(I posted this as a response to another thread about fidgets, but I figured it needed its own post as well)
Hey guys, 1st grade teacher here!
My school banned the fidget spinners almost immediately after they became a thing. However, they let teachers decide how to deal with them in their classrooms.
What I found was that students saw them as toys, not tools, and didn’t know how to use them appropriately. They knew what they were for - to help them focus - but they didn’t use them that way.
My class has a LOT of students (probably a majority) who could benefit from being able to fidget. Some have identified ADHD or Autism, others don’t and probably never will. So rather than banning the spinners, I said okay.
But here’s the catch. I didn’t just let the kids play with them and say “oh, they just need to fidget.”
I took the time one morning to TEACH the kids how to use fidget tools to actually help them focus. It only took one lesson, and my kids are generally not rule-followers.
As someone who uses fidget tools, I was able to demonstrate for them what it looks like when someone is using them to focus. Basically, it means you’re keeping the fidget low and out of sight (in your lap if you’re sitting or down by your side if you’re standing) and your focus is on the task (or speaker) at hand, not the fidget itself.
Now my students know what the expectation is, and they’ve been great with their fidgets ever since. If they start playing with the fidget tools, all I have to do is say “it’s a tool, not a toy,” and they immediately adjust and use it correctly.
Instead of banning fidgets, schools and teachers need to take about 5-10 minutes and teach kids HOW to fidget.
And no, not every kid who needs a fidget is going to be able to get a doctor’s note. That’s just ridiculous.
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