MORE MOVEMENT
via education.com
I spend many hours each month sharing workshops with teachers. As a gaze out among the crowd and see the squirming, turning, and stretching, it triggers me. I know suddenly, regardless of what is happening, movement is a necessity in this moment.
You have probably seen the same in your classrooms. As humans, we just weren’t meant to sit for hours on end. I’ve even heard sitting described as the new smoking! And, as research highlights the detriments more and more, we must take notice. I’m sure you have all heard of and use “brain breaks”, but what else is out there to support movement in the classroom?
Here are three more options.
Sing and Dance
Songs have been proven again and again to improve retention. And, if you can include some dance moves with it you have just upped and anty. You might feel quite silly at first, but, we are teachers, and we do crazy things all the time for our students!
Total Physical Response
Get their bodies involved by acting out the learning. This is especially helpful with English language learners and vocabulary. In this video you can see the process demonstrated. I can see many kids benefiting from this being embedded into their day.
Virtual Reality
That’s right…VR! I walked into a 2nd grade classroom a few weeks back and saw kids sauntering about the classroom, glued to the screen as they explored ancient Rome. Virtual reality bolsters curiosity and wonder while getting kids up and moving. Check out this article on the reasons to include it in your classroom and this one for how to get started with only a small investment.
Remember, you can have too much of a good thing. So, while we know movement is a powerful force in the classroom, it’s all about balance. And, keep it novel so that they don’t tire of the same routine each day.
Who is getting moving tomorrow?
Brandy