Just How Important is Movement to Learning? Session # 55 Ellen Harris ICLE Consultant International Center for Leadership in Education

Just How Important is Movement to Learning?

Session # 55Ellen Harris

ICLE Consultant

International Center for Leadership in Education

A Nation at Risk

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- Lagging Test Scores nationally

- US ranks 14th in the World in education in 2010

- Majority of the students are ‘Bored’ in School

- High Drop out Rates

- Obesity – it’s predicted that this generation will be the first to die before their parents

Outline for this Session•The Brain Connection•The Obesity Issue•Movement in the Classroom•Exergames•Examples of how to use Movement successfully in all classrooms

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Did you Know….• Movement and physical activities

enhance the students learning in the classroom

• Brain research has shown the link between increased physical activity to improve cognition

• Exercise positively affects the levels of neurotransmitters such as glucose which stimulates cognition.

Did you Know…• The Brain is only about 2% of the body’s

weight but consumes 20% of the body’s energy

• After 15 – 17 minutes of sitting, your blood begins to drain from your brain and pool up in your thighs.

• The Brain is composed of nearly 80% water and must be hydrated to fully function..

• Have students DRINK water to feed their brain, dehydration can affect their concentration negatively.

Did You Know…. That when you are Stressed…

• There is an increase in your brain of a chemical called Cortisol

• When Cortisol is high, the brain is less capable of planning , judging and problem solving. All skills necessary with the higher order of thinking .

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””

True enjoyment comes from activity of the mind and exercise of the body; the two are united.

Alexander von Humboldt

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Emotion is the gatekeeper to learning and performance in the

classroom.

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Increasing Oxygen Levels through simple exercise shows a marked improvement

in:

• Attention levels,

• Short term memory

• Processing speed, planning

• Sequencing and self-monitoring

• Reduced stress levels

The Obesity Issue

Obesity

• Childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years.

• 7% of Children 6 – 11 years in the US in 1980 who were obese increased to 20% in 2008

• 5% of obese children 12 – 19years in 1980 increased to 18% in 2008.

• In 2008 more than 1/3 of children and adolescents were overweight or obese.

Nutrition

• Low protein diets have resulted in lower achievement scores

• Iron deficiency anemia leads to shortened attention span, irritability , fatigue, and difficulty with concentration. Children tend to do poorly on vocabulary , reading and other tests.

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Nutrition

• Children who suffer from poor nutrition during the brain’s most formative years score much lower on tests of vocabulary, reading comprehension arithmetic and general knowledge

• 6- 11 year olds from food insufficient families had significantly lower arithmetic scores

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1999

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 1990, 1999, 2009

(*BMI 30, or about 30 lbs. overweight for 5’4” person)

2009

1990

No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% 20%–24% 25%–29% ≥30%

Obesity Trends* Among U.S. AdultsBRFSS, 1985

(*BMI ≥30, or ~ 30 lbs. overweight for 5’ 4” person)

No Data <10% 10%–14%



No Data <10% 10%–14%



No Data <10% 10%–14%



No Data <10% 10%–14%



No Data <10% 10%–14%



No Data <10% 10%–14%



No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19%



No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19%



No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19%



No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19%



No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19%



No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19%



No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% ≥20%



No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% ≥20%



No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% ≥20%



No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% ≥20%



No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% 20%–24% ≥25%



No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% 20%–24% ≥25%



No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% 20%–24% ≥25%



No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% 20%–24% ≥25%



No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% 20%–24% 25%–29% ≥30%



No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% 20%–24% 25%–29% ≥30%



No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% 20%–24% 25%–29% ≥30%



No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% 20%–24% 25%–29% ≥30%



No Data <10% 10%–14% 15%–19% 20%–24% 25%–29% ≥30%

What does Physical Inactivity mean for schools?

• For many states, funding is based on the number of students that show up each day.

• In one study, severely overweight children tended to miss more school than their overweight peers; therefore, possibly decreasing academic achievement.

• Schools can bear significant costs in providing extra resources, staff time, and instruction to students with poor academic performance and/or behavior problems.

• Schools must also spend money administering prescription drugs that are necessary to treat students with physical and emotional problems, due to poor nutrition, poor activity, and weight problems.

(The Bottom Line: Improving Nutrition and Health, School Business Affairs, January 2005; www.asbointl.org)

http://www.asbointl.org/

Increase Movement• Improves their emotional health

• Self – esteem

• Alertness

• Increased concentration

• Improved mathematics

• Reading

• Writing test scores

• Reducing disruptive behavior

• Rates of learning

• Problem solving school absenteeism

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BRAIN GYM ~ Calf pump

Brain Gym, Teacher's Edition Revised by Paul E. Dennison and Gail E. Dennison, © 1994. Used by permission of the authors.

• The Calf Pump is a movement re-education process to restore the natural length of the tendons in the feet and lower legs.

