Move To Learn

By. Meredith Biesinger 

Recently, our local elementary school had a special guest come to visit; Coach Larry Calhoun. Young students in Mississippi love Coach Calhoun because each weekday morning at 9 a.m., he goes live with a “Brain Break” for students to participate in their classrooms. 

He begins with an educational hook, frequently using a fun prop to get the children’s attention. Next, he starts with some positive “I am” affirmations: “I am strong. I am smart. I am loved. I am one of a kind.”

After a few affirmations, Coach Calhoun begins a brain break, where he coaches students through a five-minute dance to boost energy. At the end of the video, Coach Calhoun settles the students back down, so they are calmer and ready to focus when they go back to their activity or work. 

When students get to move at school, schools get better. Not only does student health improve, but academic performance improves, too. Ultimately, educators want their students to have healthy bodies and healthy minds–these are proven to be linked together. By participating in the Move to Learn program, students get much-needed activity and focus better. In several studies done by the University of Southern Mississippi, increased fitness is associated with better behavior and less absenteeism.

Maybe your area offers a similar program, but if it doesn’t, here are a few fun and straightforward ways you can give your students a “brain break,” too!

1. Turn on some music and give your students a few simple moves to do right by their desks, such as arm circles, jogging in place, squats, or different stretches for five minutes.

2. Dance it out! Again, turn on some music and dance for five minutes. Make a game out of it, such as “freeze dance, “when the music stops. 

3. Utilize technology and YouTube. You can access Move to Learn videos on YouTube and other movement videos designed for K-6 students. If you feel your students need a “brain break,” turn one of these on for a few minutes, and it will refresh everyone!

If our bodies are healthier, our brains function better. Implement some movement sessions into your daily classroom routine, and see what happens!