Flexible Seating: All of our Packages Came!

We are ready!

The packages came, tables lowered and expectations have been taught.  

On Wednesday, we started getting the deliveries from our Donors Choose project. The first items were the exercise balls. It took a while to get them all pumped up, but minutes after they were, students were asking for one and ready to try it out. 

I should have prepared for the exercise balls rolling all over when students stood up or walked away from them, but I didn't.  I came up with what I feel is a rather clever solution to that problem. I popped into Hobby Lobby and found the wreath forms. They work perfectly! Students can get up and grab supplies without the exercise ball rolling away.  

On Thursday, our stools and stability cushions came.  Both, like the exercise balls, are a hit! Students who are sitting in a chair or on the floor can take a stability cushion and bring it to where they are woking.  

Our journey with flexible seating was now off and running.  It was time for setting up the expectations (ground rules).  Thanks to an Instagram user I follow (@luckylittlelearners), I knew what expectations I wanted to set.  

1. Choose a working spot that allows you to do your best fifth grade work. 

2. Use seating options appropriately. 

3. If a spot isn't working for you, move so you can be successful. 

4. Mrs. Kangas has that right to move anyone at anytime. 

Friday morning, I decided to lower one of my front tables. This really sealed the deal for students that we were going for it! As soon as the first table was down, a swarm of 5th graders came over to try it out. 

They were excited and were ready to start working on the low surface.  There were so many students interested, I ended up lowering another table. Good thing I did! During our morning Writing time, students were drawn to the low tables and worked very well there. 

When students left on Friday, I stood at the front of my room and took in the current arrangement.  It would have worked - two low tables in the front and four tall tables in the back in two rows - but I felt like something was missing. I couldn't picture students really using flexible seating to it's full potential with the tables in rows. I wanted students to lay on the floor if interested, grab a big pillow and have space to spread out and work. The two rows of tables just didn't quite allow for that. I needed more space in the middle of the room and smaller working areas. So off I went and started moving things around.

 (Just for a reference, this is how things were set up before I re-arranged.  It worked well for traditional seating, but as you can see, not a lot of space to spread out. )

Here is what I ended up with! 

I like the different areas, how students have a lot of floor space to work, and that I can still easily see everyone. 

I will post again this week describing each area specifically and all of our flexible seating options.