The Starbucks Environment<\/strong> I travel a lot for my job. So I LOVE taking my laptop to Starbucks, selecting my own little space, and just losing myself for a few hours.<\/p>\n Sometimes I seek out the biggest, comfiest chair in the place. Other times, I try to find a spot with a soothing light source. If I\u2019m really lucky, the Starbucks I\u2019m in has a fireplace\u2014talk about warm and homey!<\/p>\n See, thanks to Starbucks\u2019 diverse seating arrangements, I have options. Depending on my needs at the moment, I can sit at a regular table \u2026 or claim an oversized couch \u2026 or lounge by a window so I can feel the sun on my face.<\/p>\n No one tells me where I HAVE TO sit. If I want to move around, I\u2019m free to.<\/p>\n Leave Yesterday\u2019s Classrooms Behind<\/strong> I recently heard someone say, \u201cYou can\u2019t teach wifi kids with landline strategies.\u201d But that\u2019s exactly what we\u2019re expecting of our outdated classrooms.<\/p>\n Why are we teaching today\u2019s students in classrooms that look exactly as they did 30 years ago? Why is the only seating option a desk\u2014and the only arrangement, rigid rows? Why does the classroom still have that cold, bleak \u201cinstitutional\u201d feeling?<\/p>\n We want students to feel inspired and creative and ready to learn when they walk into our classrooms. But often, the environment is working at odds with those goals.<\/p>\n Melissa Cadotte transformed her elementary classroom to \u201cCadotte\u2019s Caf\u00e9,\u201d and she invited me to not only tour the space, but also agreed to entertain a few of my questions. Her answers make it clear that ANYONE can create a Starbucks classroom regardless of budget\u2014so read on to get inspired:<\/p>\n Why did you decide to transition your room to alternative seating?<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n MC: I decided, after looking at the research, that I really wanted to try alternative seating in my classroom. I read up on it and discovered that the benefits were amazing for <\/span>every<\/span><\/i> child\u2014not just the students that fidget! So I started formulating a plan. I read a ton of articles from other teachers that had tried alternative seating. Many of them were working with a large budget. I was not so lucky! So I had to get creative and seek out cost-effective ideas and materials.<\/span><\/p>\n MC: Our PTO generously provided $300 for my project, and I used it to buy five <\/span>swivel stools from Amazon<\/span><\/a>. For everything else, I had to get thrifty and creative!<\/span><\/p>\n IKEA proved to be an amazing resource. I purchased four <\/span>MAMMUT Stools<\/span><\/a> at $5.99 each;\u00a0<\/span>four <\/span>BUNS\u00d6 Chairs<\/span><\/a> at $14.99 each; three <\/span>LACK Side Tables<\/span><\/a> at $13.99 each; and two area rugs at $9.99 each.<\/span><\/p>\n From other sources, I found five exercise balls for just $5.00 each and four floor pillows for $26.00 total. <\/span><\/p>\n How did you get started transitioning your classroom?<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n MC: First I said goodbye to the desks and all but five chairs.<\/span><\/p>\n I put two trapezoid tables together to form table groups. One table uses regular chairs, another group uses stools, a third group uses exercise balls, and the fourth group uses a combination of those seating options.<\/span><\/p>\n I paired up three small tables with either a stool or BUNS\u00d6 chair for additional seating areas. A cute $5.00 lamp on each table made these spaces extra cozy.<\/span><\/p>\n Do students pick where they want to sit each day?<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n MC: Students are allowed to come in each morning and pick any seat they want. They just place their name tag in front of the seat, and then that is their seat for the day. I also encourage students to move closer to the board when I\u2019m in front of the class teaching. I have a basket of clip boards that they can use when they sit on the floor.<\/span><\/p>\n MC: Day 1 is all about setting the rules! I go over each seat with the students. I show them how to use each seat. I let them practice. I like to tell the kids, \u201cYou break it, you buy it!\u201d\u2014and I haven\u2019t lost anything yet!<\/span><\/p>\n I also teach a mini lesson about \u201cBest Learning Spaces.\u201d Some students think that the exercise balls are the best (or most fun!), but they may realize that this option simply doesn\u2019t work for them. That\u2019s why I allow students time with each seat the first week of school. After that, I tell them that they need to pick a seat that will help them learn the best. <\/span><\/p>\n It has to feel \u201cjust right!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n So where do students store their supplies if you don\u2019t have desks?<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n MC: I give each student a plastic shoe box that remains on a bookshelf. The box holds all their supplies like crayons, pencils, and scissors.<\/span><\/p>\n MC: I use bookshelves for those too. I also have two baskets on a counter where students\u2019 morning work folders are stored. I like to keep the room as neat as possible. This way there is more room to move and the students can spread out.<\/span><\/p>\n What is the biggest change you\u2019ve noticed in your classroom since making this transition?<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n MC: My students\u2019 behavior has definitely improved! They\u2019re not forced to sit next to someone they don\u2019t \u201clike,\u201d so that cuts down on a lot of disruptions. Plus, they\u2019re able to spread out and move around which helps create a calmer atmosphere.