Standing Desks Can Help You Be More Active While Teaching Online

Best Standing Desks for Online ESL Teachers

Stand Up and Supercharge Your Online ESL Lessons.
Here are the Best Standing Desks for Online ESL Teachers

Why You Should Use a Standing Desk to Teach Online ESL

According to scientists James A. Levine, Charles E. Matthews, Jay Dicharry, and Tal Amassay, the hazards of sitting too long are manyfold:

  • Heart disease
  • Overproductive pancreas
  • Colon cancer
  • Foggy brain
  • Strained neck
  • Sore shoulders and back
  • Inflexible spine
  • Disk damage
  • Mushy abs
  • Tight hips
  • Limp glutes
  • Poor circulation in legs
  • Soft bones

If this is all too much to remember, or you prefer a neat, printable infographic to remind you, Washington Post has got your back (pun intended), which you can download here.

As an online ESL teacher, you know all too well that working online often translates to hours on end of sitting at a computer. So while some items on this list of health hazards might resonate with you, you might be feeling a bit tense about what to do (see what we did there?) to avoid them.

All of this might sound depressing, but we’ve got your back covered (aren’t we good at this?). Standing desks not only help you avoid the hazards of sitting for long periods, but can actually help you become a more interactive and engaging online ESL teacher. No kidding. We see online ESL teachers everywhere, and it’s clear as day which ones are standing or sitting – just look at how active and agile they are while teaching in front of their screens.

Standing up lets you jump, dance, run on the spot, and move around while interacting with your online students, and that means your students find you a lot more interesting and fun to learn with. Not to mention, as many online ESL teachers who have made the switch from sitting to standing will attest, it just feels great.

There are a variety of ways to set up a standing environment for teaching online ESL, but for the professional online ESL teacher, nothing replaces the versatility standing desks provide. In this post, we will focus on the two best options you have:

  • Standing desks
  • Standing desk converters

Standing Desks

Best Standing Desks For Online Esl Teachers

Standing desks are exactly that – desks that are built taller so you can stand while working on your computer. The greatest advantage of standing desks is that they are very affordable. Yes, there are more expensive options, but as an online ESL teacher, the standing desks we recommend are both excellent and affordable options.

Besides their affordability, standing desks take no more space – probably less – than conventional desks do. Because of their minimalistic and functional design, standing desks can easily fit into your bedroom, living room, or kitchen, and if you go for one with wheels, you can move your desk around wherever you need to be at home. We know online ESL teachers are busy bodies!

When choosing a standing desk, you need to also consider the following:

How tall are you?

If you are taller than average, you want to check that the height of the standing desk can be adjusted to comfort for your height while standing. The last thing you want is to be standing and slouching or looking down at your computer screen.

Do you use a laptop or desktop computer?

Your choice of standing desk should also align with the computer you use. If you use a desktop, for example, you’ll want a standing desk that has a storage tray for the computer chassis.

Laptops are a little easier due to their compact size, but positioning a laptop for standing also involves the ergonomics of you typing on a keyboard or using a mouse. If you use a laptop while standing, you might choose a standing desk that includes a keyboard and mouse tray for using an external keyboard and mouse/trackpad.

Do you use multiple screens?

Many online ESL teachers have discovered the magic of using two screens while teaching. It’s great to be able to work with your students on one screen, and keep your teaching schedule, lesson plans, notes and other app windows on a second screen. However, if you decide to stand up, you need to think about where you will place your second screen.

Do you use a lot of props?

Online ESL teachers typically use props while teaching, so you will want to think about how easy it is to pick up or put down props on your standing desk. All this requires is that your standing desk has ample space for resting props on the desk top. You can store the rest of your props in a box beside or under your standing desk.

 

Do you use a green screen?

If you use a green screen while teaching, you only need to make sure that the standing desk has adequate space for placing lights on the desk top, if your lighting set up requires it. LED lamps are great options to place or clip on to a standing desk.

 

Do you want to switch between sitting and standing from time to time?

Many online ESL teachers will want the flexibility to sit or stand, especially those who find standing for hours challenging, or for those who teach online for long stretches. As well, many online ESL teachers are freelancers who work on projects outside of online ESL teaching, and need to sit down from time to time. Anyone who fits this description should choose a standing desk that is adjustable for both standing and sitting height.

Do you already have a desk for teaching ESL online?

Chances are, you already have a desk you use for teaching online. If you plant to continue using that desk, then you can use a standing desk converter to give you the ability to stand – or sit – at your desk. We’ll be looking at standing desks in a moment.

We’ve reviewed and selected standing desks that will satisfy each of these concerns, and these are our recommended standing desks for online ESL teachers.

 

Best Standing Desks for Online ESL Teachers

  • ✿【Easy to Set up】 - Office chair comes with all hardware & necessary tools. Follow the desk chair instruction, you'll found easy to assemble, and computer chair estimated assembly time in about 10-15mins.

