Flexible Seating: Questions Answered!

I get many common questions from people when they hear I do flexible seating in my classroom.  I have posted a couple other times about flexible seating in my classroom (here and here) but I thought I would do one post that answers all the questions I get about flexible seating. 

Let me preface by saying I do not believe there is only one way to do flexible seating.  Also, I am in NO WAY perfect or an expert on this.  I find that many teachers are very interested in trying flexible seating but are nervous about doing so, so I am simply sharing my experiences and what works for me and my students in the hopes that it helps you implement successfully or inspires you to give it a try!

So here we go!

*Warning*  This will be a lengthy post as I try to answer all the questions!

How did you introduce flexible seating to your students?  Do you start from Day 1 or introduce one type of seating at a time?

In my classroom, I 'assign' students spots at first.  They would come in every day and their name would be on a different type of seating.  For example, little Lily comes in day 1 and her seat for the day is a crate seat.  Day 2, she is assigned to a Wobble Chair (which are amazing BTW!) for the day.  Day 3, she is assigned a stool, and so on until she has tried all seating options for a day.  Throughout these first days, we are having class meetings and discussions about the rules of and how to properly use these different types of seating.  We also talk about which seating they liked/didn't like, which would be best depending on what they are doing, etc.  For example, if you are reading a book, where would you be more comfortable?  How about if you are doing a cut/paste project?  Working in a group?  Which friends do you work well/not so well around?

I make sure to train my students VERY well on this, because with all things teaching, the better you lay down routines and procedures, the better the chance your students will be successful with it.

After each student has tried each type of seating and after I feel we have established rules and procedures well (roughly 1-2 weeks), I move into letting them choose their own seating.  They are SO excited for this that it goes well because they do not want to lose the privilege of choosing for themselves.  They take this responsibility very seriously.

Did you have any challenges with students choosing to sit next to their friends and getting distracted?

This piggybacks well with my answer to the last question.  No, I do not have many issues with this due to the fact that I took the time to set up my rules and procedures in the beginning and I stick firmly with them.  Students know that if they do not choose a spot that works well for themselves, then I will pick one for them---and they do NOT want that.  So while every once in awhile I will have to move a student, the majority of the time they do a great job of picking spots for themselves.

Do students sit in the same spot all day?

My students choose where they want to sit for each activity of the day.  When we switch to a different activity, they make pick a new spot.  So for math time, they may choose a crate seat next to their partner at a table.  Then when we go to reading time, they may prefer to sit alone on the carpet.

My only rule is they have to stay where they chose for the duration of the activity.  So if you chose a crate seat for math, that is where you stay until math time is finished.  This eliminates them constantly roaming the room as opposed to working.

I teach lower grades/upper grades.  Do you think flexible seating would work for students this age?

My kindergarteners can do it, so yes!  I think that flexible seating works (and is best practice) for students of any age as long as you set it up effectively in your classroom and give students the tools they need to be successful.

Where do students keep their supplies?

This was probably the toughest part of flexible seating for me because I have always been a community supply classroom.  We had table buckets and each table shared supplies which worked nicely.  Since I got rid of most tables (and students were no longer assigned to tables), that obviously had to change.

I went back to having individual student crayon boxes where they keep their crayons and pencils.  They keep them in their cubbies along with their reading journals, writing folders, etc.  This way they grab them and take them wherever they go and put them back in their cubby when finished.  I kept scissors, glue, markers still technically as community supplies.  They are in baskets on a shelf and when a student needs them they grab one.  

What types of seating options do you have?

At the moment, I have a rectangular table with 'regular chairs', a rectangular table that I removed the legs from and students sit on the floor at, a U table, an old re purposed coffee table I found in my garage, 4 stools, 6 crate seats, 3 Kore Wobble Chairs, 2 hexagon tables, and some pillows (I recommend ones with removable pillow cases so you can wash them!).  I also have shelves around the room that students like to stand at and work on top of, as well as a classroom set of clipboards that students can use when choosing a spot on the carpet to work on.  

Where did you buy everything that you use for flexible seating? 

I actually hardly bought anything....I already had a classroom set of clipboards (collected from the dollar store over the years) and some crate seats.  I took the legs off one of my existing tables and lowered it to where kids could sit on the floor at it.  I left one table as it was with regular chairs.  I then took an Ikea trip and bought a few inexpensive items.  

You can read in detail everything I did and purchased in this blog post.

Do your kids argue over seating?

It has happened (I do teach K after all!), but not often.  I eliminate part of this by calling groups of students at a time to choose their places.  I never just send off the entire class at once.  This would likely cause chaos, flexible seating or not.
 
Also, at the risk of sounding like a broken record, another thing that helps with this is are the rules and procedures.  Students know that if there is any arguing then neither of them will sit there, and I will choose their spot.  Again, they do NOT want this.