<\/span><\/p>\n Alternative Seating at Any Grade Level<\/b><\/p>\n Melissa\u2019s classroom transformation is a great example for elementary school teachers. But if you think this can\u2019t work with older students, you\u2019re mistaken.<\/span><\/p>\n Katie Weyer is a seventh grade science teacher at Tell City (IN) Junior-Senior High School. She took a look around her classroom and decided it was far too stark and boring. Coupled with the fact that her students were mostly already sitting on the floor during science lessons, it was an easy decision to Starbucks her classroom.<\/span><\/p>\n She spent around $100-150 on new additions to the classroom. But the biggest help was donations of beanbags, video game rockers, a couch, and pillows from friends, parents, and community members. <\/span><\/p>\n Katie even covered the pillows with a sturdy flag material so they can be easily wiped clean!<\/span><\/p>\n The result, as you can see, is a classroom that is bright, inviting, inspiring, and fun\u2014a classroom that kids are eager to enter every day!<\/span><\/p>\n Is it time for a change?<\/b><\/p>\n You\u2019ve seen what it takes to \u201cStarbucks\u201d a classroom. You\u2019ve heard from teachers who\u2019ve made this transformation explain why it\u2019s so worth the effort. So now what?<\/span><\/p>\n The learning space should be one that is comfortable and welcoming. It should feel good to use\u2014for both students and teacher.<\/span><\/p>\n Take a look at your own classroom. Is it telling you it\u2019s time for a change?<\/span><\/p>\n SHARE WITH US: Are you a teacher who\u2019s made the transition to alternative seating, or who has Starbucks-ed your classroom? We want to hear your stories and see your pics! Share them on Facebook<\/a> and Twitter<\/a>.<\/b><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Why You Should Take a Fresh Look at Your Learning Space Every teacher strives to create a welcoming space for their students. A classroom environment that is not only conducive to learning, but one that invites communication, collaboration, and creativity. This goal of an educational oasis has led many teachers to take a new approach […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":20502,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20494","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-classroom-management"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/strobeleducation.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20494","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/strobeleducation.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/strobeleducation.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/strobeleducation.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/strobeleducation.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20494"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/strobeleducation.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20494\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/strobeleducation.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20502"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/strobeleducation.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20494"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/strobeleducation.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20494"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/strobeleducation.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20494"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nThink about it. Who doesn\u2019t love whiling away a day in the coziness of a Starbucks (or the local coffee shop of your choice)? Whether you\u2019re there for relaxation or work, these places offer a warm and welcoming alternative to the home or office (or even your home office!).<\/p>\n
\nIt\u2019s the freedom and diversity of Starbucks\u2019 seating arrangement that is inspiring teachers to rethink the traditional rows of desks and to do a little redecorating.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/strobeleducation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/IMG-5594-225x300.jpg\")
Bringing the Coffeehouse to the Classroom <\/strong>
\nThis past spring, I presented an onsite training at Elkhart (IN) Community Schools and had the opportunity to meet a teacher there who has taken the Starbucks classroom idea to heart.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/strobeleducation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/IMG-5595-225x300.jpg\")
What kind of materials did you have to purchase?<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/strobeleducation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/IMG-5593-225x300.jpg\")
Now I had an empty room to work with! I decided that I would use one rectangular table and eight trapezoid tables. I took the adjustable part of the legs off of the rectangular table so that the top was only about 24 inches off of the floor. This became the floor table where kids can sit on pillows.<\/span><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/strobeleducation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/IMG-5592-225x300.jpg\")
How do you explain the new seating arrangement to a new class of students?<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/strobeleducation.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/IMG-5591-225x300.jpg\")
Where do you keep the books?<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n