So, you’ve heard about flexible classroom furniture but you’re not sure how to implement it in your classroom.
Contrary to popular belief, creating a flexible classroom doesn’t have to be an expensive and daunting task– in fact, with a few simple school furniture upgrades, you can start creating your very own flexible classroom that is scientifically proven to improve the academic performance of students.
Here are some flexible classroom furniture must-haves to help transform your traditional (and maybe a little boring!) classroom into a learning environment your students can thrive in.
It starts with the seats. Adding wobble stools into your classroom is the quickest way to transform your classroom from flat to flexible! Wobble stools like the Bloom Stool or the Jari Dynamic Activstool feature a convex base which encourage active sitting.
Studies have shown that this movement keeps students engaged and attentive throughout class, meaning when incorporating flexible furniture into your classroom, you are likely to see an improvement in the academic performance of your students.
Because wobble stools contribute to higher rates of focus, they’re ideal for any classroom activity and any student. In particular, studies have shown that this kind of flexible furniture is particularly beneficial for students with ADHD. This is because wobble stools enable fidgeting which stimulates their brain, improving their cognitive function and allowing them to better retain information.
This simple piece of flexible classroom furniture can be easily added into any learning environment, without the time-consuming process of rearranging the entire layout of your classroom. Simply add these wobble stools to your current collection of school chairs to give your students an effective flexible seating option.
Similar to the wobble stool, medicine balls are a flexible classroom furniture option that enable students to wiggle, wobble, bounce and move as they please. Whilst we wouldn’t recommend buying standard gym medicine balls, we do recommend medicine balls that are engineered specifically for the classroom environment, like the Swizzle Ottoman. By encouraging bouncing and fidgeting, the Swizzle Ottoman has the same functionalities of a medicine ball, whilst being much safer and easier to manage in the classroom.
This type of flexible classroom furniture is ideal for collaborative activities and helps reduce disruptive classroom behaviour because students are expending their energy slowly throughout the day which will prevent them from growing restless and distracted.
The level of comfort experienced by students has had a positive correlation with students’ productivity and creativity. Since students are spending most of their day sitting, it’s important for their wellbeing that the school furniture they’re sitting on is comfortable. That’s where lounge seats come in.
Lounge seats like the Lava Lounge Series or the Saturn Ottoman are ideal flexible classroom furniture alternatives to traditional classroom seating. Whilst it may not be practical to replace all your standard school chairs with a lounge or ottoman, creating a space in your classroom that features these kinds of flexible classroom furniture options can ensure students have access to a more comfortable and relaxed seating option.
Students are sitting for a large majority of their school day – it’s no wonder they become restless by the afternoon. Sit to Stand desks are an easy flexible classroom furniture option to help you create a flexible classroom that actually yields results.
Standing desks allow students to easily transition from seated to standing throughout the day which research suggests reinvigorates their attention. Changes in their posture give students the necessary ‘refresh’ to continue their work with reduced fatigue and improved focus.
Giving students access to standing desks like the Copenhagen Desk gives them the flexibility to move and release stored energy when they need. By encouraging this movement, standing desks prevent sedentary behaviour in the classroom, which is effective in reducing restlessness, particularly for those students with ADHD.
Collaboration in the classroom is an integral part of the learning process. Studies have shown that students consolidating their knowledge and participating in active discussion within smaller groups extends their understanding and improves their retention of information.
Flexible classroom furniture can be easily reconfigured and moved to allow students to easily collaborate with their peers. Classroom tables like the Lunar Table can be easily reorganised to suit the immediate demands of each classroom activity – group them together for collaborative work, separate for individual activities or link them together to form long lines or discussion circles.
By slowly replacing your school furniture with flexible classroom furniture, you will be able to create a learning environment that facilitates the innate need for students to move.
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