In the traditional classroom setting, seats are lined-up into rows. These seats are made up of iron, wood, or plastic. Sometimes, there are long and big tables with chairs surrounding them. That is the common seating arrangement back a long way. Students normally are arranged alphabetically in their seats. Sometimes, it is an alternate of a boy, girl, boy, girl seating arrangement depending on the style and preference of the teacher.

But everything is changing and evolving, and schools nowadays are adopting this so-called flexible seating wherein it will be up to the student what kind of seat he will go to use. It is not the common image of the chair but anything that would make the students comfortable while learning. Some examples are café stools, huge pillows of different shapes, bucket chairs or tub chairs, desks, and anything that can be used as a chair by the learners.

So why do schools come up with this idea of having a free seat? Is there a significant effect on the learning of the students?

 Flexible seating does contribute a lot to the success of the students’ learning. Enough are the days that the students are learning traditionally. There should be changes because learners change too. Their routine, characters, behavior towards their studies, and interests change. Certainly, a change in the classroom atmosphere is worth trying.

By: Jennie Blanca B. Miranda|Teacher I|Bataan National High School| Balanga, Bataan