Lastly, over time this just becomes normal to them--it's just how things work in our classroom.  It is like when a kid gets a new toy--it tends to be amazing and their favorite for awhile, but after the newness wears off it is just like any other toy.  It also works like this for our seating.  No one type of seating is 'the best' to fight for anymore because they are used to it.

How did you introduce this to the parents?

I don't really 'introduce' it.  If parents ask about it I of course answer their questions but I do not make a big deal of pointing it out.  Again, it is just how our classroom runs.

All parent questions I have answered have been more out of interest and curiosity rather than interrogation, and I have had really good feedback from parents.  They love that I am trying something different that we feel is best for students.  Some parents have been amazed at the improvement in their child's focus and behavior at school.

What about procedures when you have a sub?

This has been one of the toughest parts.  Subs haven't necessarily seen or been in a flexible seating classroom so they are not sure how to manage it.  I have a typed up page in my sub folder that specifically explains our flexible seating procedures.  From there, I must trust my students to keep up the procedures while I am gone.  But we all know how that goes at times....;)  So I tell my sub that if there are any problems or he/she does not feel comfortable, then just go ahead and assign students seats for the day.  They can handle that until for a day or two until I get back.  :)

I have a small classroom.  Do you think I could still do flexible seating?

YES!  In fact, this is one of the main reasons I tried flexible seating myself!

I have a tiny classroom.  Between 4 rectangle tables, a U-table, and a carpet area, we were maxed out on space.  I'm talking like when kids were sitting at their chairs, they were knocking their chair into the person sitting at the table behind them.  There was no way to walk in between tables.  Also, only having 4 tables meant having 6 students at one table which was very crowded.  We were always on top of each other, which turned into a lot of bickering and arguing.

Switching to flexible seating actually gave us more space.  I removed 2 rectangle tables which opened up our room a lot.  We are also now using every nook and cranny of space in our room.  Students will find the craziest spots to work in!  We are now so spread out around the room which has eliminated so much of the bickering between the students.  They are no longer stuck squished between the same friends all day every day.  They now get to choose who to sit by and sit by many different people throughout the day.  It has worked wonders for our classroom community.

 

Which kinds of seating do your students like best?

This changes.  We got our Kore Wobble Chairs mid year this year and the students went crazy for them!  They allow them to wiggle around a bit while working.

I was most surprised by the fact that so many of my students love to stand while working.  They will just find a shelf to stand at and work on top of.

Other than that, I would have to say they choose all other seating options pretty evenly.  Your best bet is to have plenty of options for them to choose from!  

You teach kindergarten--what about their name tags?

We have just been keeping them in their cubbies with their crayon boxes.  When they need them, they go grab them.  I have seen some teachers taping them to the bottom of crayon boxes or having students keep them inside crayon boxes.  For me, just keeping them in their cubbies worked well.

What do your students think about flexible seating?

Again, this just becomes a norm in our room so they really don't find it revolutionary enough to talk about whole lot.  We do talk about what a big responsibility it is for them to be able to choose what is best for them, so they are proud of themselves about that.  They also love explaining to 'grown ups' and other teachers how it works in our classroom.

How do you do whole group instruction?

Most of my whole group instruction is done from the carpet area.  For these times, I do give assigned spots on the rug because I prefer to make sure my students are next to a good partner for when we do partner shares and talks.  It also denotes their own space so we are not super close or super far away from each other.  When we leave the carpet, they are free to go choose whatever spot they like to work.

         

I hope this answered all of your questions!!  Feel free to pin the image below to be able to refer back to this post.

To sum up--routines, routines, routines, procedures, procedures, procedures!  Again, I do not feel that there is any one right way to implement flexible seating.  But I do encourage you to try it!

The Power of Student Choice is an incredible thing and I urge you to take the leap!  If there are any other questions you still have I would be happy to answer them in the comments below.

The Truth About Flexible Seating--What It Is and What It Isn't

If you have been following my blog or social media (click here for my Instagram), you already know that I changed from traditional to flexible seating in my classroom this year.  It is something I have wanted to try for quite awhile and finally went for it!  I already blogged about how I made the switch for under $50 here.

Since flexible seating is creating quite the buzz in recent months, today I thought I would share my honest thoughts and review of how flexible seating is going in my classroom and why I chose make the switch.  I am here to tell you...

First off, I can honestly say I will never go back to traditional seating.  Flexible seating has revolutionized my classroom.  My students are more focused, on task, and their social skills have improved.  There is more a sense of community or 'family' in my classroom than ever before.

Since I made the switch, I have noticed flexible seating is starting to become the new 'trend' in classrooms.  While I love that so many people are trying this because I am a HUGE supporter of flexible seating, I don't like 'trends'.  Trendy refers to the fact that people are doing it just because they saw other people doing it and think it is the new 'cool' thing to do.  This causes people to just jump in without actually doing the research or knowing the 'why' behind it.

I had been researching flexible seating for about a year and a half before I implemented it in my classroom.  I was intrigued and wanted to know the research behind it, the benefits of it, and WHY these teachers felt it was best for their students.  I did not make the switch until knowing all of the facts and weighing the pros vs possible consequences/issues that may arise.  This way I was fully prepared and more likely to be successful. 

