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Exercise Balls as Desk Chairs: One Teacher’s Experience

February 9, 2016 by Inspired Together Teachers 2 Comments

Have you heard of exercise balls used as desk seats? Would you consider using exercise balls instead of traditional chairs in your classroom?

That’s exactly what Rahni Kay Haverland, third grade teacher at St. Anthony School in Dubuque, Iowa did. Intrigued by the idea, we interviewed Rahni Kay to get a teacher’s perspective. Here is her insightful look the potential and pitfalls of this unusual seating arrangement.

What made you want to get the new seats?

My students’ needs were the main reason for wanting the balls. 3^rd grade is a year where they are suddenly expected to sit still for longer periods of time. I do mini lessons and small group lessons, but I still had students who could not keep their chair legs on the floor or constantly rocked or tapped during short 5-10 minute lessons.

What do you call them?

We simply call them balls or exercise balls.

Had you ever tried them before you got them for your classroom?

We did have 2 balls in the classroom prior to receiving our classroom set. The students LOVED them and looked forward to the day it was their turn to sit on them. The love of the balls actually sparked the idea to get a classroom set.

Where did you get the funding?

My third grade students wrote letters to the Parent Association stating reasons the balls were a benefit to their education and asked for funding from the PA as well. They put together a presentation to present at a PA meeting and the rest was history. How could they say no to such logical arguments laid out by 8 and 9 year olds?

What was the reaction from students?

Saying the students love the balls is an understatement. They enjoy that they don’t have to “sit still” anymore. They are very careful to follow the expectations so they can continue to enjoy the privilege.

What was the reaction from parents?

Parents I have talked to appreciated the process we went through to get the balls. They are still relatively new, so I am eager to see what they have to say.

What was the reaction from other teachers/administrators?

Many teachers at my school and other teacher friends think I am crazy. They “couldn’t deal with that.” I agree, I am a little crazy. But, I also am willing to try new things. I want what is best for my students and chairs were not the best option. Why not try something else? I will be the first to admit the first week was rough, but things have settled into a routine.

My principal was very supportive. She encouraged me to give it a try and helped me get connected with the Parent Association. She saw them for the first time this week and was impressed with how calm the students looked.

What do you think are the benefits?

MOVEMENT. My students can now move while sitting still. It was hard to get used to at first…all the movement, but it is getting easier. They are able to get their wiggles out during a lesson. Trips to the water fountain and bathroom have decreased. They no longer need to make up an excuse to get out of their seat. I also like how much quieter they are than chairs constantly clattering. Also, we can do brain breaks with them. I can stop in between lessons and we can do sit-ups on our balls. The benefits are endless!

What have been the struggles or downsides?

Just like anything new in the classroom it takes time for the novelty to wear off. They are balls—in the classroom. Heck, I want to see how high I can bounce on them! High and consistent expectations have been key. They set the expectations as a class and we go over them at the beginning of every day and after lunch/recess. Safety is the main priority. There are also a couple students who are more distracted sitting on the balls.

How do they work with students- do all students use them all day? Do they also have regular chairs? Do they get to decide which seat to use at any given time?

As mentioned above, some students are distracted by sitting on a ball. They made the choice on their own to use a chair for most of the day. We have enough for every student in the classroom to sit on a traditional chair, if needed. The beauty is that the students decide when to switch the ball out for a chair or vice-versa. We brainstormed reasons we would want to use one over the other and they are becoming good at knowing what they need and when. We use “practice cards” from Whole Brain Teaching. If a student is given 3 practice cards in one day they do not get the option to use the ball the remainder of the day. Usually one practice card is enough of a reminder to sit safely. Choice is a large part of our classroom culture.

What else can you tell us that might inform other teachers about these seats?

I highly suggest paying an extra couple dollars for a weighted ball. Technically, I could have bought the cheaper ones and funneled 2 pounds of sand in each ball myself. But, who has time for that?! The weight keeps the balls from rolling around the classroom.

