Education Law

Class is in session. Take a stand?

In some schools, students will no longer hear the age-old phrase to take a seat after the bell has rung for the start of class. An article found in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, informed BoardBuzz of these new desks that are helping fidgety students perform better in school.

The secret is not to sit down. This year, students in Pamela Seekel's, a fifth grade reading teacher's, class will try out stand-up desks. Produced by a Wisconsin company, these desks are height adjustable and allow students to stretch and lean as they are getting their reading done.

BoardBuzz has to wonder, will this catch on? The article goes on to say that:

As part of a small but growing movement in northern Wisconsin and Minnesota that many teachers say is bound to gain popularity elsewhere, several schools are experimenting with their physical learning environments by incorporating stand-up workstations in the classroom, or, in one school, stability balls instead of traditional school desk chairs.

Anecdotally, teachers have reported positive results after freeing their kids from the confines of ?feet flat on the floor? and ?no rocking!? ? greater attentiveness, fewer behavioral problems, better posture and more enthusiasm. Kids who are habitually fidgety or who suffer from attention disorders appear to show the most improvement, teachers say.

The desks work to keep students from getting restless, bored, or tired. Only one issue has come up so far; it seems their cost is preventing some schools from trying them out. The new stand-up desk is about as twice as expensive as the usual classroom desk and chair set. Many schools are beginning by buying a few for each classroom, andBoardBuzz can't wait to hear if they have a larger impact on learning.

Has your school tried stand-up desks? Leave us a comment and let us know how it's working out for your students.

Full post as published by BoardBuzz: NSBA's Daily Weblog on September 25, 2008 (boomark / email).