Portable writing desks and flexible seating - why is it good for your students?

From the very inception of the classroom, children have been subjected to sitting in uncomfortable wooden or metal chairs for hours at a time, with only short recesses given throughout the day. While maintaining the sitting position for prolonged hours, keeping a high level of engagement is hard. We were all reminded by our elders to sit straight and not to slouch, but as we all know, it is impossible to keep such positions over extended periods, not to mention stay concentrated.

Finding a comfortable sitting position can be very difficult if children are restricted to using only a traditional chair. The new methodology endorsed by principals and teachers is Flexible seating classrooms. Meaning, giving children the opportunity to create a learning environment and choosing a body position that is most natural to them.

Flexible seating classroom combine different tools to provide learning options. one trend principals are getting on board with are the standing desks. Standing requires more subconscious muscle concentration than sitting, and it burns off more energy. Standing desks offer some of the same benefits as alternative seating does; namely, it allows for enough movement to keep students engaged and focus on their work. Therefore, giving the Flexible seating classroom a new dimension of opportunities besides seating.

John Kilbourn, a professor at Grand Valley State University in Michigan, explained to the Washington Post, "research shows that linking activity to education helps kids learn better." This research base combined with the new knowledge in pedagogy, is one of the engines behind the Flexible seating classroom ideas.

Desks and Flexible seating classroom

While there has been a greater push in creating more agile and adaptive classroom environments (changing out traditional chairs in favor of wobbly chairs or even yoga balls), little has been done to change the vital role of the desk. In the classroom, desks are the pillars of learning; they provide stability along with individual or shared workspaces. It is this stability that supports a students' greatest chance at success.

One important thing to note about school desks, is their limited nature. While a desk is essentially a surface, it can be assigned to all kinds of tasks. Yet, in the traditional classroom, desks are not mobile. In the flexibleseating classroom, the desk can be multipurpose, saving school money by not investing in varying classroom furniture.

Portable writing desks are a great fit for the flexible seating classroom. They  are not only a financial saver, but also help to save teacher's time: children can perform multiple tasks from their desks. Therefore, they can spend more time focused on the task at hand. For instance, children have been telling us for decades that the floor is a great place for them to learn. It's time we listen and provide them portable option for flexible seating.

Due to the benefit teachers can have by teaching in a flexible seating classroom, teachers and parents alike are demanding more alternative seating choices within classrooms. More and more, teachers are allowing their students to choose where they want to sit and with whom.

Teachers who have embraced this flexible seating style of learning have seen their students’ focus improve significantly, students accept more responsibility for their productivity, are respectful of each other’s workspace, and most importantly, their confidence levels have greatly improved.

Flexible seating classroom challenges schools and teachers alike to allow their young students to decide where and how they will sit during a lesson. Students seated in more comfortable positions are more likely to stay focused on the given task, and will gain ownership due to their choice.

Allowing kids the option of this flexible learning, students gain independence and take responsibility for their productivity. With the options of working alone or in a group, standing, sitting, or kneeling, portable desks help make every classroom feel more personalized to each child’s learning needs.

Common spaces are crucial to a student’s well-being in the classroom: aside from social skills, children develop a sense of personal and shared space, they learn verbal and non-verbal communication, along with emotional development. therefore, portable seating options, making it easy for kids to put them away when they are done using them.

The freedom to stow away desks and chairs allows teachers to create this vital common space and offers endless opportunities in terms of floor seating ideas. mobile floor desks allow the child to choose where, when and with whom they wish to sit with, creating a harmonious and relaxing learning environment for all.

Children who are calm and relaxed absorb more information because they feel comfortable and confident in the spaces they have created for themselves. An additional benefit to floor seating is that it’s easy on the budget: instead of having to purchase 20+ tables and chairs for each student, portable desk might be one unit that combines the two.

The desk mobility gives children the option of working alone or collaborating with their peers by joining their desks together. By giving children more choice and agency in the classroom, teachers are promoting self-awareness and self-confidence among their students.

Teachers supporting their students’ while learning creates a space of mutual understanding and respect which subconsciously reinforces children's sense of self.