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Is your kid raising their hand in the middle of the day, shouting "Mr. Dad!" or "Mrs. Mommy!"? Has your college-age student resorted to calling you "Professor Parent" while they're studying? Maybe your learn-from-home situation hasn't gone that far, but when you're making a quick transition from the classroom to the living room, there's a lot of considerations that can make things as smooth as possible.

Find Smart Furniture

After working from home for a while, you may have noticed that pulling up a chair at the kitchen table isn't quite cutting it. Just as you've optimized your work-from-home setup, it's just as important to do the same for young learners in the house. A dedicated workspace can take on a lot of forms, but for kids, this might look a little different than what they're used to at school.

Size and stature will determine what the right setup will look like. Desks are available in all shapes and sizes, but there are options that are adjustable in height and can grow in height just as your children do. Even if the desk is a touch high, choose a task chair that has a little extra lift to bring them up to the workspace without creating an imbalanced or strained posture.

Seat Up for Success

Schools often select furniture based on a few common tenets-- what pieces will help the largest majority of students, what fits within the budget, and what has always worked in the past. When transitioning to a learning-from-home environment, you have the opportunity to find solutions that are individually tailored to your child's unique needs and learning style.

This is a great opportunity to look for active seating options that can prevent fidgeting and help kids focus. Whether they're sitting still during video instruction or zeroing in on worksheets and reading, the ability to wobble and move often eliminates other distractions. A wiggling stool, gently bouncing ball seat, or wobbling ottoman may be a great fit for younger learners while high school, college-age, and adults alike may enjoy an innovative perch seat with a wobbling base.

A Work / Life / School Balance

When in-home learning sneaks up on you, there's a good chance that you'll have to make accommodations in your own workday. If you're both working-from-home and teaching-from-home, syncing up and managing schedules is a necessity for day-to-day success. Try to match up your most productive working hours or online meetings with blocks of time set for video instruction or intensive, independent study and, from there, work out what times you'll need to be free to give instructions, have a bite to eat, or when you both need a breather.

Innovate, Don't Replicate

It's not always possible to recreate what your child is used to in a traditional classroom. Rows of desks, overhead projectors, endless bins of crayons, sprawling bulletin boards-- you name it. In fact, without the bustle of kids and all sorts of school-specific teacher tools, it's nearly impossible, but this allows for improvement to the status quo.

Some of the tools they're accustomed to, and some of the variety, may be limited by what supplies you're able to have at home, but there's always workarounds to be found. When some classroom staples are missing, don't necessarily try to replace them exactly, but rather find ways to go beyond the schoolhouse. Don't have a dry erase board? Try sidewalk chalk. Not enough books to choose from? Rent children's eBooks from your library's online system… The list goes on and on.

Digital Details

Look towards high-tech solutions to student needs. If online learning is going to become an occasional part of their life, your child might benefit from a separate monitor and webcam to use instead of the onboard devices on a Chromebook, laptop, or tablet. The right amenities and peripherals can make the shift to learning from home easier on everybody-- especially the student.

Building out these digital workstations can also encourage kids to pursue outside activities that are educational and can help them pursue passions that may someday turn into careers they love. Take their interests into consideration while adding in a few extras to their new study spot.

Be Flexible

To put it simply, change can be scary. Depending on the reasoning, dramatically shifting gears in the middle of a school year can be extremely challenging and taxing, both emotionally and academically. Patience, understanding, and compassion goes a long way in these scenarios. That's a lesson that your young learner will take with them as they grow through their education all the way through grown-up life.

Who's the best companion while you're outfitting this space? The budding student themselves. Their opinion matters and a sense of choice can make their new education station a place that feels fun and less like a chore. Even though there's some rigid do's and don'ts when outfitting a learning space, there's a bit of flexibility that can be found, and these gaps can be filled with fun for all.

 

 

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Working Hard while Working from Home

Perhaps the weather outside is frightful (and your home office is so delightful), you're feeling under a different kind of weather, or there's a global safety concern that could decimate the workforce-- whatever the reason, a work-from-home day might pop up unexpectedly. While fully and partially-remote employees are used to the on-your-own workflow, desk-bound employees might have a harder time adjusting to a different scenery.