• At times of perceived danger, these tendons shorten to prepare for the act of running.

• By pressing down the heel and lengthening the tendon in the calf, one discharges this fear reflex, and the muscles can return to a normal tonus.

Struggling Students• Fewer brain synapses occurring in the brain –

movement helps to increase the synapses allowing the brain hemispheres to communicate with each other

• Visual tracking – use cross laterals to reinforce the left and right side of their brain. This has shown to increase the skills the student may be lacking in reading , writing, thinking clearly and problem solving.

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Rigor -if content is too simplified/broken down, the brain cannot define the patternsRelevance -knowing how and when to use the skillRelationship -making connections with other learning and with people

Students Need…

Did you Know….That doing Cross Crawl Activities

• The four visual fields needed for eye tracking in reading are strengthened through navigation of space and crossing the brain and body midlines.

• These exercises help spelling, listening , reading and comprehension.

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Cross Crawls• Useful for spelling, writing , listening

, reading, math and comprehension.

Music

Music & Dance• In Seattle – 3rd Grade students used dance

activities and boosted their reading scores by 13% in 6 months.

• Increased math and verbal scores by the use of rhythm and repetitive beats and movement

• Using movement leaves the students better focused and better behaved.

• Some schools have increased physical activity and reduced academic time, and the test scores still go up.

• The students are engaged and healthy and the teachers are having fun !

Music

• There is a link between academic achievement and steady beat music in math and reading .

• Music stimulates right brain learning and makes the learning process enjoyable

• Students make association to the music and rhythm

Music• Use as an aid not a distraction

• If you want students to concentrate, select music that has regular periods with repeated phrases and patterns.

• Do not choose music with disharmonic patterns as this will distract their minds as they try to sort out the the disharmony.

Music• A repetitive pattern of music helps in the

repetitive nature of learning in math or grammar

• Use music when asking the students to use their imagination when writing descriptive exercises

• Walking and listening to music prior to testing has been shown to increase verbal fluency scores.

Examples• When doing math, have your students do jumping

jacks to give the answer.3 x 5= 15 Jumping Jacks

• When reviewing Spelling words, have your students jog in place while spelling the words.

• Play hangman on the board when reviewing the States and capitals. Have them do squats until they get the correct answer.

• When waiting in line for the bathroom or for drinks, have your students stand quietly, but have them reach for the ceiling and then back down to their toes.

• These are just examples….the possibilities are endless when incorporating Movement into your classroom

Walk and Talk

•Pose a question and then have students walk around the classroom discussing the question. Exercise and movement relaxes the mind and opens their thinking abilities.

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During Transition TimesAdd Movement..

• Encourages laughter and fun • Improves motivation and

discipline• Increases interest in class • Build relationships

In Sports

• When playing sports the athlete is required to use their brains for counting, planning, figuring, and problem solving.. Highly engaged in cognitive functions.

Relaxing Techniques

• Hook ups – easy in the chair stretching and relaxing technique

• Crane stand- helps with balance and strengthens the core and brings focus

• Yoga – begin class with a few yoga moves – opens the mind up for the day

• Rocker – sit on a chair with feet up and rock one way and then the other. This releases the tension in the lower back and sacrum. When the sacrum is free to move, the brain at the the other end of the central nervous system is activated as well. 60

Brain and Learning

• After learning a new skill the brain can only handle so much information… it needs to go internal. Teachers should consider a short divergent activity like a ball toss or a walk that builds communication skills so the brain can process.

Math• Make it come alive with kinesthetic

teaching strategies that increase student performance.

• Angles come alive in the classroom

• Jumping Addition – 3+3+3+3+3 = 15 ( addition and multiplication )

3+6+8-10 + 4 =

• Have the class do continual squats and when they solve the problem have them….

• Hop up and down if the answer is an even number

• Turn circles if the answer is an odd number

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122 + 5 -77 =

• Have the class do continual squats and when they solve the problem have them….

• Hop up and down if the answer is an even number

• Turn circles if the answer is an odd number

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Math & Angles

• Line – no beginning and no end and goes in 2 directions

• Line Segment – beginning & end & a part in the middle

• Ray – has a beginning and goes in one direction

• Right Angle – equal to 90%

• Obtuse Angle – is greater than 90% less than 180%

• Acute Angle – is less than 90% 65

Tips• Short term memory is best in the morning

and least effective in the afternoon

• Long-term memory is generally best in the afternoon. Lessons with repetition or emotional energy may be more meaningful later in the school day

• Give students mental breaks several times a day

Rhythm• Today less than 50% of American

teenagers can demonstrate rhythmic competence ( Weikart, 1989)

• In many parts of the US only 10% of elem. students demonstrate steady beat competence.

