Dear Parents, Welcome to Room 10 Dear Parents, Welcome to Room 10. I am absolutely thrilled your child is joining our family of students this year, and I can't wait to meet you, as well! When you visit our space on Back to School Night on Wednesday, August 17, you will notice the physical layout of our room looks somewhat different from a traditional classroom. This is because we are implementing a research-based concept for classroom design called flexible seating.  Room 10 has piloted this concept on a limited basis with administrative support for the past two years. What began as a pair of couches and armchairs in our hallway lobby has now expanded into our classroom over the summer, making us an official flexible seating classroom. Flexible seating is a concept rooted in educational research that encourages students to choose their type of seating based on their learning preferences. For example, some students prefer to stand while learning, so we have 3 standing desks (with stools if they want to periodically sit down). Some students prefer to sit on the floor or on their knees, so we have 2 coffee tables for students to sit around. Some students prefer a traditional table, so we have 2 of these that provide 10 traditional seats. And some students prefer to sit and have their work elevated in front of them, facilitated by a drafting table. I am especially aware of students who might need to move while working. These students can enjoy doing their work seated on a movable glider chair, yoga balls, or a bicycle add-on. All together, Room 10 has 40 different seating options available for our approximately 27 students. Whether you child prefers to sit in a traditional seat or explore a non-traditional posture, our classroom is designed to increase communication, learning and creativity. Students are not locked-in to a seating assignment and will have the ability to make a different seating choice when we switch subjects throughout the day, as their academic needs dictate. For example, some students may want to use a traditional type of seat during math, but then use a yoga mat while reading a favorite novel. The choice and freedom is theirs as long as they're exercising a responsible choice that helps them be academically successful.  To this end, we will devote time in the first few weeks to

establish an understanding of how to make appropriate choices and how to self-monitor our behavior and focus in this environment. Please take a moment to read the enclosed article to learn more about all of the benefits this classroom design offers our students. Because of this unique seating situation, students do not have private areas to store their school supplies. Room 10 has that covered! Our students use community supplies which are stored on a pegboard. Their notebooks are kept on a community bookshelf. And no binders are needed in Room 10-we use one homework folder which I provide. Students who bring supplies in on the first day are given the option to donate them to the classroom (much appreciated!!), or to keep them for a study area at home.    Over the past several years I have worked with both the Stanford School of Design and a focus group of innovative educators to find ways to design more collaborative spaces for students to work. Flexible seating in Room 10 will allow our students the freedom to foster their creativity, work in groups, become mindful of their own learning behaviors and needs, and give them a feeling of ownership and peace while in the academic setting. I invite each and every one of you to visit our learning studio throughout the year, but especially on Back to School Night (Wednesday, August 17th). Choose your own seat in the classroom and hear about all the exciting adventures we’re about to take this school year! Sincerely, Mrs. K. Uppman

Room 10 Supply List Because of our flexible seating layout, students do not have desk or cubby areas for supplies. All supplies needed on a daily basis are supplied by myself in a community supply area. Due to this, the following items on the RHD 5th Grade Supply List are not applicable to Room 10: Dividers/Tabs Binders Pencil Bag/Pencil Box Hole Reinforces Ruler Calculator If you have purchased any of the following starred supplies and would like to donate them to the classroom for community use, that would be wonderful! You can send them in on the first day. *Binder Paper *Hi-Lighters *Scissors *Glue Sticks *Pencil Cap Erasers *White Board Markers *Pencils (we go through these like water) *Colored Pencils/Crayons That being said, there are several supplies that our room uses frequently that were not on the supply list and we would LOVE donations of. They include: *Bleach Wipes/Baby Wipes *Mint Chewing Gum *Printable Mailing Labels (6/10/30 per sheet) *Zip Lock Bags (any size)