  • ✿【Soft & Comfort Seat】 - Desk chair using high-density sponge cushion, more flexible, office chair with a middle back design, rectangular ornament not only as a decoration, it can provide good lumbar support makes you feel comfortable.

  • ✿【Quality Material】 - All the accessories of our office chair have passed the test of BIFMA, which is a guarantee for your personal safety. The mesh chair can bear the weight of 250lbs.

  • ✿【With Armrest】 - It is a good choice to add one of our computer chair in your office or put a desk chair in your home/activity room. The seat height can be adjusted from 17.1"-20.3" and the seat measures 18.5"(W)*18"(D)

  • ✿【Ergonomic & New Patent】- The cushion of office chair, armrest accord with human body engineering design, let your body and mesh chair perfect fit, suit long time use, give you creative design!

  • Assembly of 1 customer-supplied end table
  • Product should be in the room where it is to be assembled before provider arrives. Moving product after assembly is not included
  • Cleanup work area. Take packaging to customer's bins unless customer declines
  • Products requiring additional work may result in an updated estimate from provider
  • This service does not include haul-away of products or trash
  • All purpose table constructed of powder-coated steel and high-density polyethylene plastic
  • 48-inch x 24-inch molded tabletop ; Seating Capacity: 4
  • Folds in half for easy storage and transport; Great for taking on the go
  • Adjustable Height Settings (22-Inch, 24-Inch, 29-Inch and 36-Inch)
  • Convenient carry handle; Table weight: 19 lbs. Table Top Thickness: 1. 4 inch.Frame tubing diameter: 25mm
  • Tested to hold 200 lbs. evenly distributed

Standing Desk Converters

Most of the well-designed standing desk converters are adjustable using levers. Some are gas powered, and can be raised or lowered simply by pulling up or pushing down on the desk itself. If you already have a desk at home you use for online teaching, a standing desk converter is the way to go.

There are some drawbacks, of course. Firstly, standing desk converters can sometimes be more expensive than purpose-built standing desks. Secondly, if you place your LED lamps on your desk on either side of your computer, you need to make sure the standing desk converter you choose has adequate space for placing the lamps on them, so that the lamps go up and down with your computer for both standing and sitting scenarios. Finally, when you raise the standing desk converter, your desk will be much lower. This means when you are teaching while standing, everything that is sitting on your desk (but not the standing desk converter) won’t always be within arm’s length.

On the whole, we feel standing desk converters are worth the additional investment due to the several benefits they offer over purpose-built standing desks.

Here are what we believe are the best standing desk converters for online ESL teachers. You will need to determine which one best matches your needs, considering the important aspects we raised earlier in this post.