• Girls are twice as likely as boys to show beat competency – and there are 6 boys for every girl in special education programs that focus on reading ( Weikart)

Suggestions• Spelling words by forming the letters with

their bodies

• Forming punctuation marks and expressing the feeling of sentences through movement

• Learning multiplication by moving in sets of threes and fours

• Discovering the difference between lunar and solar eclipse through planet dances

• Choreographing our way across the Oregon Trail

Benefits• Gifted students discovered a new way to learn

• The slower learners quickly became actively engaged and successful

• The non-English speaking students can understand the curriculum through new nonverbal approaches.

• Attendance went way up

• Test scores rose substantially

• There was laughter

• Racial tension dissipated

Tools for the 21st Century School that incorporates Movement.

“Brain Room”

Concept To develop the students cognitive skills as well as reinforce their academic concepts through movement.

•Room has nine stations to each with a different purpose

•Students pedal a bike to answer chemistry problems and do review for upcoming tests.

•Movement with a purpose – concept behind action-based learning

•Data= 11 freshmen used the room 3x a week for 6 weeks; scores improved and behavior improved.•Stall High School, Charleston, SC

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• ErgoBike Premium 8i

• From Germany's Daum Electronics, the Ergo Bike Premium 8i is a stationary bike that's outfitted with speakers, a microphone, monitor, camera, and an internet connection. Think of it as Facebook meets spin class .

• Users can compete against each other on virtual versions of famous race courses, or even team up for simulated races and talk smack over their headsets.

Exergames !

• Dance Dance Revolution

• In the Groove

• EyeToy

• Wii Fit

• Wii Sport

• Fitbit Tracker

• Zamzee

• Maya Fit

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Schools and Physical Activity• Children need plenty of opportunities

throughout the school day to be active…..not just during PE.

• Schools should ensure that all children and youth participate in a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous PA during the school day!

• Research has shown that well-designed, well-implemented school programs can effectively promote physical activity.

Where do most kids spend their school day????

Sitting at their desks, listening to their teacher, working on homework, taking notes, etc……….

Physical Activity in the Classroom

• By adding physical activity in the classroom, teachers are giving their students a chance to use up some energy and help them focus on learning.

• Physical Activity in the classroom can be as easy as having your students walk in place while reviewing for a test.

• However, schools and teachers may feel this takes away from learning time, but research shows that physical activity can improve learning and increase test scores………..

Physical Activity and Academic Achievement

• Nearly 200 studies on the effect of exercise on cognitive functioning suggest that physical activity supports learning. (Action for Healthy Kids, 2003; www.actionforhealthykids.org)

• Schools that offer intense physical activity programs have shown positive effects on academic achievement, including increased concentration; improved mathematics, reading, and writing test scores; and reduced disruptive behavior, even when time for physical activity reduces the time for academics. (www.csba.org/is/ch/linkages.htm)

• A reduction of 240 minutes/week in class time for academics to permit increased PA leads to consistently higher mathematics scores. (Link between Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Academic Achievement, August 2002).

http://www.actionforhealthykids.org/

http://www.csba.org/is/ch/linkages.htm

Physical Activity and Academic Achievement

• Aerobic conditioning seems to assist memory and physical activity has a definite impact on the frontal lobe, a primary brain area for mental concentration and planning.

• Children with daily physical education exhibit better attendance, a more positive attitude to school and superior academic performance. (NASPE/Council of PE for Children. Physical education is critical to a complete education, 2001)

• Evidence suggests that time spent in PE does not decrease learning in other subjects. Youth who spend less time in other subjects to allow for regular PE or physical activity have been shown to do equally well or better in academic classes. (President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. Physical Activity and Fitness Research Digest. 1999.)

Getting your Students “Cooled Down”

• By adding the Movement into your classroom, your students energy will be high after an activity, so to get them cooled down and ready to learn, try these cool down techniques:– Take 3 deep breaths while

raising their arms over their head

– Have students lay their head on their desk while you count for 20 seconds.

– Do some light stretching for a minute (side bends, bend down and touch your toes, arms circles, head rolls, etc)

From a Teachers Perspective

“ I have noticed a tremendous amount of student involvement and engagement.”

“ …when incorporating movement and actions into word problems, students’ comprehension skills and attention to detail have greatly improved.”

“When comparing the tests scores from last year’s class, I have noticed an increase in academics when movement was added this year.”

Resources• There are several websites that have

actual lessons incorporating Movement into school lessons.

– www.emc.cmich.edu/BrainBreaks/default.htm

– www.ncpe4me.com/energizers.html

– www.som.tulane.edu/cardiohealth.supkid.htm

– www.take10.net

– www.stationpe.com

– www.pecentral.org/lessonideas/classroom/classroom.asp

21st Century Learning Strategies to use in the classroom.

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Toad Hollow, NY

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Healthy and

Happy !!!

Documents

Just How Important is Movement to Learning? Session # 55 Ellen Harris ICLE Consultant International Center for Leadership in Education