To: Dr. Vincent Boudreau
From: Abu Sayeed
Subject: Arm Desk
Date: February 10, 2019
The purpose of this memo is to let you know that students are unable to perform at their full potential in three-hour classes because there is inadequate body movement while they are sitting on the arm desk to keep their body active: as a result, students are less engaged and they are performing poorly in class.
Summary:
In general, arm desk should be prohibited from the classroom because our bodies are built for movement but students not having enough body movement in classroom. Arm desk is affecting students learning because prolong sitting in one place without a body movement causes several problems like poor blood circulation. Therefore, introducing new chairs that help students to keep their body active will reduces poor blood circulation.
Discussion:
Classroom furniture plays an essential role in students learning. If chairs are comfortable then students will be engage in the class. However, sitting at arm desk for three hours is uncomfortable because students cannot swivel with a chair. After prolonged sitting on the arm desk, I receive a notification from my apple watch that “time to stand! Stand up and move a little for one minute.” The apple watch proves that our body does not move while sitting on the arm desk because they can track our body movement. It is essential that students’ bodies are in motion because movement allows the body to be active and increases blood flow to the brain. The increases of blood means more oxygen and energy, which help our brain to perform better. Thus, students not having enough body movement in the classroom to concentrate in class.
Furthermore, prolonged sitting can cause medical problems like weakened muscles, back pain, and heart disease. According to the article “What Happens to Your Body When You Sit All Day?” Dr. Joan Vernikos, former director of NASA’s Life Sciences Division claims “sitting down for too long and often turns out to be an independent risk factor for poor health and an early demise. Fortunately, the remedy is simple: Avoid sitting and get more movement into your life. The key is to exert your body against gravity” (Mercola.com). Students lacking body movement causes poor blood circulation in their body and the blood circulation slow down. Therefore, students cannot actively participate in three-hour classes because students’ having less blood circulation means less oxygen and energy.
Although, in three-hour classes students get a fifteen minute break and they are allowed to take a walk, and some students are unwilling to take walks because they think they will miss crucial information from the professor. Then, one of the solutions can be students should stand up against the wall instead of taking a walk, so they can participate when they need to and they can listen to a professor lecture. However, three hour classes are pack with students; therefore, there is not enough space for students to stand against the wall and it is quite unusual for students to standing in the classroom. On the other hand, students only get one break in three hour class; however, one break is not enough for students to actively engage in class because doctors usually suggest people to avoid much sitting as they can. The regular rule for a human being is to stand up for at least one minute in every hour so their blood circulation can remain good. Also, I understand that not every student a have three hour classes but changing the arm desk would have a positive impact on them because they will feel more comfortable and engage in class.
Recommendation:
I’d like to talk to you, when you get a chance, about introducing swivel chairs in classes because students can rotate with swivel chairs and they will have the flexibility to change their position as needed. Therefore, students can keep their bodies active through movement and they can feel more comfortable because swiveling chairs are adjustable in height. At the same time, swivel chairs are very cheap it will cost approximately $36,000 to $40,000 to replaces all arm desk. Give me a call (929-435-6037) if you have any questions.
