Movement in the Classroom By Amanda Moskop Arkansas State University Amanda.Moskop@smail.astate.edu Workshop presentation April 7, 2016

Role of Movement in a Classroom Children need 60 minutes of activity a day Movement/exercise releases endorphins Movement is a type of way for students to express themselves

Concerns/Fixes Concerns: Fixes: Limited space Assign spaces Design room to allow for movement Set up stations around the class to incorporate movement while learning

Why Movement? Increased brain health Develops positive social skills Develops motor skills Sparks Creativity

Brain Health Movement is proven to get more oxygen to the brain Meaning clearer thought processes Movement gets the whole brain working Meaning deeper thought Movement can strongly influence cognition

Positive Social Skills Movement includes interaction This leads to working together building trust, confidence, and responsibility Movement in the classroom leads to teaching social skills Teaching children how to act appropriately with one another and cooperate efficiently

Motor skills Movement requires using motor skills Are essential to children’s development Movement requires working on all fundamental movement skills Locomotor, Non-locomotor, and Manipulative Confidence comes from being a skilled mover

Creativity Movement can give some freedom in the class Children can have their own thoughts Movement is not competitive or success oriented Gives room for fun while learning Makes children want to be involved

Active vs. Inactive Learning Inactive = explicit learning Active “fun” = Implicit learning It is said that the implicit method is easier for children to learn Movement incorporated into curriculum

Brain Breaks Another way to use movement in the classroom to give the brain a rest examples Popcorn song Lollipop song (can make your own “lollipops”)

Move and Freeze Example click to view another example

References Academotion by Blair Dean 2009 Kendall Hunt Publishing Company