There are a few different sizes to choose from. I got the 75cm ones, which are a bit too large, but I can let some of the air out. Our previous 2 balls were 55 cm and just a little too small for the majority of our third grade students. I would recommend the 65 cm ones.

Any last words of advice?

I would like to tell teachers to not be afraid to give it a try. If it is a disaster, I am sure the P.E. teacher could find a use for them in class. Oh, and it will smell like rubber in your classroom for a few days. My students called it the “new ball smell.” Enjoy!

What do you think? Would you try these seats? We would love to hear your opinion. Please leave a comment below!

Happy bouncing,

Rahni Kay Haverland is a third grade teacher at St. Anthony School in Dubuque, Iowa. In addition to teaching, she is married and has a young daughter.

Visual Schedule and Picture Helpers for Children with Special Needs

January 28, 2016 by Inspired Together Teachers 10 Comments

Today the Education Divas are happy to welcome guest blogger Deborah Ward. Deborah is mom to a son she calls “Little Bean” who has special needs. She has great insight and suggestions that can help both parents and teachers. We loved her practical ideas for using visual schedules and picture helpers. We welcome Deborah to the blog today!

Being the mother of a child with special needs is hard. I read somewhere that parenting a special needs child carries the same stress levels as that of a combat solider. While I have way too much respect for our men and women in uniform to boldly claim this as truth, I do have a prescription for an anxiety disorder to prove that my son’s condition has an effect on my mental health. However, I have found a few things that help out in our everyday life.

1) Keep a planner. I actually keep two. One is for work and the other is for family/personal. These bad boys keep me alive. Not literally, of course, but they really do keep my mind and life from plunging into chaos. Here’s a planner tip: Make it cute so you’ll want to look at it. This layout was my absolute favorite! Another rule: If you write it in the planner, you have to do it. Paper planners are all the rage right now. You can find really nice ones at crafts stores, Target and Walmart, online (Here’s an Erin Condren referral code to save you some $$), or you can print one off from a number of boards on Pinterest.

2) Have a support system. I am so lucky in this aspect of my life. I have parents, siblings, doctors, and friends that rock my socks off! Not to mention a great husband. We don’t get it perfect, but we’re there for each other. Every once in a while there will be some horrific story pop up about a parent killing their special needs child, or putting them on a plane and shipping them back from whence they came. Are tragic as these stories are, I kind of understand. If it weren’t for my support system, those stories might be me. If you don’t have an amazing support system to lean on, look into support groups! Use this wonderful tool brought to you by Mental Health America.

3) Decorate your home with Visual Schedules and Picture Helpers. When we took Little Bean to be evaluated back in the spring, we weren’t able to get a definite diagnosis. More test, blah, blah, blah… That’s the story of Bean’s life. However, since Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital rocks, they gave us a complete “visual calendar”.

I was extremely skeptical, but was willing to try anything. Let me tell you, this simple little tool has made a world of difference. Children with neurological disorder like Autism and ADHD don’t process information the way you and I do. They can only handle one piece of the situation at a time. With my neuro-typical children I can give them a verbal list of things I want done and they can do it. If I did that with LB, his brain would explode and he would have a meltdown.

Bean LOVES his visual schedule. It’s so easy for both of us. Arrange pictures of things that need to be done, in the proper order. Our morning schedule looks something like this: eat, take medicine, brush teeth, get dressed, fix hair, grab backpack, go to school. As a reward, he gets to take the pictures off the board when he is done. Sometime he’ll even sneak a picture on to the board. For example, he loves taking big bubble baths. However, we live in California and we have an epic drought going on, so big baths are rare treats. That little stinker thinks he can fool his Momma!

While I was given this particular visual calendar as a gift from the hospital, it would be very simple to make one from scratch. You can get all of the supplies at Walmart or Target. Really all you need is: paper, ink, self-seal lamination pouches, scissors or a paper cutter, sticky backed Velcro, and something for the board (they used a binder divider).

