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Ah ens wee sel Te Hing Some teenth coun ov rast « Sb ‘mses Conse ITT Mi 2 EDUCATION UPDATE / AUGUST 2015 Learning from the Feet Up Planning for movement in secondary classrooms can energige sluggish teens and get their neurons firing. nOebe 2014 ream high thas ming in fr rec bel Titties iin intact ao ting Scopedapastones slew, sents py maker ketal bec Totencramizrrdike toga tndend fae SRicossus Manone spatter foetus We dl fertrsalaperioqaveusiet’ wledreu men esbscxwite Tavningencomesheecme'a canter gle eon Scena Dargie, de Bei et ee npg Slecanetotebotonrmbing re ther they wel boo te ar iinet inh@hsdeol secant’ sting dd waht met one spend the majority ofthe day in their content anyway, seats. “Students move almost never” 4 Wiggins writes in A Sobering Lesson Fish Gotta Swim Learned® "And never is exhausting’ Simple biology ean explain Wiggins’s Wiggins posted her observations physical response to classtoomin- online and more than 650,000 people duced inertia. Decades of studies have read the essay; many of the readers shown that moderate exereise cen who commented supported ideas ‘enhance learning —and that any kind of IAT movement is beneficial, Even standing uup can elevate heat ates, sending much-needed oxygen tothe brain Siting for long periods of time s biologically incompatible” with cffctive brain function, agrees Michael ‘Kuevala, the director af instruction for the Regional Training Center in Ran- dolph, NJ. "The brain wants the body to move’ says Kuczala, who has written extensively about kinesthetic instrue- tional approaches, Because the brain responds to novelty and active learning, the brain ean ‘stay connected” for longer periods of time when instruction includes movement. "Movement is fmportant because it makes for s better learner’ explains Kuczala, EDUCATION UPDATE / AUGUST 2015 Making It Personal Despite the growing body of esearch that reinforces {he movement learning link, many high school teachers “struggle to Integrate movernent inta the classroom: says Kenneth MeKee, a National Board-cettifed teacher who how works as an instructional coach in Asheville, N.C Many teachers are unclear about what “qualifies as mave- ‘ment; others are concerned about “challenging students” and classroom management. Whats ironic, he notes is that “incorporating movernent could mitigate some of the behaviors teachers find challenging” Still, MeKee understands the hesitation. He spent nine years teaching middle school English and concedes that he did nat encourage enough mavement in his class- room, He noticed, though, that his students “came alive” when they were more active. “MeKees account resonated with ther teachers when they worked together to moi the instructional frame work forthe Buncombe County (N.C. Schools. McKee found additional ways to help teachers understand his mes sage. For example, he asked them to reflect on how they felt when they attended a long meeting. Did they fidget? ‘Were they uncomfortable? "That discomfort distracts from learning McKee says, Kuczala also believes that teachers need to experlence for themeelves haw movement can increase motivation and engagement. In the workshops he leads, teachers complete the same activities they will use with their students, The experience ‘changes teachers? Kuczala asserts “They begin +o feel and understand that we dont just learn from the ‘neck up. We earn from the feet up! Compelled to Move Cathy Cate Zavacki has been teaching high school chera- \stry for 15 years. When she participated in a mavement course, she found it unlike much of her previous profes- sional development experiences. “We never sat down Zavacki recalls, adding thatthe course “just flew by” twas then that she knew she needed to incorporate more move. ‘ment in her elassoom, Zavacki began by explaining the purpose of using ‘movernent to her students. “Many secondary students are used to the paper and pencil form of taking notes she say, So when they are asked to perform an activity students “may not jump up and dovin with excitement when you. ‘make them! act ikea magnesium ion” ‘When thay do join in, however, there re visible bene- fits, When I look ound the room, Lsee students actively ‘engaged with each other, teaching each other the material LfLask students to act out the diferent phases of enorgy, for example, students wil ask their peers darifying questions “Why did you move left and not right” "Do soliés come before liuids? This gives me an immediate opportunity to assess who understands the material and who does not? says Zavacki, “Having ther up and movingallows me to see the ‘entire clas a one ime, making my job more efficent cour on cte <> Ca a Se ue improve behavior, and enhance learning, so give your eT et Core orr ‘Stand Up and Stretch Periodically ask students a stand ‘pana stitch fo just few minutes, Simple steches cen Indude stretching ams overhead and bending ltt and right. Have students step to theright oftheir desks Then ask them to touch the flor wth their fingetps, ave them stand on their toes to engage the calf musces. Body Representations Hav students ac out ngoat content. na geomet dass, for example, have the entire cass stand and act out radius, diameter and ccumference. Ona sethed cut theside demansiates eis Bath ams suetced ut hous cametr Forminga cide tthe ams Shows creamfrenc rer or! ae Give One, Get One Have students stand and remain standing 2 they complete this activity. Ask each student to finda partner with whom they can com- ate notes about that ay lesson Exch student shoul identity some: thing he ecrded but his partner Aid not-and vice versa Stadenis «an then identity what information they both recorded. Variation: Have ech aif students epert the information they gave and rectved tothe ene das. ey Vote with Your Feet The teacher preparesa series of sign ech sgn dpaysan “answer toa review queson, One oftheansuesis wrong, another annerisparialy core, ad the aaner onthe hid sgn cone Studens‘votewithteitfeo” by standing under thesia they believe asthe coectansue. Sauce Ao der (eel aes Mane 7 ena A a TT

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