I was reluctant when I was told that in a few years I might have a flexible classroom. So I decided to research this new concept a bit to get a better understanding of this idea. Besides, I met several parents who, after seeing the many changes in their children’s classes, were alarmed and shocked by this new concept. Some even wanted to get together and create a petition to stop it.
Before giving up, it’s important to understand what flexible seating is. Flexible seating is a refreshing trend that is emerging in elementary schools, which changes the learning environment. Several teachers worked together to find ways to keep the children interested in school and organize their classes according to the needs of their students.
What is flexible seating?
Flexible seating is divided into two parts. First, there are chairs, high tables, standing desks, sofas, wobble chairs, wobble stools, yoga balls, camping chairs, milk crates, etc. In short, it’s a completely different class from the ones we’re used to. Here, we take advantage of the workspace by offering alternative seating and playing with classroom furniture to improve students’ learning process. Students can be found reading on the floor, sitting on desks, or even listening to lessons on stability balls.
The goal of flexible seating is to foster engagement and strengthen attention among students in order to improve their academic achievement. According to several testimonies collected, kids kids love flexible seating options and have the impression that their class really belongs to them. Second, flexible seating is a class where the use of new technologies is promoted. So there are laptops, tablets and interactive screens.
How does flexible seating work?
You should know that flexible seating is a framework, much like a basic theory on which we rely. Teachers are then free to adapt it to meet the needs of their students. The different classes that I observed myself were very well organized, because yes, you need excellent organization and classroom management to teach despite the stimuli.
First, the teacher sets rules. Most of the time, these are simple, short rules for students to understand. Here is an example of simple rules:
- I choose a seat where I can concentrate.
- I can change places once, if I realize that I made a bad choice.
- I pay attention to the material.
- My teacher can change my place at any time.
Then the teacher must maintain discipline and ensure the rules are respected.
What do the numbers say?
This educational strategy appeared following a recent study by researchers from the University of Salford in the United Kingdom (University of Salford, 2017). The latter have succeeded in establishing a direct correlation between the students’ level of learning and the layout of the classrooms.
The study was carried out with 34 classes in primary school and 16% of them obtained better academic results when the teachers changed their class for flexible seating. As for the other students, there is no deterioration or increase in school results, so their performance remains stable. Following the results of the study, the teachers said to themselves: “Why not? And indeed, why not try it?
Find out more on social networks
Since the results of this study, Quebecers have decided to create a self-help Facebook group for teachers. With nearly 10,000 members, it reaches a large portion of teachers. In the group, you can find tips to start a class with a flexible layout, anecdotes, class photos and places to find some furniture or accessories at a discount to beautify the classes.
In addition, when we search on platforms like Instagram, Pinterest or even Twitter, we find other images of these classes.
In conclusion, these classes are specially designed to pique the interest of the students and to ensure quality of learning (Shipman, 2013). Since teachers must establish clear rules from the first day and maintain them throughout the year, I sincerely believe that the class can benefit from them.