English Class: A Poem by Kamryn Foster

Writing and reading; reading and writing.
Filled with kids who have a passion and are finding.
Others who think the same way they do,
Who are not mathematically inclined, the studies say it's true.

Supposedly we're taught to take a test and get the answer right,
But to this system I will forever fight.
Let the kids be creative and express themselves, I'll say
And the Board'll say no and keep the subject at bay.

English is the class where you can actually think for once
And in this room you won't hear grunts
For we all enjoy the period where you can be yourself
And let your creativity show - so go ahead and grab a book off a shelf.

Chairs are also Important! By Alyssa Stouch

A similar model to my beloved chair

Recently one of our classmates, Owen Welsh, published a post describing the importance of desks in the classroom. As moved as I was by this unique piece of writing, I felt as though he left out a very important contributor to one's overall comfort in school. Surely, the desk is the place you lean when you feel tiresome and writing is done best on a leveled and smooth surface, but the chair in which you sit on will truly affect your performance. There is nothing more irritating than sitting on a cold plastic chair, where one of the front legs is three centimeters shorter than the other legs, and the entire period all you do is awkwardly wobble back and forth as you shift your weight. But just when the situation could not be any more uncomfortable for you and the people around you, the room gets silent in preparation for a quiz, and as you place your body onto the chair you discover you are sitting in the squeaky chair. Yes, we've all been there and we all dread it the same. Cringing every time the seat squeals is very distracting especially during a test because the whole class period I focus on being as still as I can to save myself from the pain and embarrassment. Then came the day my life was changed. I walked into Mrs. Kopp's class and found an old cushioned chair parked in front of my little desk. This beautiful worn out seat included features such as, faded red padding along the top and side, to provide maximum comfort for your back and bum. It was so oversized it could not fully tuck between the legs of my desk. This was the type of chair you would find in the exclusive dining halls of the school, (more commonly known as the teachers lounge) or maybe in the waiting room at the dentist or doctor's office. I loved every inch of this chair and my heart was broken when I discovered it had been moved to another area of the room. I mourned for my seat like  king Hrothgar mourned for Aeschere when he had been taken away. Although our time together was short, it was satisfactory and I do one day hope my cloud of cotton returns to me. As Owen stated previously, location, classmates, and view all contribute greatly to a students capability to concentrate, and feel comfortable, but these again are not the only factors involved. I never understood the value and importance of chairs in a classroom until I situtated myself between those two cushions, and now I strongly believe that the furniture a student is given will impact their performance in class.