all 240 students at Marquette will benefit from the project as all students will have access to the seating options as needed for better focus and self-regulation.
Our Needs:
We are hoping to raise $500 per classroom space. All teachers have identified seating that they would like to add to their classrooms. Some of the items, like yoga balls or under-desk bikes, provide an opportunity to move for students who benefit from movement to focus. Others, like floor chairs or scoop chairs, provide some core support for students sitting on the floor for long periods of time. Some examples of desired seating types are listed in the wish list.
Organiser
Maegan Coffin Heindel
Organiser
Madison, WI
