Alternatives to Alternative Seating
If you are in the “education” world, you’ve probably heard about alternative or “flexible” seating. Recently, teachers are moving to get rid of desks and fill classrooms up with alternative seating options. A quick google search will bring up lots of articles and images.
I’ve had a number of people ask me my opinion on flexible seating. Since I’m a touchy-feely, let’s-all-sit-in-a-circle-and-talk-about-our-feelings kind of teacher who also loves posting on instagram, hotbed of flexible seating activity (shameless plug, here’s my instagram!), most people expect that I’ve taken the plunge. In fact, five years ago I student taught at an awesome progressive public school that was doing flexible seating before it was even called that.
But I have no plans to ditch my desks.
In fact, here’s my classroom on the first day of school. Notice the 30 desks.
(NOTE: This is NOT an anti-flexible seating posts. I respect and admire many teachers who have made that choice.)
My advice to teachers is....
A class with desks can still be progressive and child-centered. You can achieve the “benefits” of alternative seating without dumping desks...
You can still offer kids “alternative” seating.
In my classroom, I have pillows, stools, benches, rocking chairs, etc. I have a couch from IKEA that the kids love. I have those wiggle chair cushions.
You can still offer kids choice.
I strongly believe that kids need choice within their classroom! That’s one of the central beliefs of flexible seating, but you can accomplish this with desks. Throughout the day, my students get to choose where they work. During some parts of our day, such as reading, we have a formal routine for this choice.
At other times, I put kids in groups and tell them to find a place to work. You’ll frequently see kids sprawled across the classroom.
I even lead my students through a routine where they basically get to choose their desk and we make sure everyone in the classroom has a spot that works for them.
Students do not need to spend all day at their desks.
My students spend maybe a half hour a day at their own desk? No matter what type of furniture a classroom has, I believe that students should be up and moving all day. In a “typical” day, my students probably work with 3 or 4 different groups, spend time in class meeting on the rug, find a place to read independently, and complete partner work. Any teacher should reflect on their practice and think of ways to engage students in different kinds of grouping. This is not dependent on what type of furniture you buy.
Desks can be “flexible” work spaces.
As I see it, desks are these incredibly expensive, super-sturdy work tables. I put my desks in groups, and kids frequently work at a desk that is not “theirs.” In my Title I school, we have no budget for furniture and are only provided with desks, so I want to take advantage of these kid-proof surfaces. Sometimes I question all the money being spent on flexible seating (Donor’s Choose is filled with requests!) rather than on other student-centered projects.
Desks have many benefits.
With 30 students and a classroom full of stuff, I appreciate that every student has a built-in storage cubby. I like that these tables can hold their books and supplies. I appreciate that my kids have a “home base” to come to when they enter the classroom in the morning. I’ve noticed that some of my students really like having a spot of their own, especially since some kids do not have that at home. Could you achieve these things in a flexible seating classroom? Sure. But sometimes, you don’t need to reinvent the wheel.
Like I said, this is not an anti-alternative seating post. I just wanted to add (and perhaps, push back a little) to the dialogue about “student-centered” classroom setup, from a student-centered and progressive point of view!
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