 Classroom furniture hasn’t changed much since the one room school house. Not until recently at least.
Walk into most classrooms and you’ll see rows of chairs and desks. In some classrooms, you may even see the very same tethered desk-chair you sat in when you were in school. If you’re left handed, you remember how difficult it was to write on one of the right-handed desk units. Either way, students typically have one choice when it comes to seating- confining and uncomfortable. Now, think about the last time you walked into a trendy coffee house. You have the option sit in a traditional chair at a table or in a comfy lounge chair. Maybe you prefer sitting at a high-top table for a better view. Whatever your preference, these seating options make your experience more enjoyable and may make you linger a little longer. Some teachers have begun to lift these seating ideas by providing students with similar choices. And you know what they are finding? Students are performing better, both academically and behaviorally. In preschool through high school, innovative teachers are creating flexible learning environments, often using their own money or donations. Adding yoga balls, standing desks, yoga mats, bean bag chairs, whatever they can get their hands on, teachers are ditching the traditional classroom fixtures in favor of more student-friendly options. Children like to have choices and begin to express their preferences at an early age, as any parent knows. But in school, students don’t have many choices. Imagine how they must feel when they are able to choose what they sit on during their six-hour school day. Teachers looking for alternative seating are eager to introduce options. The Vidget Organic Seating System is one solution finding its way into classrooms across the country. The three-in-one seating solution can be a chair, stool or desk, depending on how it is positioned. It’s functionality, innovative design and fun colors, make it a unique addition to a classroom for any age.  By Anne Saunders Thanks to the Rochester Business Journal for reporting this great news about Viggi Kids. We honored to be recognized as an innovative Women-owned Business Enterprise in NY State! Thanks also to Governor Andrew Cuomo!
We are one of four area firms that received funding as part of the MWBE Investment fund. Read the entire article on RBJ's site...  Students fidget in their Vidgets as they have fun playing with the Digit Widgit. (photo by Elizabeth Lamark for RIT Production Services) _Creative play at the heart of new Viggi Corp.
Mary Chao, @marychaostyle 4:07 p.m. EST November 26, 2015 It’s play time for kindergartners at Margaret House, the child care facility at Rochester Institute of Technology. A group of 5-year-old boys immediately gravitate toward the pint-sized plastic chairs as they rock back and forth while stacking blocks that help them with their math skills. What they’re playing with are Vidget chairs and Digit Widgit blocks developed by local entrepreneurs Sandra Turner and Christalyn Snyder. They are the founders of Viggi Corp., a new company dedicated to producing products to help inspire young people to learn while playing. The seeds of the company were sown at RIT, where Turner met Snyder while studying industrial design. Turner had designed the chair that helps children who had trouble sitting still, and Snyder invented a balancing toy that shows kids how to add and subtract using blocks with numbers. With the help of Rochester businessman Dick Kaplan, Viggi Corp. is now a reality. The duo just returned from theNational Association for the Education of Young Children conference in Orlando, where the products were well-received by education professionals, Turner said. “Classrooms are changing and evolving,” Turner said. “The 21st-century classroom is built on collaboration.” |
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