It is important for the academic achievement of students that they have opportunities for activity throughout the school day. According to De La Cruz, research has shown that students who have physical education class each day perform at higher academic levels throughout the day and on standardized tests. We often fall into the trap of expecting a classroom to look like a teacher at the front while all of the students sit and listen attentively to him. I would say that this is especially true in some private schools where administrators are concerned about what parents may think of classroom management skills if they walk by a room and the students are active. However, I agree that we should not ask students of any age to sit through a school day without activity. As an adult, I can hardly sit for an hour without having to move, so I can understand that children need even greater movement. De La Cruz discusses several programs that are being successfully implemented in schools including BrainErgizers and GoNoodle. These as well as other resources found at http://www.letsmoveschools.org/ may be worth investigating for use in the classroom. While these programs may prove to increase academic success at some point, they have also resulted in providing students in the schools mentioned with an extra hour of physical activity per week.
Read the full article at: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/21/well/family/why-kids-shouldnt-sit-still-in-class.html?_r=0
References:
Cruz, D. D. (2017, March 21). Why kids shouldn’t sit still in class. Retrieved March 24, 2017, from https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/21/well/family/why-kids-shouldnt-sit-still-in-class.html?_r=0
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It is unrealistic to expect children to sit all day in a classroom and learn without some release of energy due to physical activity. I sometimes have to make my middle school students go run around in the gym or outside to "burn off" some energy. It helps them later to focus in the classroom. Neat article!
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