Dear Parents, I am so excited to tell you about flexible seating in our classroom! Students now have many different seating options throughout the day, and they decide which seat in our classroom will work best for their learning style. I am passionate about classroom design and its affect on learning. I want my classroom to be bright, motivating, fun, and able to accommodate the needs of all my students. I came across an article about something called “Flexible seating”.  This throws the idea of a traditional classroom out the window. Instead of desks and chairs, there are soft chairs, stability balls, stools, ottomans, low tables, rugs, etc.  I was intrigued and decided to research it further. I found out some very interesting things about alternative seating. According to the research I found, flexible seating: 1.      helps students attention spans; which results in higher achievement 2.      makes students more actively engaged in the classroom 3.      gives them an active outlet without disrupting their learning 4.      makes them more physically fit 5.      motivates students to want to come to school 6.      helps those with ADHD and Autism, along with other special needs 7.      helps develop a sense of community among the students which improves their social skills 8.      helps them to become independent learners     So, your child’s classroom will be a flexible seating classroom. I understand that some kids would prefer a regular table and chair, so I will have a table with chairs set up for those learners.   Currently, we have pillows, crates, standing desks, and a few yoga balls. I hope to add stability mats, Wobble seats, and exercise bands on chairs soon. I have a Donors Choose Project in the works. If you would like to donate, I will provide a link on my webpage. I would love for you all to join in on the fun!     Sometimes I like to sit on the floor and spread out my work and other times I like to sit on the couch and grade my papers. Children are no different.  Just like children have different learning styles, they have different physical needs when it comes to learning.  Flexible seating will allow your child to choose which seat works best for them. I will be teaching the students how to choose a spot that is the most conducive to their learning style.  “When the body is active, the brain is active”. I am very excited to do this in my classroom and I hope you are too. I understand it might be a little strange and not at all what you’re used to but I truly believe this will help your child be the best learner they can be.  If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at: sara.minnicks@warren.kyschools.us. Your teacher, Mrs. Minnicks