Polly Bath: How should you be sitting? Does it matter? This is a million dollar question with little ones. Does it matter? What are your thoughts?

As long as you’re not bothering anybody else, and your body’s in your own space, and you’re able to be successful the way you’re sitting, then that’s what’s my priority.

We have kids who are traumatized, PTSD, every time they see a jar of applesauce, [laughs] because they hear criss-cross applesauce, criss-cross applesauce, criss-cross applesauce, criss-cross applesauce.

[laughter]

They have nightmares when they see applesauce.

It drives me crazy. We spend more time pushing for criss-cross applesauce, than we do actually teaching reading.

With the little guys, I’d use what’s called stadium seating. I tell them all, “You can sit on the rug, and this is your space, as long as your body’s not touching somebody else. Or you can sit on the cubes behind that, because that’s the stadium seating. Or you can sit on the bigger chairs behind that. Or you can do standing room only. As long as you’re doing what you’re supposed to do, and your body’s in its own space, we’re good to go.”

I would advise you though, as an adult, not to sit in the cubes, because when you get up, they stay attached to you.

[laughter]

I’ve learned that the hard way. I get up and I say, “Excuse this cube.” The kids are laughing, “Oh, look at that cube!”