A DIFFERENT CLASSROOM
Robbi Giuliano teaches fifth grade in West Chester, Pennsylvania. There are 24 students in her class. Giuliano teaches lessons like other teachers but she changed how her classroom is set up. She doesn’t want her students to sit on chairs; her students sit on exercise balls. Giuliano found that her students could focus better sitting on the balls. They also improved their balance. Their core strength got better, too.
“I have more attentive children and I can get a lot done with my students because they’re sitting on exercise balls,” said Giuliano.
Exercise balls are giant rubber spheres. They come in different sizes and colors. Students use core muscles to stay balanced. Some teachers say that physical activity helps with learning. Also, exercise balls give kids a chance to move around. They can move in class without causing problems.
Giuliano began using exercise balls in her class about seven years ago. Her students say that using the balls wasn’t easy at first. Now, they like the balls more than the chairs because they are more comfortable than chairs.
“When you get used to it, it’s not that hard because really you’re just sitting down,” said student Ashley Hanson.
Another student, Kevin Kent, likes the ball. He said it makes it easier for him to think. It also keeps his back from getting stiff. He now says that sitting in a chair is weird, because you’re all bent up.
Some health leaders don’t like the idea. Why not? They say kids could get hurt. They could fall off the balls. But Giuliano’s 24 students have rules. They must keep their bottoms on the balls. They must keep their feet on the floor. Still, she lets them bounce when they want.