  • Suit for any laptop 10 to 15.6 inches - The laptop stand fits all laptops 10 to 15.6 inches, such as notebooks PC computers 10 inches, 11 inches, 12 inches, 13 inches, 13.3 inches, 14 inches, 15 inches, 15.4 inches, 15.6 inches, etc.
  • Sturdy and portable - The office computer stand is totally made of thickened aluminum alloy, so the stand is sturdier and has less wobbly. The rubber on the holder hands sticks tightly and ensure your laptop stable on the stand. And the rubber feet prevent the stand from slipping on your desktop. Moreover, the stand is detachable and easy to install without tools, so the lightweight laptop stand is really portable.
  • Ergonomic design - The slim compact stand elevates your laptop by 6-inch to a perfect eye level and prevents you from hunching over your screen, which reduces neck and shoulder pain. Moreover, the edge of the stand is so smooth that protects you from being scratched.
  • Cooling better and keep desktop organized - The ventilated elevator desk stand only has two holder hands but not a whole flat, so there is more space to enable the heat to vent and keep your notebook computer from overheating. Also, you can organize your office items such as keyboard and mouse under the thin stand.
  • Detachable and simple installation - The laptop stand can be conveniently disassembled into 3 parts. And You can easily reassemble it again easily.
  • 2-COIL FAST CHARGING - 1.4 times faster than standard wireless charger, built-in two coils offer you much wider charging area. This Quick Charge 2.0 wireless charging stand will juice up your compatible device from dead to full in a short amount of time.
  • ERGONOMIC STAND DESIGN- Unique Sailing Design for Freedom, charging your phone vertically or horizontally, enjoys movie and music without interrupting while charging. Also, you can answer a call without having to unplug. NOTE: For iPhone 12 mini, the built-in battery is designed in the lower right corner. When it's charged vertically, please increase the height of iPhone 12 mini by 5mm on the stand for better charging experience.
  • TWO WIRELESS CHARGING MODES- 10W Fast Charge Model: Galaxy S22/S21/S20/S20+/S20 Ultra/S10/S10+/S10E/S9/S9+/S8/S8+/S7 and Note 20/20 Ultra/10/10+/9/8/5, required QC 2.0 or above adapter as its power source(Not Included); 7.5W Fast Charge Model: iPhone 13/13 mini/13 Pro/13 Pro Max/12/12 Pro/12 Pro Max/11/11 Pro/11 Pro Max/XS/XS Max/XR/X/8/8 Plus; 5W Standard Charge Model: Standard QI enabled devices like Pixel 3/3XL,Samsung S6/S6Edge; Some device may require the additional Qi wireless receiver.
  • SAFE CHARGING PROTECTION- Featuring over charging and over temperature protection never overcharges the battery or wastes energy. With four anti-slip rubber feet at the bottom to ensure stability. (Supports most phone cases not thicker than 5mm such as armor/rubber/hybrid/ plastic/TPU/PC cases; For iPhone 12 series, the case thickness should not exceed 3 mm; For iPhone 13 series, the case should not exceed 2 mm.) PLEASE REMOVE ANY METAL AND MAGNETS OR CREDIT CARDS BEFORE PLACING YOUR PHONE.
  • INTELLIGENT LED INDICATOR- Multi-colored LED lights indicate charging status. Solid blue for standby mode, green for charging mode). Blue LED indicator will flash in 1s/time if your phone is not properly aligned or any metal attachment detected! One-year Warranty if you got any problems about the wireless charger you got from NANAMI. (Just simply drop us an email with your order number and we will give you the best solution as your wishes. )
  • Easy to Install: There are two option to use the phone clip: 1. Screw directly to the tripod with pivoting arm, being able to 360 degrees to rotate. 2. Remove the clip from pivoting arm and then mount on a tripod.
  • The swivel is also easy to change the Camera,Camcorder and smartphone's orientation (360° rotation) when taking pictures.Inner padding secure your device well and protect it from damage.
  • 1/4" Standard Screw: Attachable to any regular sized tripod, monopod and smartphone with standard 1/4" screw thread at the bottom.
  • Compact&Portable:Helps you shoot steady video for Facebook Live, Periscope, and other microphone live streaming Vlogging platforms Its light weight design and easy portability mean that you can put it in your pocket or your briefcase and take it everywhere you go. And you will be ready for the perfect Lens picture at any time.
  • Retractable&Detachable Holder: Retractable Camera,Camcorder, phone holder fits most cellphones,Cameras,Camcorders and selfie sticks(width between 56mm - 105mm ),including iPhone 14/13/12/11, iPhone X/Xs/XR/Xs Max,8/7/6/6s, iPhone 6/6s plus, iphone SE/5s/5/5c,Samsung Galaxy s10s10 plus S9/S9+,S8/S8+/S7/S6/S6 edge, Note 9 8 5 4 3 and so on. And it extremely easy to get adjusted to hold or release your phone. Compare with similar items

Avoiding Fatigue While Standing

If standing for long periods, you may experience fatigue, which is why we prefer standing desk converters, as they enable you to stand or sit. But it’s not always convenient to switch between standing and sitting during the middle of a lesson. To solve this challenge, you can stand on a balance board. Standing on a balance board can not only help you avoid pain from standing for long periods, it can also help you improve your core strength and posture. Here are some balance boards we recommend:

  • Multiple textures & materials engage baby's developing tactile sensitivity & teach baby about variety
  • Chunky sized bumps encourage reaching, grasping, and transferring from one hand to the other
  • Gentle rattle sounds create neural connections in babies brains from birth through 3 years
  • Bright colors & bold patterns are visually appropriate for baby's developing vision
  • Safely tested to infant standards including ASTM, CPSC, EN71 & Health Canada
  • Magic 8 Ball Retro has all the answers to all your deepest questions!
  • This “throwback” version Magic 8 Ball reminds fans of the fortune-telling fun they know and love.
  • After “asking the ball” a yes or no question, turn the toy upside-down and wait for your answer to be revealed through the window.
  • Answers range from positive (“It is certain”) to negative (“Don’t count on it”) to neutral (“Ask again later”).
  • It’s the fastest way to seek advice!
  • Black balance board can help improve core strength, coordination, posture, and balance
  • Suitable for a wide range of exercises, including push-ups, plank, standing balance poses, and targeted workouts for strengthening specific muscles, ligaments, tendons, and joints
  • Solid wood top supports up to 265 pounds; non-slip surface for a secure grip
  • For individuals and athletes; ideal for a rehab center, gym, or home workout space
  • Measures 15.5 by 15.5 by 3.15 inches (LxWxH); backed by an Amazon Basics 1-year limited warranty

Wrapping Up

Much of your decision will come down to your space, budget, and preference whether to use a purpose-built standing desk or a standing desk converter. For most online ESL teachers interested in standing while teaching, we would lean towards a standing desk converter, because they offer more flexibility. They can be placed on a desk, table, or even a kitchen counter, and are portable. You can take a standing desk converter with you for the weekend or on a holiday. 

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