Flexible classroom in practice?

[Imsosorryalan75]

A friend was singing the praises of this the other day but Im not convinced. How does it make a difference? What about handwriting when they're not leaning on a table properly? And surely behaviour is worse if they can sit where and next to whoever they like?

From the brief snippet you’ve given, this sounds like hell. What is a flexible classroom?

It's a fad- children sitting on exercise balls, standing desks, putting the odd one in a tub.

Like many fads, when done by young, extremely enthusiastic teachers who are willing to spend their own money and work day and night to make a name for themselves it impresses people who have never been in a classroom or those who have fallen hook line and sinker for Paul Dix.

Kids in tubs?

Why don’t we just take the kids down the playpark, stick them in swings and on the roundabout and try to get them to learn while they’re whizzing around?

I spent a couple of weeks in a classroom like this, and although I am Very Strict I really liked it. The kids all had a seat at a table, but could work on the carpet, or benches and cushions around the room. The work didn't suffer, although this was in the US so there was no one looking over checking handwriting or anything, and all the maths was on sheets. It must be said, though, that the class were very well behaved - I've had classes I couldn't even let use the book corner and it would not work with them!

There was no trouble with children wandering around the room, and no one not able to sit still in a seat, because they were all able to make themselves comfortable, and they could move away from people or give themselves more space freely. That's the main benefit I noticed.

putting the odd one in a tub

Did you get given a lid? There’s a child in my school who would benefit from this ... no, sorry, the OTHER children would benefit from him being in a tub ...

Was this the biggest classroom in the world, or the smallest class?

I’ve barely got enough room in my classroom for enough desks and chairs, let alone bean bags and tubs (omg I could do with a kid-sized tub with a lid, and they’d probably queue up to go in it).

How do they manage to write if they are on bean bags. What do they lean on?

I worked at a school like this. They used clipboards/whiteboards to lean on. Not enough tables for everyone but areas to work in low/high (stage kicks/bean bags/cushions) and cave spaces/cosy corners. It did work well but only because the children were used to it from year 1. It does take some getting used to and has advantages and also some negative aspects. Interesting approach though

Stage blocks not kicks!

Local juniors does it quite a bit and have some funny plastic things the kids can basically poke through their crotch to have a pop up table to write on (sorry - that's the best way I can think of to describe it).

Would work a dream for DD2 with her sensory issues... however would be fucking anarchy for a classroom of 30 kids so DD2 can just slum it with her wobble cushion and a gym band around her chair legs for her to kick at with her feet.

I swear she's like 99% cat sometimes - if you let her sit in a box to work she'd never bloody get out. It would be utterly illegible as well.

Local juniors does it quite a bit and have some funny plastic things the kids can basically poke through their crotch to have a pop up table to write on (sorry - that's the best way I can think of to describe it).

you're talking about lap tables I assume? A slightly disturbing way to describe it.

This would work well with my class who all have additional needs.... but yes, there will always be some children who use it as a way to mess around. It's the same with fidget toys. Some use them and it works well, others just misuse them, Chuck them around and stab people with it!!

Sounds like a nightmare. I cannot imagine how bad my yr 4s would be.

I'm not a teacher, but when I was a governor I went off to visit a school that worked like this. Each child had their own laptop too.

I kind of got the theory, but I did compare how the children were sitting with my own workplace, where DSE assessments are strictly enforced and our H&S team spend a lot of time educating us on sitting properly to minimise bad backs, RSI etc. I did worry about the impact of some of the poor posture on these young children.

I did raise it in school but no one seemed bothered or thought it an issue.

It sounds like a great flexible space for a 6th form study area where students can work outside of class.

As a classroom, not a chance. It sounds like one of those fads like 'Google offices are the future so we'll apply the same principles to 6 year olds as adults researching in the tech industry'.

I think it would be great if you could have both..a formal seating area and a relaxed half room where children who find it difficult to sit still could lie on their tummy etc. But what classroom has space for that.
My ds has dyslexia and a therapist told me it was impossible for him to sit still. That situation would have suited him.
As a teacher l do tell parents children don't need to sit to read/ learn spelling for homework. They can lie on a rug or like my ds hang upside down off the back off the couch once theyre learning.

Tubs?
I'm very intrigued....

Oooo, I teach like this - never realised it had a name Basically I teach 6th form and whenever they have written work to do, they ignore the available tables and sit on the floor with their laptops. They have the option of proper table and chair, or one of those tables that fits on the side of a chair but 99% of the time they just sit on the floor.

No tubs though.

I'd imagine classroom sizes must have a big impact in the practicalities of this approach. Most of our classrooms just couldn't facilitate it. We only really just manage to fit in enough tables and chairs per child as it is whilst retaining some carpet space for sitting to look at the board.