Kindergarten teacher Jesse Sartain gets her students up and active evey hour for "brain breaks." She has developed these "brain breaks" to keep her students engaged with their group instruction.
A few months ago, Christina Vanzadt, Action For Healthy Kids Alabama State Coordinator, wrote about the phenomena that was "brain breaks" in the Northport Elementary School in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
The students are really excited for the breaks they get during the school day: “I love when my teacher lets me hop on one foot!” “I can touch my ankles and count all the way to 20!”
With a $1,000 grant from Action for Healthy Kids for the 2013-2014 school year, with support from CSX Transportation, Sartain was able to expand her idea not only to her own classroom, but to her own school. Her goal was a to launch a school-wide health and fitness initiative. She started to train teachers at the beginning of the school year how to implement the "brain breaks" into their own cirriculum.
In kindergarten classrooms, for example, students might hop on one foot and count to 20, do 100 toe touches, or count to 25 while doing jumping jacks. The exercises increase in complexity by grade level.
Other teachers have reported that the new program has already met great success: “The brain breaks have helped my children be more attentive during whole group instruction,” says kindergarten teacher Carla Jones. “Now, their minds are clear, wiggles are out, and they are ready to learn.”
Sartain further comments that “The Action for Healthy Kids grant has helped to promote an overall positive attitude about health and wellness among both teachers and students. I have seen teachers engaging students in physical activities throughout the day, as well as students talking with teachers about healthy choices. The impact on our school can be seen daily.”
To read more: go to http://www.actionforhealthykids.org/success-stories/967