Physical Movement

What student-centered approaches or techniques include physical movement as a central element?

 * Brain-Compatible dance education is a philosophy about (and an approach) to teaching dance, which also integrates current research on how the brain learns the teachings of the dance techniques and concepts. Students learn best: through multi-sensory (hear, see, way and do); when the material is authentic and meaningful; when the children are emotionally connected and engaged; through social interaction and collaboration; when material is challenging but achievable; when feedback is positive, specific and immediate; through repetition and novelty; when the material is student-centered; when the material is presented sequentially and holistically instead of randomly; when taught through a variety of methods. One of the ways the teachers achieve brain-compatability is through a multi-approach, teaching much more than dance.  They focus on the whole dancer because they think that strengthening the brain as well as the social/emotional skills, is just as important as creating strong and flexible bodies. The classes are built on Howard Gardner's theory of Multiple Intelligences, providing a learning environment where all seven intelligences are strengthened. A wide variety of students take this program:  some are in gifted programs, some are in programs for special needs and others are home schooled. However, all the parents have brought their children to this particular Brain-Compatible dance program in Seattle because of the special focus the teachers have on learning through movement.
 * See Running Dictation under Reading.
 * Standing desks: The traditional model of students sitting still in desks for several hours a day is not student-centered because it ignores the very real need for movement to stay alert and focused. Allow students, especially those with ADD/ADHD, a certain amount of freedom of movement with the use of standing desks, where they can wiggle and jiggle while they work. According to Mark Benden, Associate Professor at Texas FidgetKidsDesk (1).jpg&M University, "You can't operate the brain without the body operating at its peak, and our bodies are definitely not operating at their peak when they've been lethargic for a while. Your blood sugar is affected, and you get in a stupor (Flannery, 2014)." When cost is an issue, be creative. You might have a handy parent with a home workshop who would love to build one for your classroom. At Seaside High School in Oregon, wood shop students built one for a Special Ed classrooms using scrap lumber.
 * Movement is essential for kinesthetic learners. One favorite, quick, filler activity that involves movement is charades, to review vocabulary. Students can do charades in groups, pairs, or with the whole class. You will find that some students are performers and others need encouragement and help. For shy students, allow partner charades to keep the activity student centered. If the vocabulary word is something like “playing baseball”, a student can say, “Oh, this is better with two people.” Then he/she can ask for an assistant. Pair charades could also work for a class full of shy students. Have them act together!
 * Depending upon the age group, students could be allowed to act out scenes from their reading so that students have an opportunity to not only engage in physical movement and break up the monotony of sitting at desks all day, but also to allow them to engage the reading by literally acting it  out.


 * Incorporating physical movement in student-centered learning can also change based upon the lessons. As an example, if a lesson is being taught on the circulatory system and heart rate, students can be asked to measure their pulse rate before and after engaging in jumping jacks and then graphing out the different measurements.
 * Before tests or quizzes, set up revision stations around your classroom (or school gym). At each one there is an activity which help students, working in small teams to revise a particular topic. They might have to perform a quick skit, prepare a giant crossword on the white board or write song lyrics to a hit song. There can be movement at each station as well as the movement from one to an another - say every 10 minutes on the bang of a gong or the blow of a whistle.
 * Word sorts are ways of getting students to consider ideas. They usually involve the use of small cards on a desk top and students have to agree groupings for the words, or hierarchies, or some other order to them. it means that they have to discuss them and their context to whatever the topic you are studying. The exercise usually finishes with a discussion of why the groups have placed the cards in a certain way. This is even more fun done with large cards in a large space (such as the school gym) where students move themselves and the cards around.
 * An approach to student-centered learning with physical activity as a central focus that is my all-time favorite is something called Math Olympics . This is where I take a class outside and break them into groups no larger than 4 students. I set up desks in the parking lot to serve as stations and each station has a theme i.e. fractions, square roots, pythagorean theorem etc.. and there is a corresponding worksheet at each station. Groups are given 4 minutes (35 minute class periods, so base the time on how long your classes are) to solve as many problems as they can. When the 4 minutes is up I blow a whistle, they have to put their pencil inside their notebook and run to the next station. My approach to this is based off what I observed when I went to Coronado, California and was able to watch Navy Seal Training. The Seal instructor said that when you are tired, thinking and your mind are the first things to go. So if the students are able to do basic (for the grade level they are on) problems when they are tired, they will be able to recall those answers and steps quicker.

Sources:

Brandt, Ron (1998). Powerful Learning. Alexandria, VA: ASCD; Gilbert, Anne Green (1992). Creative Dance for All Ages. Reston, VA: NDA/AAHPERD

Flannery, Mary Ellen. Standing Desks are Helping Students Think on Their Feet. November 5, 2014. neaToday. Retrieved from http://neatoday.org/2014/11/05/standing-desks-are-helping-students-think-on-their-feet/#

Strauss, Valerie. (January 2015). Letting kids move in class isn't a break from Learning. It IS learning. Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2015/01/19/letting-kids-move-in-class-isnt-a-break-from-learning-it-is-learning/