Students cannot stop being restless. Is it possible that that is due to being uncomfortable in class?
For years, students have been taught in standard desks; plastic chairs with individual work areas. Throughout those years, teachers have noticed how restless students have become. Fidgeting has been a problem they have had to deal with, but it is possible that this behavior is caused by being uncomfortable in the standard seats.
Most schools’ standard seating consists of a hard, plastic chair and a 2 and a half foot desk. This is what people would commonly see when they enter the classroom. This design, or something similar, has been the setup for classrooms for decades. As time moves on, teachers have begun trying different methods to increase student productivity.
Many teachers still primarily use the standard seating, but you can often find a couch or more comfortable chair somewhere in the classroom. Students are allowed to work there during independent work time or when the teacher is not actively teaching. “Many studies show that students learn better in a comfortable environment” said Lynne Lundberg, an English teacher at Pleasant Valley High School.
By creating a more comfortable classroom, teachers are also helping students that struggle with learning in the typical environment. When a student, for whatever reason, cannot focus in a typical classroom, they are more likely to act out and become a disruption for the rest of the class.
“I can’t focus in class a lot and so I just talk to other people,” said Carly Minor, a senior at PVHS. Harsh lighting and uncomfortable seating can make it difficult for many people to study or focus on the lesson. If softer or natural lighting is used, it can improve students ability to focus. If more comfortable chairs in a different variety are used, it can also benefit students’ learning.
There are so many types of students who all learn in different ways. To optimize each and every student’s ability to learn, schools must be willing to discuss the option of providing different seats, lighting, and overall ambiance that can help students to be more productive.
