[007]

Is anyone doing flexible seating where the kids do not have desks? I'm wondering how do you store their supplies & books to make them easily accessible?

[irises]

I decided to give them choices of where to sit. I still have their desks so they have a place for their materials and because some kiddos like a desk. I moved my large meeting rug directly in front of my whiteboard, desks are behind the rug. I have some stools and Runtz ball chairs available too. I thought they could choose where to sit but must stay on task or I reserve the right to move them back to their desk. If they are writing and choose the floor, then they need to get a clipboard. I also have a standing desk. So it is flexible seating, I guess. First time trying it so I don't know how it will work!

[Smurfyteach]

It might look like a nicer classroom and the concept sounds all nice and cute, but I've been there.....and I don't like it, but I can see some benefits with collaboration and space saving.

You WILL need a named tub for each child for their belongings. Keep subject books in class piles. (yet takes forever to distribute every day- think of the cumulative time spent.... ie. lots of wasted learning time here)

You must establish FIRM rules for using furniture appropriately!!!

A few big warnings:

* Noise can be permanently raised. Kids won't be quiet. Get a decibel measuring app on an iPad pronto and make that part of your classroom noise adjustment rules.

* The students' supplies will be treated poorly since they will all be communal- I find the kids don't care at all about where pencils and erasers go nor where they end up, some kids even toss them aside when a task is done.

* Young children's posture is definitely at risk.

* Quality of their book work and their hand writing goes downhill because they can't lean on anything properly and constantly move around the room or change their choice of where they are sitting and seem easily distracted.

* Lastly, kids long term don't really like this arrangement- I find they end up begging me for their own pencil case and their own desk back.

In other words, the above are deal-breakers for me.

Hope that helps.

Be Smurfy