Throughout my ten years of teaching one of the most important lessons I have learned is that some kids just gotta keep moving!
My students come to school energetic and eager to learn, but it's difficult to maintain that educational momentum and keep their attention throughout the day; especially for those students with attention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity disorders.
I am constantly incorporating brain breaks, interactive learning, and movement into my classroom routine to help keep my students' focus and attention engaged, but sometimes they still need more.
Active sitting is the idea that it’s not healthy for a child to be seated for long periods of time. Too much sitting still has been shown to lead to poor posture, back pain, and negative effects on a student’s ability to focus.
Active seating helps to corrects these issues by allowing small movements and adjustments for the students while they sit. These movements keep the body more engaged, and counteract the negative effects of prolonged sitting.
So – WHY active seating in the classroom? Here is some research:
• Engaging the Mind - When students sit on wobble stools or stability balls, both sides of their brains are engaged in keeping their bodies centered. And when the brain is stimulated, it's more focused on learning. Not only is the brain better suited to processing new information, young minds are also better able to concentrate, allowing them to reach their full potential as learners. In a 2007 study by the Mayo Clinic, researchers found that the ability to move around more while sitting made the student more attentive.
About my class
Throughout my ten years of teaching one of the most important lessons I have learned is that some kids just gotta keep moving!
My students come to school energetic and eager to learn, but it's difficult to maintain that educational momentum and keep their attention throughout the day; especially for those students with attention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity disorders.
I am constantly incorporating brain breaks, interactive learning, and movement into my classroom routine to help keep my students' focus and attention engaged, but sometimes they still need more.
Active sitting is the idea that it’s not healthy for a child to be seated for long periods of time. Too much sitting still has been shown to lead to poor posture, back pain, and negative effects on a student’s ability to focus.
Active seating helps to corrects these issues by allowing small movements and adjustments for the students while they sit. These movements keep the body more engaged, and counteract the negative effects of prolonged sitting.
So – WHY active seating in the classroom? Here is some research:
• Engaging the Mind - When students sit on wobble stools or stability balls, both sides of their brains are engaged in keeping their bodies centered. And when the brain is stimulated, it's more focused on learning. Not only is the brain better suited to processing new information, young minds are also better able to concentrate, allowing them to reach their full potential as learners. In a 2007 study by the Mayo Clinic, researchers found that the ability to move around more while sitting made the student more attentive.
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