How Do You Learn In a Room Like That?

As a new teacher, I always felt a need to make sure my students knew I was the teacher. It's almost like a drew an invisible line in my classroom, and I remember telling students that my chair and desk were off limits. What I didn't realize is that by saying those things, I was inadvertantly making myself off limits to some of them.

In the last month, with input from my students, I have transformed my classroom into a flexible seating classroom.  In lieu of desks, we now have futons, video chairs, lawn chairs, exercise balls, and floor chairs. I might also add that I teach high school, and yes, my kiddos were super excited about the exercise balls the first day they were in class. One of my sophomore boys walked into the room, and he asked, "What is this glorious awesomeness I see? Do we get to sit on those!?"  Gosh, it is crazy to me that a $7 exercise ball can bring this kind of joy to a student.

(Edit: my room really isn't as big as it looks; I had to use panoramic view to get it all in. I might add that getting rid of desks really opened up room.) 

Prior to this leap, I was a 50/50 flexible seating classroom; I had comfy seats that lined the back of the room. I kept the 24 desks in rows for "instructional" time, and once it was time for individual or group work, students moved to more comfortable seating. Before deciding to jump ALL IN with flexible seating, I polled my students.  I asked them which type of seating they preferred.  I wanted their opinions before I changed seating options.

I also asked them how flexible seating would help them learn. A few of their responses were:

The desks and tables are a designated sign of a rigid classroom and portrays the classroom as a place of frustration and anxiety, but with a more free, flexible seating arrangement, students could shed this stereotype. In a flexible seating classrooms students would feel less obliged to follow structured class and would be able to learn more at their pace. (I promise I did not revise this answer - wowza loving the thinking this student showed!)

It would help us feel more comfortable to talk and have discussions. (Check!)

I'm a person who likes to move or fidget and the chairs would let me move/fidget around while doing my work. (You know this student; this is an easy way to help him/her out!)

I think I'd learn just as easy as I do with a desk; it probably wouldn't effect me much. (Love the honesty here!)

Finally, I asked how it would improve the classroom environment. They responded by saying:

I'm not a student who regularly uses flexible seating because I'm more comfortable at a desk, but I think flexible seating opens up the room and doesn't make it seem crowded.

Even though I don't use them I think it helps the rest of my classmates learn better. (Again, loving these honest opinions!)

It makes it more comfortable, and I focus better when I am comfortable.

It gives a more relaxed feel to the classroom that helps us to feel at home. (And for some kids, school is the most relaxed/safest place they are all day!)

It makes the classroom feel more friendly and inviting. (WELCOME! Now let's learn!)

In order for this to work, the #1 aspect of a classroom that had to be established is a respect for learning.  My students know that it is my job to help them become life-long readers and writers.  They know it is their job to take ownership of their learning and optimize their time in class as much as possible. If those expectations aren't clear, I could see how this type of seating might cause some issues.

I can say, without hesitation, that flexible seating has single-handedly changed the environment in my classroom. Kids are happy to walk in my room. They are comfortable throughout class. They have the right to move to a new seat if they feel sleepy after lunch or if a classmate is bothering them. They know that I will move them (or move to them) if they choose a spot that is not in their best interests for learning.

So, a few questions have also come up along the way, let me take a minute to address them.

1. How do you teach? How do they take notes? Can they all see the board?

We are fortunate to be a 1:1 school, so every student has his/ her own laptop.  I teach the same way I always have, but the delivery method comes through their computer screens instead of a projector.  If they have room in their laps for a computer, then that is all we need. I might also add, that for my students with visual impairments, this takes away the "differences" they feel each day because they do not have to sit at the front of the room to see the board - their board is right in front of them.  And I do have students who tell me, I learn better by the door or I prefer to sit by myself until we need to do group work.  The kids are honest.  Just ask them what they need.

2. What do you do about tests/ quizzes?

I will be honest, I am starting to move away from a class that uses 100% traditional tests and quizzes and instead we use project based learning or informal assessment so that I can judge the comprehension in my class and determine which direction to take the lesson. There are times, however, when traditional tests are used.  I bought 30 clip boards for our paper/pencil tests and quizzes.  The kids like it.  If the quiz is online, I simply ask them to turn so that I can see their computer screens.  Finally, I ask them to spread out.  That means that some kids move to the floor, some kids move their chairs, and only 2 kids can sit on the ends of the futons.  We brainstorm solutions to these problems together.

3. How do you keep everyone involved in the conversation and keep the same level of discussion?

It's simple - I don't, and I never have.  In a classroom with desks and rows, I sometimes struggled to get the conversation started (insert cricket sounds); oftentimes, I had 1-2 individuals who refused, no matter what I tried, to talk.  So now, we do a lot of pair-and-share discussion, and then they share it out.  If I feel like a student is struggling or doesn't want to talk to his/her classmate, then it is much easier for me to get to where that student is and then I get to be the partner.  The change in discussion and comments from my students has amazed me.  On Friday, I had students asking questions like: "What is a better way to say the word 'but'?" and "Should I join this sentence with a semi-colon or a comma/Fanboys" and even "I think this first clause sounds weird, can you help me?"  I'll take those conversations over silence any day.

It's not perfect.  Some days it's messy.  Some days my kiddos don't put their chairs or pillows back.  But those some days are few and far between.  What a beautiful mess I'm in - ever changing, constantly moving, but always learning. So the next time a student asks me to sit in my teacher chair, the answer is YES!