Struggling with self-regulation, self-control, and behavior?

Ask any veteran teacher, they will likely tell you they are seeing more challenges with self-regulation, self-control, and behavior than ever before.

What are some schools doing?  Check out these out:

John Adams Elementary School in Alexandria, Virginia started a physical activity program many years ago for children who struggled with these challenges by helping the children learn when things were going sideways while simultaneously giving them developmentally appropriate tools to address the behaviors.  First, those children who struggled were given, for lack of a better word, a behavior prescription.  When their teachers saw them begin to decline, the child was sent to join the PE class in progress.  If it wasn’t developmentally appropriate, the child would shoot baskets, juggle, or use a rip stick (similar to a skateboard, only more challenging) for 20 minutes then the PE teacher would send the child back to the classroom.

What happened?

First, they found that removing the disruptive child also removed distractions, so the other children could proceed with their work.  The second thing they found was that the child who went to PE came back so calm he could easily catch up with his peers on the work he missed.

Third, they found that over time, the children with the prescriptions began to recognize the sideways feelings before the teacher would see them outwardly, so the children began to request the PE break.

In other words, the children were given a tool that worked and they didn’t fall behind in classwork.  Win-win.

Orchard Grove Elementary School in Frederick MD was experiencing a lot of challenging behaviors during recess so the PE teacher started a run club which was conducted during recess.  There were super incentives to get kids involved resulting in 99% of the student body and most of the teachers including the principal, participating.

The results?  First, Orchard Grove as a whole saw a marked improvement in their physical fitness and health as measured by standardized tests.  Second, they saw a 10% point improvement in reading and math pass rates on their standardized tests and last, the principal went from seeing 7 students a day after recess to just 3 a week.  Wow.

Eagle Mountain Elementary School in Fort Worth, Texas tripled their recess every day from 20 minutes to an hour.  The teachers were concerned this would keep them from meeting goals but in the first month of school they saw less tattling and more eye contact so they thought, what the heck?  We will certainly take this.  But by winter break, every single class was ahead of their academic schedule despite the fact that they spent 40 fewer minutes every day in the classroom.

Moving and play improve self-regulation, self-control, and behavior.

Moving and play help kids focus and attend.

Moving and play incorporated into the school day do not sideline academics, but improve academic success.

Moving and play during school help make happier students and happier classrooms. Period.