The "What, When, and How" of Flexible Seating

We've all heard of flexible seating. It's a growing trend in schools across the country—especially those that embrace innovation and creative change. Endless pictures on social media show how teachers can configure their classrooms to make learning both exciting and effective. Literature, blogs, and think pieces explore the flexible movement, but what, at its core, is it all about?

Many people have questions, and, having used flexible seating in my elementary school classrooms for several years, I have answers. They all boil down to this: by giving students choices to enhance their comfort, they can do better work and feel better.

What Is Flexible Seating?

Flexible seating is, essentially, a way to diversify seating options in the classroom while allowing students to choose what will help them do their best work. Different kids have different needs—some fidget, some prefer something squishy, and some prefer a gentle rocking motion. Provide several options, and let the students decide what works best for them.

When Do Kids Use Flexible Seating?

In my classroom, we divide time between gathered learning and independent work. Kids flock to a carpet at the front of the room during lessons and group discussions to learn together. My students are young, so I am with them for their core subjects. No matter the topic, we learn together as a group before moving to in-class work time.

When we finish a lesson, students disperse and choose a workstation. Depending on the assignment, the difficulty, or even the day, kids can choose the appropriate place to suit their mood. Each seating style may have its perks and problems for each student. However, one kid's last choice may be another's favorite.

What Types of Alternative Seats Are Available? 

My journey with flexible seating began with yoga balls. I saw photos of imaginative classrooms in bright colors with yoga balls stationed at various workspaces. At the start of every year, I typically have about 12 of them. Since they're bouncy, round, and fun, I start by teaching kids how to properly sit on them. I tell them, "I shouldn't be able to hear your yoga ball" if they move too much.

Some kids prefer other active seating options, such as floor rockers or inexpensive scoop rockers. Others prefer softer options, such as cushions or modular shapes that can be stacked and moved to fit their needs. They can even sit at the teacher's desk. Different teachers employ different techniques and select suites of seats that are age-appropriate, size appropriate, and suit the demographics of their classrooms.

What About Traditional Desks and Chairs?

Some students prefer traditional seating to aid in their concentration. While nobody has a dedicated desk that's exclusively "theirs," there are several desks to work from as they desire. In my classroom, kids keep their personal supplies in one particular desk and use that as a touchdown point throughout the day. That all changes during flexible time—any desk is up for grabs, and everybody has equal access to any workspace. 

How Do You Ensure Fairness During Flexible Worktime?

Yoga balls sound like the most fun, don't they? While some students don't prefer them, many do—especially when they're first introduced. We take an egalitarian approach if the interest outweighs the opportunities. Students can sign up for their use, and we cycle through them as needed. Of course, the appeal of yoga balls may wear off over time, and kids will usually find their perfect fit. Some will stick with yoga balls; others will move on.

There's always added interest when I bring in any new piece of furniture, no matter what it may be. I take a similar approach and ensure that everybody can take their turn and, as always, interest evens off after a while.

Does Flexible Seating Affect Students’ Behavior?

Absolutely. Over time, I have noticed behavioral issues decrease, especially as the students learn to collaborate and share. If kids feel comfortable, they're far more likely to open up and become willing to learn. Kids who struggle with sitting still tend to benefit from subtle movements that can meet their needs without derailing their concentration. Overall, flexible seating leads to happier students, and happier students are better learners.

Choice is notoriously absent in K–12 education, yet it is necessary in the real world. Flexible seating isn't just done; it's taught. And by its nature, we're also teaching children how to make decisions that work best for them. They take control of their best interests—a lesson that can't come from a textbook.

 

The Side Effects of Working From Home

Shutdowns, layoffs, and remote-only workplaces have swept the nation in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The instant effects of working from home are easy to pinpoint: it's harder to schedule meetings, some people won't have access to the tech and tools that are too big to remove from the office, quick in-person conversations have to migrate to chat, etc. However, secondary effects can also drastically change a person's workday.

While transitioning to a remote-only workforce, leadership should consider some of the side effects of these changes. Compassion, understanding, leniency, and communication can make or break a working relationship. Understanding what employees are experiencing is the first step in creating a remote workforce that works.

