I'm sure you've seen items marked with one size fits all. But are items really made to fit everyone's size and shape? I know there are things that I have purchased with that label and it didn't fit correctly.
When I look in classrooms, I see the same desks and chairs for every learner. But we all know that children are unique and come to school at varying sizes. So why are we having children all sit at the same desk using the same chair as everyone else? This has bothered me for some time now. Classrooms need to have varied furniture to accommodate the unique learners that occupy it daily. I am talking about flexible seating. Classrooms that have flexible seating have a variety of seating options for the learners to choose to best serve them for their needs for that day or activity. When I think about myself, I enjoy different seating options for different tasks. When I'm reading, I like to be comfortable and lounge on pillows or the couch. As I cut out materials and items I have laminated, I like to sit cross legged on the floor. Currently I am sitting in a very comfortable desk chair typing on my desk chair. So think about the different tasks that you do throughout the day and how you vary your position and the type of furniture you use.
If we are personalized learners' education, we also need to think about their environment and personalize their seating options. Learners need areas where they can relax to enjoy reading a book, an area where they are able to collaborate with their peers on projects, but also have an area if they would like to work independently. A classroom needs to have varied furniture such as yoga balls, wobble seats, standing desks, movable tables, stools, and pillows to match our very unique and different learners.
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