2. How do kids pick their spots?
Every morning when the kids come in they get to pick their home base spot for the day. After they do their lunch choice and grab their book box they find a seat that will work for them that day. This is their base spot where they keep their supplies. In the beginning, the rockers were definitely a favorite and we had to rotate them through everyone with a system. Now that they are used to them, I implemented a rule that they cannot have a rocker 2 days in a row. That has seemed to work for now.
When they choose their spot, this is their base spot. If they feel like they want to move around for certain activities, that have that option. If they want to stand during our word work, or lay down during our reading time they can make that choice. That’s why it’s called FLEXIBLE SEATING. :o)
I also want to mention that a couple students do have assigned seats. I have 1, sometimes 2 students, who have routinely showed me that they cannot choose a good working spot for them so we talked, came up with the best spot for them and that’s where they stay for awhile.
3. How did you come up with the rules and expectations?
When I first implemented flexible seating, I brainstormed with my principal about how to introduce it to my students. I thought I would want to state the rules right away, but while talking with my principal, we decided that it would be good for them to help come up with the rules and expectations.
So the first couple of days, there were things like snack and independent and partner reading and science, that I just wasn’t sure how it would work, but I left it up to the class to brainstorm ideas. We tried different options on those first couple of days and then came up with what worked best for our class. I really left it up to them to come up with what worked and what our rules and expecations would be.
In the end, we came up with a chart similar to this one from the fabulous Angie Olson at Lucky Little Learners. She has a fabulous post about flexible seating too.
Here’s a picture of my quick chart. Next year, I plan on making it a little nicer. Once they learned the expectations though I took it down. We didn’t have this chart up for long.
4. Do they fight over spots?
If students are fighting over a seat or spot, neither of them gets that seat for the day. Earlier this week, I actually had 2 friends play rock, paper, scissors to see who got a spot and that worked well for them. There are more than enough seats for everyone so this really isn’t usually a problem. It may be different with a different group, but for now, there is very little fighting. It’s first come, first served.
5. Which seating option is most popular?
Like I said above, the rockers are definitely a favorite!
Another favorite is the pillow table. Students definitely have their own favorites and tend to go between 1-2 seat options every couple of days. In the beginning, I made each student have a different spot for a week just so they could try all of the different places. We then talked about why they liked or disliked spots and how it worked for them that day.
I have found that those that are tardy have the last choices of where to sit. It has gotten some of my friends to school earlier just to pick the seat that they want. If they are late, they are stuck with whatever is left wherever it may be, usually the standing table.
Here are a couple of pictures of students hard at work in their spots.
7. How do you manage snack?
Snack is a time where I require everyone to be at a table. With our milk and snacks, I’ve had more messes on the floor or mats, so everyone needs to find a table spot to eat snack.
Chris Jordan says
This can improve the way a student feels when he or she walks into the room. This is also especially helpful for younger children who will feel more comfortable in a homey classroom setting than in a rather stiff one.kids summer camps
Allison Haynes says
Hi! I am researching this idea and just wondered about tests – do you let them take tests wherever their choice seating is?
Jessica Strayer says
Hi! I noticed that you have black mats under the pillows and other seatings. Where did you get those? What are they labeled as? Thanks!
Our Elementary Lives says
Hi Dana,
Thanks for the comment! I think flexible seating would be great, especially in kindergarten for those little movers. I think it's all about how you introduce it and the expectations you put with it. It took my first graders some time to figure out what was acceptable and we went over the rules A LOT to begin with. My school is also low SES and high ELL and I think these students especially benefit from flexible seating. I'd love to chat more about it and answer other questions you may have. Please email me at [email protected] if you want to discuss it more. Thanks, Paige
Dana Brown says
How do you think flexible seating would go for kindergartners? I am in a very low poverty and high ell school. Do you think this would effect anything? This post was so helpful!!
Our Elementary Lives says
Hi Sarah, Thanks for the question. So the next year with this year and I was on maternity leave for several months, so I did not do full flexible seating. Because I had a long term sub for 3 months, and I didn't want to expect her to implement if she wasn't comfortable with it, each student had their own table spot (I didn't have a short or tall table) and they used the other seating options during independent work time. Each day the students got to pick the option they wanted. If it was a stool or pillow they could use it at their table. If it was a mat, pillow or rocker they could use during work time. I still debating about what I want to do next year, but this worked this year. I hope that makes sense. Please email me at [email protected] if you have any other questions. Thanks, Paige
Sarah says
Thank you so much for this post! I am really curious to know what you changed for the next year 🙂 thanks for your great ideas!
Our Elementary Lives says
Hi there, I'm sorry I didn't respond to this sooner. I must have missed this comment. As for starting the year, I didn't introduce flexible seating until a couple days in. You're right, the beginning of the year has a lot of procedures and routines to learn. I focused on getting those taught and mastered, then I introduced flexible seating. It's hard to not introduce it soon because of the tables (higher and lower) and the excitement they have when they see the rockers and stools. If you have more questions, please email me at [email protected].
Thanks,
Paige
Our Elementary Lives says
Hello, I'm not sure what you mean by learning centers, but everything we do worked with flexible seating. If they worked in groups, they would find a spot to work. If they were working independently, they found their own spot. Please email me at [email protected] to clarify and I can hopefully help you more.
Thanks,
Paige
Unknown says
I'm so glad you posted all this information. I'm curious to know how learning centers work with the flexible seating.
junebug says
Amazing post! Thank you for all the detailed information! I am interested in making the jump to flexible seating next year. I have always let kids pick where they want to be in the room for Daily 5 and writing, so I don't think it's that much of a change. I am wondering, though, how to start this at the very beginning of the school year. I am trying to picture the first day of school when there are so many procedures to teach and the kids are brand-new to first grade! On the very first morning(s) of school, would you have them all at a table spot and then introduce the flexible seating options sometime within that first day/week?
Our Elementary Lives says
Thanks for your comment. I would say just go for it, you can always go back. I do have a teachers table. If you look in the very last picture of this post you can kind of see a small rectangle table in the back corner. I used to have a larger table (5×3 ft), but changed to a 3×2 ft table to make more floor room for mats and rockers. Also with using reading and writing workshop I do more conferring with students at their workspace than bringing them to my table. I hope that answers your question. Good luck! Paige
TeachMe0314 says
Thank you for your post!!! I really have been thinking about moving to flexible seating just based on my students from last year and how different they were when it came to how they wanted to learn. I do have one question though, do you have a teacher table? Like to have guided reading or a teacher station? How does that work?
Our Elementary Lives says
Hi Sherri, I got some of them at Walmart and some at Aldi. I know there have been a shortage though because so many teachers are looking for them.
Paige
Sherri Gill says
Where did you purchase your rockers?