Lincoln students finding focus with wobble stools

When Lincoln technology teacher Laura Allen-Bullis wanted to upgrade the seating in her classroom to keep up with student needs, she sought funding for wobble stools, chairs with rounded bases that allow students to move while staying seated.

Allen-Bullis listed her project on DonorsChoose, a website designed to help teachers fundraise for classrooms and projects, to raise the $1200 needed to replace seating for all the computers in her room. Local funders quickly began to support the project, and the remaining funds were covered by a Lincoln School alumnus who graduated in the 80s and now lives in California.

"I have a daughter who struggles with energy," said Allen-Bullis. "Lots of kids do."

She noticed students struggled to stay seated and focused during standardized testing, which happens in the computer lab in her classroom.

Dynamic seating, which includes wobble stools and yoga balls, provides an opportunity for kids to move and fidget without adversely impacting students around them. While she originally considered yoga balls, Allen-Bullis settled on durable wobble stools instead, in part because they take up less space and require less maintenance, such as re-inflation.

Dynamic seating has become popular over the last decade in a variety of settings, not just schools. With data suggesting that staying seated for long amounts of time can negatively impact health, businesses and universities have begun providing a variety of desk options like standing desks and dynamic seating. Some organizations also suggest this type of seating allows for enhanced muscle use and better posture.

Some studies show that for kids, who can struggle with having to sit still for the full day, dynamic seating can improve on-task behavior and focus. Other studies suggest that allowing students to be active during learning through the use of dynamic seating results in higher scores. While the data isn't conclusive, most studies agree there doesn't seem to be any negative impacts from dynamic seating.

"I still have a kid buck off every day," said Allen-Bullis, though she has found students are better able to stay on task. "I've really noticed it with testing, especially watching the 5th and 6th graders. They can be really fidgety. I don't know that it's improved test scores, but they're more focused."

Allen-Bullis is still trying to update other parts of her classroom.

"I love the STEM world, of course, and I want to have the most comfortable room ever," she said. She's taken over teaching tech to kindergarteners and 1st graders this year, and the standard adult-sized, four-legged school chairs that work for her high school students don't fit the smaller students, making it more difficult for them to stay actively engaged with the material. Unfortunately, the wobble stools are too big for the younger students, as well, so Allen-Bullis is looking into other options.