Active seating can have a huge impact on struggling learners. Most of the time students are expected to sit in traditional seats and often you hear a teacher ask students to sit still as they wiggle in their seats. They are wiggling because they need movement to learn their best.
We are expecting that all students learn the same. Some students need to move and interact with all their sensory processing systems to be the most successful. Active seating was a game changer in my classroom for special education students, students with 504’s, and any student that especially needs movement throughout the day.
The Impact Active Seating has on Students
The students that were constantly being disruptive in my classroom are now engaged in my lessons while they are allowed the opportunity to move. These students also improved their classwork by staying focused with the task at hand. My students were 50% more likely to complete their classwork and turn in their assignments. Not only did their classwork and grades improve, but also their attitude towards learning and their happiness in being in class.
My Favorite Active Seating Options
ergoErgo Seats
These seats are my students’ favorite. The ergoErgo seats provide students the ability to move in all directions, while helping them feel stable and secure. While students move around in these chairs, they are silent, which is important to teachers. Most of my classroom is made up of these seats.
Stability Mobile Chairs
The Stability Ball Mobile Chair allows students to gently bounce up and down. It also engages students’ core muscles while they sit. The chairs are very secure and allow you to use stability balls as seats, but not have them rolling around the classroom.
CushionED Active Seats
These seat cushions are a very cost-effective way to adapt a regular chair into an active seat. All you need to do is add air! Before I was able to fill my room with other active seats, I purchased these. Again, they are quiet and allow students to move throughout the lesson so they stay engaged and focused on instruction.
SaddleED Active Desk Chair
I currently only have one of these chairs and assign it to specific students in class who need the most movement. This allows students to wobble in all directions. The students who have the most difficult time paying attention LOVE this desk. The SaddlED desk has had a huge impact on several of my students.
All students, but especially struggling learners, can benefit from having active seating in the classroom. Not only does it help keep students engaged in lessons, but they love coming to class because they know that they will have the opportunity to move and I won’t tell them to sit still. Active seating through Moving Minds has been a game changer for my classroom!
For 12 years she taught Special Education, Physical Education, and Health Education at Southern Middle school. At Southern, Angela is most proud of her efforts to ensure a quality physical education program while spearheading efforts to create a healthier school environment. As a result of these efforts, the school was awarded the Healthy Schools Program Bronze Level National award. In 2015, Stark moved to the School of Creative and Performing Arts (SCAPA) where she teaches health and physical education to students in 4th to 8th grade. While at SCAPA, she has built the wellness program through grants, fundraisers, strengthening the wellness policy, and weaving wellness throughout the entire school. In 2018, SCAPA was also awarded the Healthy Schools Program Bronze Level National award. In 2016, she earned the KAHPERD Secondary Physical Education Teacher of the Year and Distinguished Service Award and went on to win Southern District Middle School PE Teacher of the year 2017-2018.
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