Meet the Teacher

Just a reminder that meet the teacher is tonight!!!! I am so excited to see all of you!

I Pad's!!!!

Last week we had a project completed to get 2 I pad's in our classroom. My goal is to have 5-7 I pad's this year so we can do group projects and work on them during Math, Reading, Science, and Social Studies Workshop. This would also allow us to work with them during guided reading! With some interest, I posted a new project.  The code INSPIRE will match up to $100 dollars until September 1st! The project will not expire until December. Thank you everyone for your support of our first grade classroom.

Click the button below to donate!

Alternative Seating

Dear Parents,

When you walk in our room this year you will notice it is not like other traditional classrooms. What is missing? The desks.  For the past two years my students have been sitting on yoga balls, crate seats, stools, a futon, and comfy chairs instead of desk chairs. The changes in my classroom were noticeable within the first week!  The students had more stamina during work time and it lasted throughout the day! They were more comfortable and were able to choose what learning style fit them the best! The fidgeting, walking around, and playing had all decreased!

There are many reasons why I support alternative seating and here are a few:

1.                Movement with balls increases blood flow to the brain, which is better for brain function (and learning!).

2.                Movement with balls helps children "get the wiggles out" which aides their natural need to move.  This helps them focus by expending the excess energy they build up throughout the day.

3.                Sitting on a stability ball supports and builds their core muscles.  Pediatricians are finding that children in the last 10 years are suffering from poor core strength due to the practices that are used while they are infants and small children (swings, back to sleep, car seats/ carriers, strollers, activity rings).  They are not developing the same strength as previous generations.  This also helps develop large motor muscles, which support small motor muscles (think writing and hand strength).

4.                The students are able to choose where they are comfortable sitting and are able to do their BEST learning.

5.                The students and teacher both love it.

Here is an article by Jensen that supports movement.

I also have movement breaks or “dance parties” in the room whenever I feel students need a movement break or a “brain break”. They are usually short and sweet and just long enough to get those wiggles right out. I have linked one of my favorites below! Enjoy!

Here are two field studies from classrooms using yoga balls instead of chairs.

 http://www.wittfitt.com/wittfittmedia/AJOTstudy.pdf

http://www.wittfitt.com/wittfittmedia/research/banffelementarystabilityballstudy2007.pdf

I understand this may seem a little strange and is not what you are used to, however I believe this method will help your child do their best learning. In the first few weeks the students will be able to try out a few different spots in the room and will learn what is best for their learning style. There are some students who may feel more comfortable at a desk and that is always an option in our classroom, the key is figuring out how they learn best.

Parents are also enjoying this method. Holly McFAll stated, "Truthfully, I was nervous about the alternative seating. It's not a concept I was familiar with. And even though it seems logical, I had concerns that my son would have difficulty keeping still enough to get work done. But after several week, it was clear that it was working wonderfully! He didn't even notice that his extra energy was being channeled! Now I'm sad that he won't have those bouncy balls in 2nd grade!" and Seantylle Boden said, "When we first saw the alternative seating in Ms. Ridgely's classroom we were a little nervous. I wondered what it would be like trying to keep all those balls under control during class! After reading the material she provided, I was intrigued and interested to see how it would work. It was great! My son came home from school the first week talking about how much he loved it and I asked all sorts of questions. He told me the rules, and every time I was in the classroom I could see the kids obeying the rules. It was perfect for our son. He loved getting to move around and have different options. We loved it!"

Viki Neurauter : "As a mother (the job that feeds my soul) and a therapist (the job that feeds my pocketbook), I am so thrilled to see teachers using alternative seating in classrooms. The reality is that the traditional classroom may not be sufficient for ALL is finally hitting home. I think that we can all agree that the more sensory systems we can tap into as we learn, likely the better the learning outcome. Research has shown that movement is beneficial for both the body and the brain. Alternative seating allows not only for the ability of a child to help regulate his or her own environmental input but in addition, there is a neuro-sensory connection between the brain and the body. This connection acts a a brain stimulator and allows for the child to be more attentive and focused as he or she is learning.  Mechanically, changing body alignment and allowing for increased movement is also beneficial in a time where we are seeing increasing amounts of poor posture, muscle weakness and obesity. Three cheers for your efforts and energies toward advancements in children's education!!!!!

I absolutely LOVE having this method in the room and can see tremendous benefits. If you have any further questions or concerns please contact me.

Looking forward to meeting all of my new firsties!

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