How Alternative Seating Changed My Classroom Dynamic
When I began planning to convert my traditional classroom to include alternative seating, I envisioned a hippie jazz cafe — of sorts: low lights, soft music, plushy bean bags, live plants curling around the windows as students casually moved between gathering notes at high-top tables to relaxing in soft sofas to do some reading. So when one of my first students walked in, apologizing, flustered that she had entered the wrong place — Sorry! I’m — uh — looking for my English room! — I knew I had actually succeeded in my vision.
My motivation to transition from the traditional stark-white walls and forward-facing rows came to me when I really recognized how much time we (both students and teachers) spend in our classrooms during the year; far more than we do at home. I wanted students to see the classroom as a place that they would thoroughly enjoy being in; a place that was “ours” versus mine. For a while I had been trying to come up with ways to successfully “flip” the classroom and give students more control. Taking away conventional seating has helped me cross a big “control” hurdle.
The results? Students seem to genuinely love it. They move around organically, sometimes multiple times a lesson, to find a place that works best for them. Students use furniture in an innovative way — sometimes gathering around the low tables and bean bags to brainstorm. Others might opt to stand around a high table, stretching their legs and minds. The classroom has become much more collaborative and naturally shifted the focus from a teacher-centered classroom to a more student-oriented one.
I’m quite proud of the way my unique classroom has turned out. The results have been incredibly positive, with an increase in students’ moods and productivity alike. In fact — it’s become so popular of a place that I now have trouble getting students to leave… though not the worst problem to have!
“Being in a classroom where you are completely in control of your surroundings makes learning easier and a lot more comfortable.”
“I love that there are different seats with different feels. You can decide where you want to sit to be the most productive. It’s the most comforting room and it makes us less stressed to be there.”
“I think that other classrooms should be decorated like Ms. Anna’s class because it makes it feel like I’m at home rather than school. And that makes me happy.”
“The bean bags are a game changer for reading. I can’t sit still in a normal desk for so long, but curled up over there, I actually finish the chapter.”
Turns out one post isn’t enough to cover a full classroom makeover (who knew). More articles and videos on alternative seating are on the way — so if you’re curious about the how, not just the why, stay tuned.
More From Teachers Planit
Classroom ideas like alternative seating are just one piece of what we cover. At Teachers Planit, we build ready-to-use lesson plans for English classrooms — in person and online — so you’re not starting from scratch every unit. If you’re short on time, or just need something for that one unit that doesn’t quite fit anywhere else, we also offer custom lesson planning to build exactly what you need. And if you want a sounding board, not just materials, our instructional coaching service pairs you with real teachers who’ve been in your shoes (hi, that’s Anna).
For conversational English and ESL teachers specifically, our English News articles are built to be classroom-ready — current topics, vocabulary, and discussion questions included. Need something more tailored? We also put together customized article packages for teachers who want content built around their students, not just the news cycle.
Whatever’s next for your classroom, we’re building the kind of resource we wish we’d had when we started teaching.
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