The students of St. Joseph School of Batavia are pictured engaging in activities in their classrooms furnished with new “21st Century Furniture.” Thanks to a generous donation the school has furnished each classroom with 21st Century Furniture pieces that allow teachers to customize learning environments to encourage alternative methods for group collaboration and instruction.
Clusters (or pods) of seating options accommodate interactive and social activities. Pods allow students to work in small groups, to interact directly, see facial expressions and establish eye contact.
In a collaborative learning classroom, the teacher is not fixed at the front of the room. A mobile teacher moves easily from group to group to address questions and facilitate discussions.
The classrooms also provide students with alternative individual seating and workspace choices. Balance ball chairs and standing desks offer students who have difficulty focusing an outlet for their energy.
Studies of the benefits of a chair-less classroom showed improved learning and reduced obesity by making children more active. Researchers found that the ability to move around more while studying made the students more attentive.
St. Joseph School is still accepting fall 2017 enrollments. Interested families may call the school office at 585-343-6154 or email noneill@sjsbatavia.org.
