Alternative Seating

For the past several years, I have wanted to try using yoga balls instead of chairs in my classroom. It is an idea I have a seen implemented in other classrooms, and I have wondered if it really helps students learn, and would it a good choice for me and my students.

There is a lot of brain research out there about a student's ability to learn and retain information better when they have an active body. The active body helps the mind get engaged and stay engaged.

Here is what I have seen the past 3 days.

1. The first day, the kids were a tad on the 'excited' side. They were JAZZED. We discussed the rules, re-discussed the rules, and then talked about the rules some more. Even though, we were still learning how to work with these new yoga balls, there were times during the day, when I would look out and see kids working and slightly bobbing up and down. On the first day, we had about 13 students bring in balls, half our class.

Day 2: More students brought in yoga balls. We got up to about 19. The second day was much calmer. The novelty had slightly worn off. We still talked about the rules, and figured out more logistics.....some of the balls need more/less air in order to fit their person better.

Day 3: I felt like today was more of a 'normal' day. The balls were just part of the room, instead of a focal point. Kids were bouncing, swaying side to side without even realizing it while they worked. As of today we have 21 students on yoga balls.


Here are some final thoughts:

1. I do see that kids are focusing better during class time. I especially notice this at the end of the day.

2. Some students who have had a hard time finishing their work in the past are now finishing their work. At first, I thought it was just a coincidence, but it has happened consistently over the past 3 days with more than one student.

3. Some kids have discovered that they like the yoga balls, but not all the time. Some students have asked to sit in a chair, and then offer the ball to another student.

Overall, I am pleased with how everything is working out. I can't wait to see how the next several weeks go. As always, I will keep you updated!