2 xe | 7 tee perc ASED
Pea Cea CTT)
ORY CC Tie
Student voice initiatives teach
democracy through doing.
set mente atthe Dil Vale Schl a
Ax Calle, oper reponab
tira teeny nd Garey once
Siar none seis mecpacs
Sicrdck Sono muy ahr bagel
Tas gehen cea a eee
wteronnitid baleeunan seas
wsharbpobie Suleiaiiueiopet
inom abectn clteedowap cane cade
hen elses Sonng eng eo
aul coon ech ee hy
Serectingeat ome tmaicanaae
elie tve ieee ie
enn cegpng We de coment Seige ig
ree
Government sons atte school. vhich det
peel ate erage
ee inure ec auelcaees ce
Shotctain imate
leper sends bye metnal end ane ha
earl es Lopeann
heme Gave cteno nim lane
Toten aly bole ounend ciel mabey
techn ers? Ah ens wee sel Te
Hing Some teenth
coun ov rast « Sb
‘mses Conse
ITT
Mi2 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