Alternate Seating In Own Space
Why should I do it:
- Some students find sitting stifling and constricting which can result in defiance, acting out, and decrease in work productivity
- Small changes in position and/or view can freshen a student’s resolve, energy level, interest, and motivation
- Increases focus, attention, and effort
- Helps “reset” some students
- Provides breaks and changes in routine
- Reduces student’s level of boredom
When should I do it:
- When a student is easily distracted and is frequently losing focus
- When a student needs a “restart”
- When a student is losing motivation, effort, or interest in the task at hand
- When students get fidgety, antsy, or need a momentary break
- When students have been working or sustaining focus for longer periods
- When students begin to complain, whine, etc
- When students are toward the end of the task and need a boost
- When students are stuck
- When students are having a mental block
- When you need to refocus students
How do I do it:
- Explain to the student that staying in their seat isn’t as important as doing work
- Provide the student with choices, like standing while working, sitting on feet, on their knees, or similar configurations that will not be too distracting to other students
- You can place tape around the perimeter of desk and show student that he/she can get up as long as they don’t go outside the boundaries of the tape
- Allow the student to turn or rotate their desk or move their chair to another side of their desk
- Have students kneel on the ground and use their seat top as a desk
- Allow students to lay on the floor near or under their desk and/or seat, utilizing the floor as a desk to work on
- Allow students to put their feet up on their desk tops while doing their work in their lap
- Have students lay over the top of their desks and use their seat top as a surface to work on
- Have students lay over their seat tops and use the floor as a working surface