Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Active Seating Boosts Student Focus

  • 11/01/16
Flavors Noodle chair

Smith System’s Flavors Noodle chair helped to reduce fidgeting and enhance student focus at Central Avenue School.

A sharp rise in the global rate of pediatric ADHD cases has motivated schools to find better solutions for student seating. That includes Central Avenue School (CAS), a pre-K through fifth-grade school of 500 students within New Jersey’s Madison Public School District.

Megan Kelly Petersen, a CAS occupational therapist, had observed a common denominator at the school: students who struggled to sit still, stay focused and hone their fine motor skills, like writing. Often, students were sitting with poor posture and continually fidgeting. She could see how the school’s predominant one-size-fits-all seating — a hard, traditional shell on four legs — wasn’t working for many students.

“Traditional chairs tend to facilitate a posterior pelvic tilt and, therefore, a slouched posture. This impacts students’ breathing, vision and fine motor skills.”

Peterson found a better option with Smith System’s Flavors Noodle chair. The “active seating” chair features a patented suspension below the seat pan that allows it to tilt slightly in all directions, moving with the student. It provides comfort, back support and promotes core muscles use. In fact, studies show that academic performance improves when students can move naturally (i.e., fidgeting and shifting) while learning.

CAS added 30 Noodle chairs last year. Though the sample was small, nearly 90 percent of the teachers agreed the chairs increased attention span. Among students, 100 percent said the chairs helped them focus. The chair’s success will likely lead to a larger purchase this year.

Many students need modifications to fully access their education, says Petersen. “When purchasing furniture, schools must consider attention level, movement seeking amount, muscle tone/muscle strength, posture, fine motor skills, length of sitting time and work expectations.”

www.SmithSystem.com

This article originally appeared in the issue of .

Featured

  • University of Rochester to Break Ground on New Student Life Center

    The University of Rochester in Rochester, N.Y., recently began construction on a new Student Life building, according to a news release. The first floor will contain campus-wide gathering, program, and rehearsal space; the second floor will play home to the Greenbaum Center for Jewish Life.

  • University of Washington Opens New Broadcast Studio

    The University of Washington in Seattle, Wash., recently announced the opening of Sundodger Studios, a new broadcast, production, and content facility, according to a news release. The university partnered with Anthony James Partners for the design and development of the studio, which will host about 100 live broadcasts and 120 live videoboard shows per year.

  • UNH Marks Construction Milestone on Oceanic Exploration Facility

    The University of New Hampshire in Durham, N.H., recently celebrated a major construction milestone with a beam-signing ceremony for the new Center of Excellence for Operational Ocean and Great Lakes Mapping, according to a news release. The facility’s ultimate goal is to support research, training and technical assistance in ocean mapping.

  • UT-San Antonio Begins Residence Hall Renovations

    The University of Texas at San Antonio recently began a $6-million renovation project to one of its residence halls, according to a news release. Originally completed in 1986, Chisolm Hall measures in at 120,860 square feet and is the oldest and largest residence hall on campus.