Grand Valley Research Backs Ball-Sitting in Class

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) - Teachers dream of doing something to do something about slouching, wiggling and sleeping children.

Now, a growing number are replacing chairs with exercise stability balls as an innovative way to improve student posture and attention.

Tiffany Miller has made the change at Bauder Elementary School in Fort Collins, Colo.

Movement science Professor John Kilbourne at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Mich. switched to stability balls in his college courses last semester.

He surveyed 52 students on the change, and nearly all said they preferred sitting on the balls. He reports the results in February's Chronicle of Kinesiology and Physical Education in Higher Education.