A good friend sent me a link to a New York Times article on Students Stand When Called Upon, and When Not. A sixth-grade class near Minneapolis is experimenting with desks that allow children to stand while they work. This allows children greater chances for movement. A typical government school class has all the children sitting for hours each day.
Our daughters move a lot during the day. They'll study some topic for a half hour to an hour, then they'll wander around the house, sometimes doing chores, sometimes looking for a good book, sometimes chasing Baby bop, or sometimes trying to get away from Baby bop.
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3 comments:
I've been known to allow my 6 yr old to answer questions while jumping on cushions placed on the floor. It wouldn't work in a classroom of 20+ kids, but in a homeschool setting it isn't too unmanageable in moderation.
I allow my kids to stand or lie down (at times) during school work. It's impossible to expect children (especially my two boys) to sit for so many hours a day. Freedom of movement allows them to think better!
My 6 year old likes to stand while writing and loves to 'pace' in circles (sometimes even spinning) while taking oral spelling tests. In fact, he prefers to stand while eating. I have to say, I truly believe that he performs better when standing or moving, sometimes remarkably so.
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