how to keep student in seat

[pgnot13]

HI - I'm a new poster just because we have run out of ideas....

Do they make seatbelts for desks?!?!

This first grader is out of his seat averaging every two-five minutes of the day - :eek: he gets out of his seat to give a hug, to ask questions, to bother other students, to turn off the lights when you start the projector. You name it, he's up!!

Are there any suggestions?? I'm competely open to any suggestions!!!!!

Kirsten

[Boxcar]

Some children are very active and sitting just isn't easy.

I'd tell the student that he can stand at his desk if he likes. He cannot, however, stand next to anyone elses. Nor is he allowed to talk to his classmates while they are working.

He can streach and move around in the small space by his desk, but he cannot walk around the room.

Put his desk in the front off to a side. He will not disrupt the other students when he gets up to move around, ask a question, or turn the lights off for you. (Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying seclude him or anything. I'm just saying to be choosy where you put his desk.) By being in the front, he doesn't have to walk through everyone else to get to you.

I'd also try frequent "streaching breaks". Let the children get up and move around. You may choose to do a set of streaches or just let the kids move around. Each week lengthen the time between breaks until it it to the point where the children have less trouble sitting.

You might also consider some of hands-on and center type activites each day. This child may have a different learning style.

Consider also that he may think he is helping. By coming to you when he has a quastion instead of calling you over to his desk and turning off the lights, he may believe he is doing his part. If this is the case, you should thank him and explain privately to him what you need him to do to help.

[Boxcar]

By the way, welcome to the forum. I hope you'll find us helpful.

[mopar]

They do offer weighted belts for students on the autism spectrum. But before you use anything like that...definitely ask the parents because a teacher is in a law suite for using those with students with autism.
Try giving him a special star sheet. Like if you walk by and he is sitting in his desk, he gets a star. So many stars and he can turn off the lights or do a task for you that involves movement. For example: bring a note to another teacher or organize the shelves..anything that he would like to do. Make the stars needed small to start and grow as the year progresses.

[EricDNA]

I would suggest that you have this child tested. He just might be a very active child or hyperactive. Check with your school psych. and the intervention team you should have to evaluate needs of the students. Some kids are like clocks and they have to run. I have some kids that crawl on the floor and bark like dogs and they bite, too. Our psych. considers these things normal for their age. What?????????

[mopar]

Well, Eric, what age do you teach? For some younger children it is age appropriate.

[leafy seadragon]

perhaps try a visual, as part of the class rules we have a picture of the student sitting at his/her desk (quick take a photo when they sit!) and underneath it is written I will stay in my seat and do my best work. Simply tapping on this can be a reminder as you walk past. Reinforce it with a social story and it is a clear expectation, black and white. You will stay in your seat during work time. I agree it is important to program some movement in your day, kids need to get up and move but make it purposeful, really we don't sit down all day and would probably find it hard if we had to.

[EricDNA]

These are students in Kindergarten and I don't think it's normal behavior for the age. We have a lot of disturbed children that need emotional support.

[Boxcar]

I love the comparision that some children are like clocks!

I think that to decide whether something like pretending to be a dog is normal or not, you have to consider the child and the circumstances. When does the child do this? Does this child need attention or is he/she highly imaginative? Is this behavior occuring during free play or is it at odd times?

[mopar]

I agree. As they begin to enter the school years, they should have more normal behaviors during academic times. But many of our preschool students transitioning to kindergarten did crawl on the floor and bark during transitions and/or creative play. I once had a first grader pee on the playground over the fence. He merely didn't want to ask to go inside because it took too much time. It was very odd and we thought he needed services but then when we asked him, we was able to explain that he didn't want to waste time. What an advanced first grader!
Also keep in mind that many districts are moving to more of a regular education initiative. They do not want to classify kiddos! They want to offer services to all students but just can't. So we are swinging the pendulum back.

[eyd]

One day I was complaining to my mom about my students in kindergarten and she told me to make a list of everything that I did when I was five. Was I able to sit still? I told her I didn't remember. My whole attitude changed now I think about how I would feel if I had to sit down all day with only 1 hour of physical movement.

How many of us as adults go to professional development and we have to get up to get some water, go to the restroom, get a kleenex, forgot a piece of paper that we needed. How many of us whisper to a colleague if they have a mint. Do we fidget in our seats. And the list goes on. And we expect our students to sit still.

[teach1027]

1st graders are still getting used to the concept of sitting, especially at the beginning of the year. I taught 1st grade for 3 years and to deal with this situation instead of trying to make them sit, I would try to find ways to incorporate movement into the day (if you do this a lot in the morning they are tired and will want to sit in the afternoon)
Give them jobs, call them to the carpet for a group activity, have literacy centers for them to rotate to, let them go to the board anything to have them move, but learn at the same time. By the second half of the year they are ready to sit.

[Miss_teacher]

Hi;

I'm a new member here in that forum and this is my first post

I'm not yet a teacher;but I'm gonna be after two year with God willings so I didn't experience the students behaviour but I can say that even now I'm a student in the university I'm still doing such beties I mean talking to each other asking for choclatte ....etc.

It's a normal behaviour the only thing to do is to make them interested on the lesson so they won't move a lot.

[3rdgradeteach]

Actually the last 2 years of watching our kindergarten class has been interesting...They ALWAYS act like they are animals and pant and scratch and crawl on the floor so...it is not strange at all! I guess try to involve them more in active things so they can use that energy for sure!