HIT: more seating ideas-long

[Sharon Blumenstein <SHABLU@AOL.COM>]

I have received additional ideas on my seating conflicts post which I am
passing on with thanks to all who shared.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I read your HIT - and if you are still looking - something that does not
require a physical product, but gets the kids settled is a saying I learned
from an elderly librarian 15 years ago.

I'm a library sitting student
I am sitting on the floor
My eyes are open (point to eyes)
My ears are open (point to ears)
And I'm not talking anymore (zip mouths shut)

We have great facilities - compared to what we used to have - but I change
the chairs/table arrangement often - and sometimes it is changed for me -
so I am often seating them on the floor in a "new" area!  This works
anywhere - the kids get used to hearing it/saying it and get ready right
away.  In fact I just came back from the gym where we are enjoying birthday
cake and Daisy-Head Mayzie for Dr. Seuss' birthday.  Four classrooms,
seated on the floor, were ready to begin when we had finished the above
saying.
*****************************************************************
At my school I have made use of all the pockets I have cut of our old jeans.
Throw them down and have your students "park it on a pocket!"
=====================================================
I went to a local carpet store and asked if they could
donate some of the bound carpet squares that come with their samples.  They
were happy to give me 60 squares, for two schools.  I made a seating chart
with empty boxes in a pattern that fit the area and asked the teachers to
fill it in with their students' names.  They know best which kids to
separate or put in "strategic" locations.  Then, when the kids come in, I
make them sit according the seating chart.  Each time they come, they know
they will not be on the same color square, but they will be in the same
place.  The kindergarteners still need help finding their places, but 2nd
grade on up have it down pat by now.  I have done this for three years, and
will not go back to random seating.  It's not a completely problem-free
method, but it cuts down on a lot of disruptive behavior.
******************************************************************************
****
When children enter the room, they go directly to assigned tables. When
most are settled and relatively quiet, I begin calling table groups, one at
a time, to push in chairs and walk to the story area (a very small space on
the carpeted floor). Those called first get to sit nearest me and can see
pictures better. There is very little disturbance as children are seated
before I call the next group. The process gets faster and faster as the
weeks pass. Quiet children at an otherwise noisy table tend to police the
noisy ones. It works for me!
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Perhaps you could make a seating chart that rotates. Have row one, or
children 1-6 or some other designation get the "wall seats" one week, or
month, or grading period, then have the next group.  If you assure them
that they will all get a turn by the end of the year, then they may not
feel slighted.  I know for my personal children I took all the fighting
out of who got the first story read by designating one son the even
days, and the other the odd days.  If it was an even day, son number one
got the first story, if an odd day, son number 2.  That way I didn't
have to remember who had been read to first the last time.  This was
especially helpful if we had had several nights where we didn't get
reading done.  They couldn't argue with the calendar.This turned out to
be a great solution, and I began using it for all kinds of things,  who
gets to sit in the front seat, who gets the airplane window, etc. I
guess what I'm saying is to make some kind of arrangement where your
judgement can't be called into question.  Kids like to play on us for
all they can, but they can't argue with something like a calendar.  And,
if they all know they will get a turn, they won't be able to use the
"it's not fair argument".  Just come up with something equitable,
explain it to them, and then stick to it.
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

What about a room-sized rug with a thick carpet pad.  Our kindergarten bought
a nice rug, but even a persian design rug that you could call your magic
carpet would be nice.  It would be low enough to walk over and vaccuum.  The
custodians could roll it up when they needed to shampoo under it, and it would
be softer than flat carpet on concrete.
If you find a kindergarten one that is divided into squares, you might be able
to use the lines as a seating guide, or you could look for a pattern with
flowers where they could plant their bottoms.

I have a story pit with carpet over concrete and no pad.  One side is against
a wall, so the students on the top step can  lean back.  Other students have
the step behind them to sit against.   I sit the other way with no support for
my back, so I know what it's like to sit too long.  I don't do seating charts
or place kids except in kindergarten.  If they make a bad choice in chosing
where they sit and it is a disruption, I chose where they move.  Sometimes,
it's a table away from the group until they can find a better place to sit
quietly.

 Have you tried vinyl covered foam squares that stack?  If you can leave the
squares down all day, you could position them where and how you want the kids
to sit.

I only have a half hour including book check out and lining up,   Most of my
classes know that when I sit down, the fussing stops.  I give them some time
to settle.  If they continue to tattle and whine and disrupt after I sit down,
somebody is going to move. For those that are just not getting it, I've
started giving consequences.  Lessons come first, even if it's reading aloud.
Check out and recess are a privilege.  If they don't behave during the lesson
time, they lose their check out time or sit at tables through part of recess.
I'm sure that I will still be working on it next year with some of them.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sharon Blumenstein
Director, Emek Hebrew Academy
Sherman Oaks, CA
email:   shablu@aol.com

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