Feeling tired of sitting all day at school? Do you know that, according to various research, if people prolong this habit, their lives will be shortened by two years?  Scary, isn’t it?

This is why Mr. Garland has introduced standing desks and an open-standing policy in his classroom. Standing desk are just like normal sitting desks except that students stand while using it.  Despite being popular in some schools and companies in the West, standing desks are still relatively unknown in Vietnam. For the first time ever, UNIS students will have the opportunity to experience the standing desk, starting in Mr. Garland’s and Mr. Ginder’s classrooms.

Mr. Garland was the first teacher at UNIS to have thought about this interesting aspect and has successfully gotten standing desks approved and installed in his room.  Two desks ordered from the U.S. are already there, and more are currently being designed and constructed in Vietnam.

Garland shared some of his thoughts about this:

Q: Why was this even designed?

A: To help reduce sedentary lifestyles, increase concentration, help productivity, etc. More and more big companies are starting to give their employees the idea of standing while working.

Q: Do you think this will be popular in school?

A: I hope so. So far in my classroom they have been popular. Every lesson there are always some people who want to use the ones I’ve got in my classroom.

Since the installation of standing desk, a lot of people have been eager to use it. Trung Nguyen, Grade 12 student, gave his opinion on this standing desk: “It helps me to focus easier and it is better than sitting all the time.”

Sarig Cohen, also a Grade 12 student, also shared his thoughts:  “It is definitely helpful.  I feel the  positive energy and it is nice to stand around. It is comfortable and I am more likely to answer questions.”

The standing desks have been in use since the January and have attracted lots of students in class. If you are interested in seeing them, drop by B5-G13.