Learning to Move, and Moving to Learn

Earlier this month, Alaska State Senator Mia Costello sponsored a bill in Juneau to require a minimum of 54 minutes of physical activity in the school day for students in kindergarten through 8th grade. As defined in Senate Bill 200, the time required “may include physical education classes and opportunities for unstructured physical activity, such as recess.” This is good news!

School districts all around the country have begun to recognize that more movement leads to more learning. Researchers including Dr. John Ratey, M.D. (author of the powerful book “SPARK: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain”) and Dr. John Medina (author of the similarly compelling book “Brain Rules”) have demonstrated the connection between certain types of exercise and improved brain function. As a result, innovative schools are adding “brain-boosts” to instruction, in which students pair movements to their learning, thus improving neurological connections to the material. Many classroom teachers also incorporate “brain-breaks,” in which students enjoy short exercise sessions in the classroom to get their wiggles out, increase oxygen delivery to the brain, and resume their studies in a more focused manner.

Increasing movement throughout the day is a great strategy to help kids learn. Research shows it’s also a great idea for us adults, regardless of age. Get up. Get moving.

Now, let’s talk about PE: Did you know that Alaska does not require any physical education in elementary or middle school? Even in our high schools, only 1 credit of health/P.E. is required to graduate. This needs to change.

Yes, reading, writing, and arithmetic are important. Yes, science, technology, and engineering are important. However, a quality physical education is every bit as important to both the present and future success of our students.

Physical education and physical activity go hand-in-hand. They are often confused to mean the same thing, but there are significant differences. In short, physical education contains physical activity, but physical activity does not contain physical education.

Physical education class is where students learn how to perform the fundamental movement patterns and motor skills to participate effectively in a variety of sports and activities. Students learn to hop, skip, roll, kick, throw, catch, strike, etc. They learn the components of skill-related fitness: speed, agility, balance, coordination, power and reaction time. They learn about physical fitness, healthful behaviors, proper nutrition, and how to create individualized fitness plans based on their own assessments. Students experience competition and cooperation. They practice sportsmanship, learning how to win with humility and lose with grace. They learn how to take turns, care for equipment, think strategically, solve problems, and settle disagreements. A good physical education teacher designs lessons and activities to create an environment for students to develop these skills, and guides students to success.

Then, these same students go outside each day for recess and put these skills into practice, using their own creativity and imaginations, unfettered. I like to think of recess as the skills lab for PE class. Furthermore, the Mat-Su Borough School District should be commended for its district-wide policy against withholding recess as punishment. Our district rightfully recognizes that the students most often impacted by this policy are usually the students who need recess the most!

Yes, the research is clear: more movement = more learning! Alaska’s students deserve quality physical education instruction and plenty of opportunities for physical activity every day in our elementary and middle schools. If you agree, contact your Legislators and let them know you support SB 200.

Nancy Blake teaches Physical Education at Goose Bay Elementary School.