Here are some tips for making your own:

1) Start small then add on. Make pictures for their morning and evening routines at first. Then, when you get the hang of it, add pics for going out, doctor’s office and treats.

2) Keep your pics organized for ease of use. I simply made some big envelopes out of 12″x 12″ scrapbook paper, and divided them into the following categories: Everyday Life, Treats, Doctor’s Visits, and Going Out.

3) Place in an easy to spot location. Ours stays on the frig. I also tape it down so he can’t pull the whole thing off when removing a picture.

4) Jump right in! Bean took to this tool right away. For on the go, you can download a visual schedule app. They range from free to about $7.

Additional tip: Have pics for things like, xbox and xbox done. Or, whatever they love. Tell them, “Okay, you have 1 hour of game time.” Then set a timer, or better, have them set one. This will help them shift activities.

To further help LB out, I made step by step pictures for going to the bathroom, washing hands, and brushing teeth. You would think an eight year old could handle these things. I know we did! However, by giving him this additional tool, we have greatly alleviated some bedtime stress.

For these, I found pics of the steps I wanted him to follow, arranged them on the sheet, printed it out, and laminated it. I hang these in places I know he’ll see them. They work wonders. I watch him as he uses the rest room. He stares at the pictures and will even point to them to make sure he is following the steps.

When his wandering was really bad, I put stop signs on the doors. They usually worked unless he was in full meltdown. Hanging small chimes on your doors is great also! That way you know when someone opens the door.

If you would like, I can email these signs to you. Just leave your email address in the comments below.

I know that life with a special needs child is hard, just remember that you are not alone. Reach out to other special needs parents for support. Send me a message…I am always happy to hear you vent! Oh, and try to ignore the people that think they know what you are going through. You know the ones, they save silly things to try to help, but you really just want to throat punch them. They really do mean well.

Like any good southern girl, Deborah loves down home cooking, growing her own food, mason jars, crafting, and being the sweetest wife any guy could ask for. She takes pride in keeping a warm and welcome home for her family, which includes three children, five cats, and a Guinea pig. Deborah blogs at kentuckytocali.com. Stop by and visit her blog!

Have You Done Reader’s Theater Lately?

January 18, 2016 by Inspired Together Teachers 3 Comments

Do you need some lesson plan inspiration to kick up the interest and engagement in your classroom? Reader’s Theater will help you to increase motivation for learning while practicing essential skills. You can meet your classroom objectives and standards while having fun!

According to national reading expert Richard Allington, in order to increase reading skill:

Students need to read a lot
Students need to read material they can read independently
Students need to learn to read fluently
Students need to develop thoughtful literacy

The best way to build fluency is to repeatedly read independent level material. Fluency and comprehension are closely linked. Word by word reading does not provide personal fulfillment and little comprehension. If we don’t understand what we are reading, we don’t enjoy reading. If we don’t enjoy something we tend not to do it. The bottom line for all reading research is the more we read, the better we read.

Reader’s Theater builds:

fluency
vocabulary
reading confidence
collaboration and teamwork

Reader’s Theater also requires students to use higher level comprehension skills such as…

Asking questions
Making connections
Analyzing
Synthesizing
Evaluating

Depending on the script you choose, Reader’s Theater can also help students learn content area subject matter. Think of a script about the circulatory system, or the Revolutionary War.

Reader’s theater is not a play or skit. There are no props or costumes or sets. Students do not memorize their lines. They practice reading orally by repeatedly reading a script that is at their reading level. Because Reader’s Theater involves oral reading without the extra time consuming activities of designing sets, and memorizing, it can be done much more frequently that a play production.

Here are the steps to a successful Reader’s Theater lesson:

1. Select material. Scripts can be plays from a book, a basal reading series, or that are found on-line. Poems work well for shorter Reader’s Theater practice. Almost any poem can divided into parts for different readers. Students love to perform from classic poetry books from authors such as Shel Silverstein or Jack Prelutsky or from poetry books that connect to content areas such Bone Poems by Jeff Moss or Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse. Explore the poetry books available in your school or public library.

