I distinctly remember my first solo conference. While the focus was on physical literacy, I was inspired by the number of experts and attendees whose passion highlighted the impact of movement and activity in the academic classroom space. I was a “newbie” to the world of academia and secretly intimidated to be in a room of researchers and experienced conference-goers. I had a decade of teaching under my belt and was in the process of earning a doctoral degree, and I was determined to soak up as much as I could.
I don’t recall the conversation, but I spoke those words: Brain Brain. The vehement response from my collocutor was one of the most impactful moments of my career…
Movement and physical activity is not a break for the brain…it’s a BOOST to the brain.
By using the term brain break, we are giving students the impressive that movement is less important or unrelated to other classroom activity. The evidence is clear: movement benefits learning, activity complements academic instruction, active students are better learners.
On this site, I’ve used the term “Motion Moment” because it aligns with “Classrooms in Motion”. (See potential daily schedule.) But you are encouraged to create your own appropriate and engaging moniker! Can you tie in your school mascot or district name? Perhaps your school is the Mustangs and you can implement Mustang Movement. If you’re the first to generate ideas, have your students brainstorm and propose terms! This will increase their ownership and support engagement.
Say yes to classroom physical activity – by promoting the critical importance of movement opportunities with an effective term to support academic achievement and holistic health of students.
Hello, This is the first blog that I have read but am intrigued. I am a college student studying to become an elementary teacher and would love some more helpful tips on how to incorporate movement into my normal classroom routine. I feel like in college we are told that movement is important but we don’t necessarily practice what is preached. What are some tips for actually bringing movement into the classroom and making it easy for the teachers who were not necessarily brought up that way? Thank You so much! I can’t wait to continue reading!
Hi Gracie! Congrats on your journey to becoming an elementary teacher! I still remember when I was getting my own undergrad degree in elementary education and sat through a lecture on why lecture wasn’t the most effective pedagogy. 😉 I would encourage you to view other sections of this site, like the Implementation, Activities, and Materials pages. I always encourage teachers to start small with integration of movement that doesn’t require a curriculum overhaul. Studies support that taking 5 minutes of a 60 minutes lesson to engage in movement makes the other 55 minutes more effective than the full 60 minutes of sedentary instruction. So a motion moment/brain booster/active action – or whatever you want to call it – can be offered as a ‘gateway’ to more movement integration. One key: ensure your classroom management has prepared students to engage in movement. Classroom management is important for the overall success of your learning environment – but it is critical to ensure students know the expectations before engaging in activity. Good luck to you!