Author Archives : Wendy McCarty


Flexible Seating: Stools, rockers, rugs, and seats…For READING??

Why flexible seating?

Hello My friends!

This is Wendy from 1stgradefireworks.

  I use flexible seating in my first grade classroom.

You will LOVE it!

I hope this post helps YOU!

 

When I was in elementary school

( Way back in the DINOSAUR days )  
1970’s
 
flexible seating in the classroom
 
We sat in rows.
Many rows.
All of us looking straight ahead.
At the teacher, at all times!
No flexible seating, here.

 
flexible seating in the classroom

Classroom Seating in the 1950’s

We kept our hands & feet to ourselves.
We kept our books in our desks.
And we read QUIETLY to ourselves.
Shhh…whisper!
 
We read.
Some people enjoyed it.
Some people just pretended.
Most did what we were told.
We didn’t ask…WHY?
or
 
Is there ANOTHER WAY?

How to bring flexible seating options into my classroom?

WHY? 
Because at home…
 
I would lay on my bed and read for HOURS!
flexible seating

I would lay on my bed and READ for HOURS!

(picture by Dreamstime.com)
 
And that is how I  LOVE TO READ!
 
I want my students to LOVE to read!
 
So I have “changed it up!”
I have added flexible seating options in my classroom for kids to 
read in a comfortable, relaxed, enjoyable experience.
 
Every day after lunch my first graders do
 
READ  TO  SELF.
 
If you have not read the book

 

The Daily 5

The Daily 5

 
from “The 2  SISTERS”
  YOU  NEED  TO!
My first graders read to themselves.
 
Not to me,
Not to a partner,
JUST TO THEMSELVES!
 
Therefore…READ  TO  SELF!
 
I set the BIG TIMER!
 
online reading timer

Online Countdown Timer

 
 
I use THIS one.
 
We start the year at 6 minutes.  Read.
We work on increasing our reading STAMINA.
 Read longer.
Today, we are at 18 minutes!
 
18 minutes of uninterrupted reading 
of books THEY choose!
 
BUT there is MORE!
 
They don’t sit in rows.
They don’t sit at their desk.
 
We have flexible seating choices for reading.
 

 

 

flexible seating reading rockers

Reading Rockers for Read to Self

READING  ROCKERS

 

flexible seating stools

Tall Stools for Read to Self

TALL STOOLS

 

flexible seating short stools

Short Stools for Read to Self

SHORT  STOOLS

 

flexible seating chairs

Short chairs for Read to Self

SHORT  STOOLS  at  SHORT  TABLES
flexible seating

Short chairs for independent Reading

 
CHAIRS  by themselves

 

flexible seating rugs

Reading rugs for Read to Self

READING  RUGS

 

flexible seating

Corner Nooks for Independent Reading

 
CORNER  NOOKS

 

flexible seating floor

Student laying on the floor for Independent Reading

FLAT  OUT  ON  THE  FLOOR
 
And when we are done?
Stools under the tables.
Rockers stacked in baskets.
Rugs in the tub.
And chairs stacked.
 

 

flexible seating stools

Stools under the table

 

flexible seating stools

Tall stools under the table

 

flexible seating guided reading stools

Guided Reading stools under the table

 

flexible seating reading rockers

Reading Rockers stacked in laundry basket

 

flexible seating chairs

Short chairs stacked

They MOAN when the timer goes off. 
 
They ask during other times of the day
to Read in the Rockers.
 
THEY  WANT  TO  READ!
 
I have taught them to LOVE to READ..  
 
ANY HOW…ANY WHERE!
Flexible seating choices have made a HUGE difference
in the reading choices my students make.
 
They want harder books.
They want to read MORE!
 
It’s hard to walk into a first grade classroom
 
and hear…SILENCE.
 
But the “whispers” of reading are heard, daily!
UPDATE
More flexible seating CHOICES!
 
I won ..yes…won  these
4 AMAZING Stools at our recent
NorCAL Teachers Meet UP
in Pleasanton,CA!
 
Check out the fun at:
Instagram
 
flexible seating storage ottomans

Ottomans for reading stacked up

I was the BIG..WINNER  WINNER! 🙂
Yes…I won ALL  4
WHOOP!  WHOOP!

 

flexible seating wooden rocking chairs

Reading Rocking Chairs

And these Bad boys…
They are wooden rocking chairs,, and they SQUEAK!
I love to hear the squeak, squeak as they rock & READ!
Thank You Donor’s Choose!
 
My “flexible seating” is complete!
Now to “arrange” it into 
WORKSTATIONS!

 

                                                                    I absolutely LOVE IT!

 

( SO DO THE KIDDOS!)

 

Some of my “bloggy friends”
have also posted about
their experiences
with flexible seating.
Check them out.
How to fund and implement flexible seating

How to fund and implement flexible seating

 
10 things to know about flexible seating

10 things to know about flexible seating

 
flexible seating

flexible seating

 

 

If you want to learn MORE about reading
check out these blog posts:
 
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