Students can also work alone or in small groups to write their own scripts based on a novel they have read or subject matter they have learned in a content area.

2. Prepare scripts. You may want to highlight parts for younger children. Consider taping scripts to construction paper for stability. Prepare a director’s script for yourself.

3. Introduce material by build background knowledge and introducing vocabulary.

4. Have students read the script silently. Silent reading should always precede oral reading.

5. Ask students to find words they need help with. Tell them the words.

6. Assign parts, have students read their parts and highlight them.

7. Read through script orally.

8. Stand and get ready to move. Teach students about “The Magic Box.”

Have students stand and place their arms out in front and sideways, not touching anyone or anything. This is their “ Magic Box.” In Reader’s Theater, they can perform any action or gesture as long as they stay within their “Magic Box. ” This technique allows students to move, within limits and helps with physical and behavior management.

9. Have students stand in a line. Practice reading multiple times. With each practice, add a step. Here is a the order

Read for oral fluency
Read for oral expression- have students choose particular words for emphasis. Vary tone (sad, serious, amused etc.), volume, rate, pitch, etc.
Read for facial expression. Have students practice making appropriate expressions.
Read for gestures. Students have a tendency to partially do gestures, such as half a wave. Teach students to do full gestures, such as a three second wave. With gestures, go big or go home!
Add physical movement such as bending and turning. Remember to stay in “The Magic Box.”
Add introductions and conclusions.
Add “turn- arounds.” This means when a character is not in the scene, they turn around with their back to the audience. When the character re -enters the scene, they face the front again.
Encourage students to look at and connect with the audience.

Constantly monitor volume. Encourage students to project. Stand at the back of the room and see if you can hear them. Teach them that your hand to your ear means you can’t hear them. Don’t let them put their scripts on the floor or cover their faces with them. Talk to students about where the sound goes if your head is facing the floor! This is a great life skill for future public reading or speaking.

10. Invite an audience! This might be as simple as the rest of the class, the class next door or a school employee such as the principal or a literacy coach.

11. After the performance, take a bow. This builds confidence in oral reading and public speaking!

Reader’s Theater is a wonderful strategy for building skills while engaging students. Have you used Reader’s Theater? We’d love to hear about your experiences or answer your questions.

Happy reading!

Reference:

Allington, R. (2001). What really matters for struggling readers. New York: Longman.

Share with Parents: 5 Ways to Keep Kids Learning During a School Break

December 22, 2015 by Inspired Together Teachers 4 Comments

Keep Your Child Learning — Image via Derek E-Jay FLIKR Creative Commons License

Kids are used to being in school, learning, several hours per day. Now they are going to be home for a break…a long break. Parents want extend their child’s learning into the break but you also want to relax and enjoy family time. We offer five easy suggestions that can accomplish both at the same time. Please feel free to send these suggestions home to parents as they are written or add your own to personalize.

1. Play games together

Learning opportunities abound in games. Basic card games can teach addition and sequencing. Scrabble and other word games can teach reading and writing skills. Maybe dust off that old Trivial Pursuit game to review content and teach them a new thing or two. Take a look at the games you already own or maybe purchase a new one. When you start examining games, you will be amazed at all of the academic skills and social skills they teach. By playing family games, you can disguise learning as fun.

2. A new fact each day

Every day have each family member share one new “interesting fact” with the family. As the days go on, you may find your family attempting to make the facts more fun and unique. This provides the kids an opportunity to use their electronics for research or to dig into books on your shelves. You may consider buying a journal, titling it “The ____ Family’s fun facts over _____ break,” and having each person document their facts within the journal. It is a fun way to create a keepsake that can be revisited over and over again.

