I have noticed more and more over the last few years that the children I work with are often incapable of sitting in a chair properly. I know ... my life could be considered a little sad. But I think I have stumbled upon a link. Hear me out...
The thing is ... fewer and fewer families sit down to eat around a table. People often take their plates and slouch on their sofa eating on a tray or balancing their plate on their knees. They don't sit on dining chairs. Therefore children don't learn to sit on proper chairs.
Their sitting world consists of sofas, bean bags and the floor. So ... and here's my theory ... when they come to school and are faced with a proper chair they are non-plussed. I see so many of them crouching on their chairs, feet on the seat - or sitting miles from the table, swinging back on their chairs.They find it impossible to get comfortable.
I noticed that children were finding it sooooo hard to concentrate because they were occupied with rocking, squirming and climbing all over the blinking chairs.
And do you know what I have done about it? When they come in I am getting them in the habit of 'tucking themselves in'. They are learning to sit on their chairs properly - backs and bottoms against the back of the chair, chair tucked into the table. I am amazed at the difference. All of a sudden they are like babies who have been swaddled. I think they feel safe and secure and because of that and the fact they can't swing or rock they are concentrating more.
I might sound like a tyrant here, but I'm not. They know that when they come into me they sit down, tuck in and the fun starts...
I would be interested to know what you think, but its bizarre that a simple matter of sitting in a chair can have made such a difference.
The thing is ... fewer and fewer families sit down to eat around a table. People often take their plates and slouch on their sofa eating on a tray or balancing their plate on their knees. They don't sit on dining chairs. Therefore children don't learn to sit on proper chairs.
Their sitting world consists of sofas, bean bags and the floor. So ... and here's my theory ... when they come to school and are faced with a proper chair they are non-plussed. I see so many of them crouching on their chairs, feet on the seat - or sitting miles from the table, swinging back on their chairs.They find it impossible to get comfortable.
I noticed that children were finding it sooooo hard to concentrate because they were occupied with rocking, squirming and climbing all over the blinking chairs.
And do you know what I have done about it? When they come in I am getting them in the habit of 'tucking themselves in'. They are learning to sit on their chairs properly - backs and bottoms against the back of the chair, chair tucked into the table. I am amazed at the difference. All of a sudden they are like babies who have been swaddled. I think they feel safe and secure and because of that and the fact they can't swing or rock they are concentrating more.
I might sound like a tyrant here, but I'm not. They know that when they come into me they sit down, tuck in and the fun starts...
I would be interested to know what you think, but its bizarre that a simple matter of sitting in a chair can have made such a difference.
No comments:
Post a Comment