Teaching with the Brain in Mind, 2nd Edition

by Eric Jensen

School Applications
An astonishingly high 68 percent of high school students in the United States do not participate in a daily physical
education program (Grunbaum et al., 2002). Why should we be concerned? Because in the same way that exercise
shapes up the muscles, heart, lungs, and bones, it also strengthens the basal ganglia, cerebellum, and corpus callosum
—all key areas of the brain. We know exercise fuels the brain with oxygen, but it also feeds it neurotropins (high-
nutrient chemical “packages”) to increase the number of connections between neurons. Most astonishingly, exercise
is known to increase the baseline of new neuron growth. Rats grow more brain cells when they exercise than when
they don't exercise (Van Praag et al., 1999). In addition, studies link this increased neurogenesis to increased
cognition, better memory, and reduced likelihood of depression (Kempermann, 2002).
Imagine that: Exercise may grow a better brain! It suggests both a huge opportunity and the liability suffered by
students who don't get enough exercise. We may not be overstating the case to say that it's educational malpractice
when only about a third of K–12 students take part in a daily physical education class.
Support for Recess, Play, and Physical Education
Researcher Terrence Dwyer is one of many who have conducted multiple studies suggesting that exercise supports
success in school. His research found that exercise improves classroom behavior and academic performance (Dwyer,
Sallis, Blizzard, Lazarus, & Dean, 2001) and that even when an experimental group got four times more exercise per
week than a control group of their peers (375 minutes versus 90 minutes), their “loss” in studying time did not
translate into lower academic scores (Dwyer, Blizzard, & Dean, 1996). His research further revealed that social skills
improved in the groups who exercised more. Other research (Donevan & Andrew, 1986) has found that students who
are engaged in daily physical education programs consistently show not just superior motor fitness, but better
academic performance and a better attitude toward school than their students who do not participate in daily P.E.
Human play has been studied quite rigorously. Some studies suggest that students will boost academic learning from
games and other so-called “play” activities (Silverman, 1993). There are several theories about why all mammals
(including humans) play. But there is no controversy around the notion that we do play, and that it is generally good
for us. Many early cognitive researchers ignored play, assuming it had nothing to do with intellectual growth. They
were dead wrong. Many play-oriented movements have the capacity to improve cognition, including the following:
• Exercise play (aerobics, running, chasing, dance routines).
• Rough-and-tumble play (soccer, football, wrestling).
• Solitary play (doing puzzles, object manipulation).
• Outdoor learning activities (digging, observing insects).
• Stand and stretch activities (tai chi, Simon Says).
• Group or team competitive games and activities (relays, cheerleading).
• Constructive play (building with blocks, model building).
• Exploratory play (hide and seek, scavenger hunts, make-believe).
• Functional play (purposeful play, such as practicing a new skill).
• Group noncompetitive games (earth ball).
• Individual competitive games (marbles, track and field, hopscotch).
• Adventure or confidence play (ropes courses, trust walks).
• Group noncompetitive activities (dance, drama).
• Walking excursions (outdoors, indoors).
Play, recess, and physical education are essential for many brain-based (biological) reasons. Here are just some of the
benefits of exercise:
• It allows learners to make mistakes without “lethal” consequences (with far less embarrassment and more
fun than in a traditional classroom situation).
• It enhances learning (Fordyce & Wehner, 1993).
• It improves the ability to handle stress by “training” the body to recover faster from the quick surges of
adrenaline associated with demanding physical activity . . . and classroom environments.
• It triggers the release of BDNF, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (Kesslak, Patrick, So, Cotman, & Gomez-
Pinilla, 1998). This natural substance enhances cognition by boosting the neurons' ability to communicate
with one another.
• It can enhance social skills, emotional intelligence, and conflict resolution ability.
• Exercise may increase catecholamines (brain chemicals such as norepinephrine and dopamine), which
typically serve to energize and elevate mood (Chaouloff, 1989).

The case for children doing something physical every day is growing. Jenny Seham of the National Dance Institute
(NDI) in New York City says she has observed for years the measurable academic and social results of schoolchildren
who study dance. She notes the positive changes in self-discipline, grades, and sense of purpose in life that her
students demonstrate. She's now in the process of quantifying the results of more than 1,500 kids who dance weekly
at NDI.
Although many educators know about the connection between learning and movement, nearly as many dismiss the
connection once children get beyond 1st or 2nd grade. Yet the relationship between movement and learning is so
strong that it pervades all of life—and emotions are intertwined into the mix as well. Educators generally consign
movement, emotion, and thinking to separate “compartments.” Students may feel awkward if they want to express
emotions or move around when teachers want them to be still and think. Teachers need to realize that what the
students are experiencing is simply a healthy integration of mind and body (see Figure 4.2).