I also know that many of you may need to convince parents or administration of the change.  (Thankfully I did not have this problem--my principal trusts me to do what is best for my kids in my own classroom.)

So my first piece of advice if you are contemplating flexible seating in your classroom, is *please* research it first.  Here are a few great resources I found when doing my research:

Flexible Classrooms: Providing the Learning Environment That Students Need 
Rethinking the Classroom: Spaces Designed For Active and Engaged Learning and Teaching
Why The 21st Century Classroom May Remind You of Starbucks

There are many more wonderful resources out there as well that can be found through a simple Google search.

Now that you have done your research, you can truly decide if flexible seating is for you. 

For me personally, there were 2 main reasons I wanted to do flexible seating:

1.  The power of Student Choice. 

I have found that the more choice (aka 'power') I give to my students, the more I actually get in return.  This applies to anything, not just seating.

It also gives students a great responsibility.  Students have to figure out what is best for them rather than me telling them.  They figure out what spaces they work best in and what friends they work best around (or not around.)  They figure out whether they prefer to work in groups, pairs, or individually.  And the best part is they can change these choices throughout the day--for example, maybe they prefer a partner at a table for math but during reader's workshop they prefer to work alone while lying on a pillow.  We constantly reflect on their choices and what is best for them.  This is powerful--especially for a 5/6 year old to be so self-aware and reflective.

2.  For my classroom community

I wanted to create a space that lends itself to a more collaborative environment.  Taking out individual chairs/desks/tables does that.  Students are very comfortable working with anyone in our classroom.  They sit by/work with many different classmates throughout the day. 

I also want my students to walk in and feel comfortable--this is their home away from home after all.  I want them to feel they 'live' here too.  It is not just my (the teacher's) space--it is OUR classroom.  I want them to be relaxed, happy, and comfortable.  Are you comfortable sitting still and straight in a chair for 6-8 hours a day?  Me either and we are adults!  Think of how difficult that must be for a child who NEEDS to move!

We are wasting precious time fighting (or losing the fight to more accurately put it) children's need for movement and fidgeting.  My students can now relax and sit or stand how they are comfortable and put more energy and focus on their work, instead of wasting that energy trying to sit correctly in a chair while fighting the urge to move.


Now that we have talked about what flexible seating is and why I chose to do it, I want to address what it is NOT.

1.  Flexible seating is NOT buying a classroom set of stability balls (or something similar) to replace your chairs. 

Are stability balls a great flexible seating option?  Absolutely.  But notice the keyword: seating option.

Also notice that it is called Flexible Seating.  Flexible means options and choices.  Students are not told how/where to sit or work.  They are given several seating options and STUDENTS CHOOSE what is best for them.

Now does this mean all students will pick the perfect spot every time?  If you are a teacher, you know the answer to that is No Way Jose!  Just as with everything else in a classroom, flexible seating takes management and procedures.  Students will have to be taught how to do it.  But it can be done and it is SO worth it!!

2.  Flexible seating does NOT have to be uber (yes it's a word) expensive.  

Flexible Seating does NOT mean you need a thousand different expensive stools/couches/stability balls/etc.  As I explained in detail in this blog post, I spent less than $50 trying it in my classroom and ended up with plenty of seating options.

I already had crate seats and a classroom set of clipboards so I used those.  I also went through my house/garage and found a small coffee table I had inherited from my grandma that was perfect height for students to sit on the floor and work at.  The only things I purchased were inexpensive stools and pillows.  (Since then, though my principal bought me 2 Kore Wobble chairs--just because she is awesome!)   

Many students choose to stand while working, so they just pick a shelf (that I already had) to go work on top of.  I got rid of 2 of my rectangular tables, and lowered one (removed the legs) so that students could sit on the floor while working at it.  Here is a picture of my students working:

As you can see, there are students lying on the carpet, one at crate seats, some at the low tables, one standing working on top of a shelf....what you can't see to the left of the picture are a couple students sitting on stools working on top of a shelf, a couple more on crate seats at a trapezoid table, and a couple at a 'regular' table in 'regular' chairs.

Which brings me to my next point....

3.  Flexible seating does NOT mean getting rid of ALL traditional tables and chairs.

Again, the idea here is giving the students options.  Sitting at a 'regular' chair at a table/desk is an option.  And many of your students may choose it.  I left one rectangular table with 4 chairs at it and many students use it throughout the day.  It is simply one more seating option you already have!  (Therefore, no money spent!)

 
I hope this post has given you a better insight as to what flexible seating is and why it is so beneficial.  It is a simple change I made in my classroom that has had a major positive impact. 

I get many common questions from fellow teachers about flexible seating in my classroom.  I will be compiling a list of these questions along with my answers and posting that very soon.  If you have any questions you want answered in this future post, please list them in the comments and I will be sure to address them!