Students who tip back on two legs of their chairs in class often are stimulating their brain with a rocking, vestibular-activating motion. They are trying to wake up their (brain’s) vestibular system. While it is an unsafe activity, it happens to be good for the brain.
What can teachers do?
- Give students activities that let them move safely more often, like role-plays, skits, and stretching.
- Have students who chronically rock balance on a rocking board while doing worksheets on a podium. It helps them to concentrate and keeps them from fidgeting.
- Build a small under-desk version of a rocking board. Students sit at their desks with their feet on a rocking board underneath and it keeps them from rocking back in their chairs.
You can find detailed instructions here: http://sawdustmaking.com/Foot%20Rest/footrest.html
Can’t build the rocking board yourself? Just ask the teacher of a woodworking class within your district or at a local tech school to build one for you.
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