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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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.
ReplyDeleteI 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!
ReplyDeleteMy 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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