Hello,

I teach 6th and 7th graders at Silverado Middle School in Napa, California. I have several students who can't stay focused on academic tasks because their bodies are so busy, and several more who can't let their classmates focus. I am raising funds to purchase classroom furniture to help students who can't be still, such as standing desks, pedal desks, active chairs, balance boards, fidget chair bands, etc. I believe, and the research* suggests, that they could be better students and classmates if they had ways to release some of their extra energy available to them during class.

After long periods of sitting still, off-task behavior can jump as high as 50 percent. However, second-grade teachers who added movement-friendly seats saw on-task behavior spike to 89 percent, while students remaining in traditional seats but exposed to flexible options reached 87 percent on-task behavior—suggesting that letting students have the option could boost their sense of autonomy and help them focus.

*Flippin, M., Clapham, E.D. & Tutwiler, M.S. Effects of using a variety of kinesthetic classroom equipment on elementary students’ on-task behaviour: a pilot study. Learning Environ Res 24, 137–151 (2021).