Several teachers at Lindale have observed than many of their students tend to retain less information when sitting in rows of desks as opposed to moving around or standing. These teachers have decided to move forward in their classrooms and instate alternative seating.

“When we look at how students learn and adapt to the way we teach to how they learn, we are discovering student centered  and project-based  is more conducive to how students learn,” instructional technologist Beth Huse said. “We discovered our current way of setting up a classroom, such as seating, is not always conducive to student centered learning.”

The new seating allows students to learn in a way that suits them. For some students, standing is the learning type that benefits them most. Providing a variety of seating for students to choose from could help them absorb information better.

“I think it is something we should consider,” media specialist Rhonda Walker said. “If a kid is laying on the floor doing their work, should that bother me? No, they’re doing their work, it’s meeting their needs, they’re out of the desk, no one wants to sit in one of those little desks for 8 hours of the day.”

With the alternative seating, students will be more comfortable in the learning environment. Some teachers already have alternative seating for students, and others are getting new seatings styles and learning styles such as stand up desks, and whiteboard paint for desktops.

“Mr. Berryman approached us about trying to advance forward with our teaching and learning, and career and technology,” med term teacher Sally Clemmons said. “We do a lot of project based learning, so he said ‘let’s kind of explore the possibility of different seating alternatives’ and all of us were on board, so Mrs. Huse has been sending us ideas. Mr. Berryman has sent us ideas, and we are in the process of trying to find different ways that we can teach the students out of the traditional setting.”