This project is designed to transform the high school classroom into a comfortable and engaging space for learning. Research shows that flexible seating in classrooms allows for student efficacy/choice, increased student health, comfort, greater levels of collaboration, enhanced learning, and much higher levels of motivation and enthusiasm. As an English and Drama teacher, I would like to develop a classroom seating atmosphere that encourages students to really settle in with a good book and engage in discussion, higher-level critical thinking, and written response. Sometimes the right atmosphere makes all the difference.
Immediately, the benefits will be to give students a sense of ownership in the educational process. They will also have a natural feeling of excitement and interest. The ongoing benefits will depend on the strategic use of this space. This use will include: flexible/collaborative grouping, debate, movement in "four corners" discussions, gallery walks, and the "acting out" of literature/plays. In short, this will allow for purposeful movement to different seating stations and changes in "setting" throughout the school day. Students might move from the tables to standing desks, to bean bag chairs, or to more traditional classroom desks. It will depend on their stations, activities, discussion, or independent work. I would like to get the students away from simply sitting in traditional desks all day long. Research shows that this, used effectively, increases student achievement and intrinsic motivation.
About my class
This project is designed to transform the high school classroom into a comfortable and engaging space for learning. Research shows that flexible seating in classrooms allows for student efficacy/choice, increased student health, comfort, greater levels of collaboration, enhanced learning, and much higher levels of motivation and enthusiasm. As an English and Drama teacher, I would like to develop a classroom seating atmosphere that encourages students to really settle in with a good book and engage in discussion, higher-level critical thinking, and written response. Sometimes the right atmosphere makes all the difference.
Immediately, the benefits will be to give students a sense of ownership in the educational process. They will also have a natural feeling of excitement and interest. The ongoing benefits will depend on the strategic use of this space. This use will include: flexible/collaborative grouping, debate, movement in "four corners" discussions, gallery walks, and the "acting out" of literature/plays. In short, this will allow for purposeful movement to different seating stations and changes in "setting" throughout the school day. Students might move from the tables to standing desks, to bean bag chairs, or to more traditional classroom desks. It will depend on their stations, activities, discussion, or independent work. I would like to get the students away from simply sitting in traditional desks all day long. Research shows that this, used effectively, increases student achievement and intrinsic motivation.
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