3. Tape note cards around your house

Yes, you read that correctly. Write the content your child is learning at school on a notecard. Then tape the notecard near light switches, door handles, or any place that is frequently seen in your home. Every time the child walks past the notecard, they can tap it and read what it says. For example, if your little one is working on sight words or vocab words you can create a notecard for each and tape it by the front door. Every time they walk out the door, your child can tap the notecard and say the word/definition aloud. To make it more interesting, you can tape the cards high, low, and/or interchange them. This same idea also works for math facts, spelling rules, and just about anything you can be creative enough to add to a note card.

4. Create a scavenger hunt

This works well to keep the kids busy for long periods of time. It can also work well when friends or younger family are visiting as the kids can start creating their own scavenger hunts after you model the first one. The list of things they need to find can be academic or just plain fun. In any case, it keeps the kids reading, reasoning, and problem-solving, which are all skills taught daily in school and essential for school success

5. Read with your child

This can be relaxing, fun, and educational for both you and your child. Find a book that you loved at their age and read it to/with them. This is a perfect way to build their fluency and create memories at the same time. The learning that happens while reading together is immeasurable.

You will notice that when your child’s mind is occupied, they are less likely to engage in other activities that may just tire you out more. By picking one or more of the suggested activities, or creating your own, you will find that you all get some relaxation and learning in over break.

Parents will appreciate these and any other suggestions you offer for ideas over break. In addition, you will find that your students will return to your classroom after break full of great family memories and new learning.

Wishing you many happy memories with your family over break as well,

How to Keep Students Learning Before a Holiday

December 16, 2015 by Inspired Together Teachers 2 Comments

We are in the home stretch with only a few days of school remaining before the winter break. Energy runs high and attention wanes rapidly in the days before a holiday. How can you keep students actively engaged in learning that meets curricular targets and achievement standards? Here are a few ideas.

1. Use games

Students love games. Word games such as Scrabble and Boggle, Crossword puzzles and even Bingo offer opportunities for vocabulary review or spelling practice. Consider practicing math skills with card games or Cribbage. Twenty-first century skills such as inductive and deductive reasoning, creative problem solving and logic are developed through games such as Clue, Battleship and Chess.

2. Write a play

Students love to perform in plays. Let students review language arts, science or social studies concepts by working in small groups to write and act out a play. Parts of a cell? The water cycle? Continental Congress? Adverbs? Let students bring them to life with an original play or skit.

3. Create a puppet show

Younger students love puppets. Let them work with a partner or small group to choose a favorite story from their reading to enact with puppets. In addition to recall, comprehension, and vocabulary they will use higher level thinking skills such as summarizing, evaluating, and synthesizing as they choose which parts to act out and how to perform their story.

4. Write New Year’s Letters

As the year winds down, teach students the art of letter writing by having them write New Year’s letters. They can express gratitude, share insights about the best things in the past year or their hopes for the new year. The school janitor would love a letter of thanks, as would the bus driver, the secretary and anyone else who works in a school! Make it meaningful by actually sending the letters.

5. Repurpose songs

A favorite activity of younger and older students is to review content and concepts by working in small groups to rewrite the words of a favorite song to incorporate ideas from the curriculum. We remember a high school group’s rousing version of Queen’s We are the Champions re-purposed to teach Mitosis, and a sixth grade version of the Sponge Bob theme song to teach about Ferdinand Magellan.

6. Practice goal setting

End the year on a high note by setting students up for success in the new year. Practice goal setting by having students determine their goals for the next year or even the next five or ten years. Then have them break down each goal into actionable to-do items. Not only are they practicing a valuable life skill, they are connecting their dreams for themselves to the things they must do in order to achieve those dreams. This can be very motivational and help students see the purpose for the work they do in school every day.

The days before a school break don’t have to be exhausting. With a little imagination, they can be fun and inspiring.

How do you keep students engaged in learning before a break? Do you incorporate special, fun activities? We would love to hear your ideas in the comments below.

Happy holidays,

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