The Anxiety and Depression Association of America (2018) reports that 12 to 25% of children have anxiety disorders. That is one or more out of every eight children. This equates to potentially three or four students in your class who are carrying the weight of anxiety on their shoulders. Children with this disorder are considered [...]
Children need to move! Students cannot be expected to sit still in a normal chair for 4-5 hours a day. How can anyone expect a student to not fidget or move and learn? As a special needs teacher of students with Emotional Disabilities, I have chosen to provide my students with several seating options. Most [...]
The brain/body connection is not exclusive to elementary age students. In fact, it does not discriminate. This magnificent relationship is ongoing, extremely subtle, and critical to the teaching and learning process at all grade levels and content areas. Using thoughtful and purposeful physical activity is no less appropriate in a high school trigonometry classroom than [...]
I had a colleague that once said that the best way to solve problems was with creative writing.Matt Levine, Brand Manager Money does not grow on trees—because it is mostly cotton and linen, and cotton only grows into a tree if left unharvested. And since money is made, that means cotton was harvested, and you [...]
When it comes to introducing activity in the classroom, many educators often wonder where to start. Brooke Sydnor Curran, Founder and CEO of RunningBrooke, makes it her goal to assist teachers and principals as they incorporate more activity into their classrooms and schools. In the latest installment of our interview series with Brooke, she explains [...]
The look and feel of classrooms is changing. If it hasn’t already happened in your school or classroom, perhaps it’s time that it should! Flexible seating, dynamic seating, active classroom – call it what you wish, but it’s time for the classroom to get an update. Yes, I know change can be difficult! We expect [...]
Six months ago, I began a new journey with Moving Minds. I took on the role of brand manager and started the transformation to fully believing in the power of active learning. Before this? Well, I believed in being active. I ran daily, made sure my kids were outside all year-round, and avoided TV on [...]
Are you looking for a new way to incorporate more activity into the classroom or your community in general? Take a cue from Brooke Sydnor Curran, Founder and CEO of RunningBrooke. Over the past 10 years, she and her organization have made it their mission to get children in Alexandria, VA more physically active, happy, [...]
Movement is for Adolescents Too! It’s important not to leave out the population who may need activity the most—adolescents. While movement breaks in elementary school have been embraced, they are not quite a “staple” at the secondary level. If you are a secondary teacher, you may cringe at the thought of leading a group of [...]
As teachers, we really want students to be “still” and focused when we are trying to teach them concepts. It just feels right. It gives us the impression that the content we are teaching is actually sinking in. However, it is extremely difficult for students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) to focus on a [...]
