Fidget Spinners - Good or Bad for the classroom?

What is a fidget spinner?

A fidget spinner is a type of toy. It has a small profile, able to be held in one hand. It allows people to be active with their fingers without creating a big scene. A fidget spinner has an axis and a disc with two or three paddles that spins like a ceiling fan. It is fun and exciting, and good spinners can keep going for minutes at a time. Fidget spinners were designed to help students with attention problems like ADHD. Treatment professionals say having something to occupy the mind may contribute to improving concentration level.

Do fidget spinners increase  attention and focus in the classroom?

It is hard to focus all day in school. For some, it’s even harder, especially if they struggle with sensory processing disorders, ADHD, autism, anxiety dyslexia, processing problems, and other learning challenges. As there is always a gap in learning, sitting still in a classroom can make studying even more difficult for a child that can’t filter noise, struggles with the clothes they’re wearing, can’t copy notes from the chalkboard and has difficulty with quality motor skills.
If your child has bad gross motor skills, poor posture, vision issues and low muscle tone, it could be a contributing factor to their focus and attention in school. Some kids need a movement to engage the mind for better learning (Fidget spinner). As recess and movement actions wane in the classroom, teachers are putting attention and focus on their students.

What do teachers think about fidget spinners

The new fidget spinner craze is reminiscent of the Yoyo craze. Teachers are confiscating these toys, not allowing them into the classroom or they have banned it from school all together because they're distracting students and their lesson plans. Who can blame them if one student is spinning them around their nose or they fling it across the room, hitting their neighbour. "There is a lot more negative disruptions then positive for fidget spinners use in the classroom".

Do fidget spinners belong in the classroom?
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Fidgets spinners are designed to enable students to pay attention and stay focused. However, many teachers are saying it has the complete opposite impact. For children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism, anxiety or other conditions the fidgit spinners relieve tension and helps them focus better.  But some instructors say they have been causing classroom disruptions, prompting bans and confiscations. Because fidget spinners aren’t being used for what they have been meant for in the classroom. A blanket ban in the classroom prevents children showing off to friends, distracting them from learning. Children who fidget to increase the attention when learning, don’t worry because you can still shake your leg, click your pen and tap the table. Teachers need to be aware that some of students do this not to annoy; you but so they can stay focus and listen to what you have to say.​
At least this new fidget spinner craze has taken over bottle flipping

Is there any scientific evidence?
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​A case study researching a fantastic comprehension of human cognition and student learning conducted in a sixth-grade lecture room in Georgia showed positive effects of fidgets.
It’s been observed that the student who uses fidgets showed sublime improvement in their academic work. The stress balls drastically increased writing scores to approximately 73%.
Also, the student with a medical diagnosis of ADHD showed the most development with an increase of 27% on a writing sample.
Stay tuned for Active Seating article ​

Conclusion

Yes Fidget spinners help a lot of children but because it's been taken over by children everywhere and turn into a craze, it's doing a lot more bad then good in the classroom. They are fantastic for the playground in that they help increase fine motor skills which improve the child's writing ability.