It's All in the Family

It isn't just workplaces that are shutting down—it's schools and daycare centers, too. Suddenly, you've gone from working alongside team members to trying to focus on the task at hand while your spouse and children are adjusting to their new normals. Who knows, maybe the dog is constantly begging to go out or your cat's taking over the keyboard all at the same time.

For employers, this is a time when compassionate leadership can make a sour situation a success. Be patient with employees whose familial responsibilities suddenly fall during the workday. Understand that part of their normal working hours might involve tending to the household, and allow for a bit of breadth with start and stop times. A productive workday is all about results, not mindless hours clocked in and paying little attention.

As for employees, thoughtfulness and attentiveness is the answer to juggling the sudden intersection of work and home. Just as you'd schedule your workday, schedule your kids' playtime, learning, and meals alongside your meetings and the times you need to focus. Seek activities that can inspire your child's development into an independent and curious person. If possible, consider reaching out to healthy family members who may be fully laid-off, retired, or otherwise homebound to let your kids see other familiar faces while giving yourself a few moments to breathe.

Make Time for Mental Health

Whether it's anxiety about the global situation or sadness brought on by isolation, it's just as important to look out for your mental well-being as your physical health. While some people thrive in isolation and stillness, not everybody handles a quarantine in the same way. You can do a few simple pick-me-up activities during a brief break from work, at the start of your day, or after wrapping up in the evening.

  • Take a walk. While many public places, restaurants, and leisurely stores are shut down, there's still a great big world to explore. Even if it's just a stroll around the block, getting out of the house is more important than ever.

  • Exercise. Fire up your Chromecast and stream a few YouTube videos while the gym is closed. Look for yoga, weight, cardio, dance, or meditation series that resonate with you and keep up your exercise momentum.

  • Make a few calls. You're not the only person with a little free time, so try to connect with people you'd normally see in person. No matter how short, a quick phone call can brighten everyone’s day.

  • Ask for help. If you're struggling, there are resources for you. Your HR department will have information on any Employee Assistance Programs or even over-the-phone counseling. Always remember that mental healthcare is just as important as any other healthcare.

Keep Up the Good Work

Productivity shouldn't take a nosedive when you switch from deskbound to homebound, but what changes do you need to make to your workflow and workday? Maintaining a high output requires careful consideration of what matters, how you do it, and how you can make it work within your circumstances.

Identify what you need to succeed in the office and bring home or recreate those tools in your space. If you don't already have a home office set up, you'll need to adjust your living quarters to make your workflow work. Rearrange a shared space, such as a dining room or living room, to install a compact desk with enough room for a simple yet ergonomically-friendly task chair. Likewise, take advantage of a guest room and let it do double-duty as an out-of-the-way private office suite.

After returning to the workplace, consider how best to maintain and use these new spaces and tools. Will this freshly renovated space serve as a temporary office for future work-from-home days, or could the space be best used in another way? Having gone through the work to set it up, try to repurpose the area for arts and crafts, personal development, or a hobby requiring concentration and the same sense of focus you need at work.

Stay in Touch

Instant messaging, collaboration suites, and teleconferencing have reached a new level recently. These tools are invaluable for keeping on track in the office, and they've made it possible for so many companies to pivot quickly to a fully-remote workforce. By becoming fluent in these tools and technologies, you can share in real time with the people you work with.

But sometimes, it's just not enough. The value of a person-to-person interaction comes from subtle clues that get lost in text. While you're moving meetings online and setting up phone calls, see if you can make individual conversations or small conferences into video chats. While it's not perfect, facial expressions and body language can humanize interaction in a way teleconferencing and chatting cannot.

If you're in a management or leadership position, your guidance is more important than ever. Checking in on isolated employees can be a massive help. Set up a one-on-one video chat or phone call to review projects and accomplishments and touch base on employee wellness. There's a bigger picture to employee success that can't be measured by workplace achievements alone, and maintaining a sense of comfort and normalcy will aid in the transition back to in-office operations.

 

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Sam Pekarske

Sam Pekarske is a commercial and creative copywriter, lending a voice to National Business Furniture's products and resources one pun at a time.