Miss Docheff gives her students the 2-minute countdown to let them know they will move to the next activity soon. She rings her bell three times, so they know to stop, look, and listen. Then, she points to the next activity written on the schedule board so they can orient themselves to the activities coming [...]
All students are special in their own ways. Some have more difficulty listening and following directions while others may struggle to move their bodies the way they want to. When you give your class the chance to move, it’s important to make activity as accessible to all students to the best extent possible. Often, it [...]
Are “winter blues” really a thing? According to the NIH, it is a general term and not a medical diagnosis, however, winter blues may be connected to something specific such as the stress of the holidays or missing loved one. It has similar symptoms as those with season affective disorder, which is related to the shortening of daylight hours. [...]
In a previous blog, I suggested that teachers give students the autonomy to decide when they need a break and to allow them to take one, as long as they are engaging within parameters set. When you believe you have established appropriate levels of behavior management with your students, use these 4 pointers for giving [...]
Hopefully you’re in the groove of the school year and have experienced success implementing physical activity breaks for your students. If not, now’s a great time to begin! It’s also a good time to focus on the mental health of our students. One way to address this is through different movement or activity breaks that incorporate aspects [...]
When planning for the school year, classroom set up is key for student movement. The way we arrange our space can either create room or decrease it, so below are three suggestions to make your class user-friendly for activity breaks. Arrange Desks to Create an Activity Area Consider arranging the desks/tables in your space to maximize the amount [...]
For most of us, the school year will be in full swing within the next month. Let’s start off strong by pushing our students to move if they can and when they can, as long as it doesn’t interfere with their learning or our teaching. Remember that physical activity (even little spurts) helps students with [...]
As schools reconvened or are reconvening students back in a face-to-face environment, many schools have placed students in “bubbles” during class. These may consist of 10’x10’ spaces that are marked off by floor tape, in which students are supposed to remain in their spots throughout the class period, if possible. It is probable that this [...]
Don’t let the social and physical distancing protocols stop you from allowing your students to engage in classroom physical activity! If there’s anything we’ve learned from the pandemic, it’s that youth and adults alike need to move and get fresh air. I’m sharing some simple ABCs for integrating physical activity in your classroom with appropriate [...]
If someone asked you to describe what a college classroom looked like, what would you say? My mind pictures an older classroom with tile flooring and desks with one armrest lined up in rows. There’s probably a large table at the front of the room with a computer, and a screen that can be pulled down [...]
