The Power of Brain Breaks: Energizing Minds Through Movement

In the bustling world of education, we often emphasize continuous learning and academic rigor. However, there's a secret ingredient to maximizing student engagement and enhancing learning: Brain Breaks. 

These short, energizing pauses are crucial, especially for young students who can benefit immensely from a change of pace during their day. Let’s dive into why Brain Breaks are essential and how incorporating simple activities like walking and running can transform the classroom experience. 

The Science Behind Brain Breaks

Brain Breaks are not just a fun diversion; they're a necessity backed by science. Research indicates that regular breaks during learning improve attention and performance. A study by the University of Illinois found that brief diversions from a task can significantly improve one's ability to focus on that task for prolonged periods (University of Illinois, 2011).¹ Moreover, the American Academy of Pediatrics highlights the positive impact of physical activity on cognitive skills and attitudes necessary for academic achievement.² 

Why Movement Matters

Incorporating movement into Brain Breaks, such as through walking or running, is particularly beneficial. Physical activity increases blood flow to the brain, which boosts cognitive functions and promotes neurogenesis (the creation of new brain cells). It also helps in releasing endorphins, the body's natural mood lifters. This boost in mood and brain function is crucial for children, who often find it challenging to sit still and concentrate for extended periods. 

The Role of Mileage Club 

Integrating a program like the Mileage Club into Brain Breaks can be highly effective. This program encourages walking and running in a structured yet fun way, enabling students to track their progress. It's not just about physical movement; it's about setting goals, achieving them, and feeling a sense of accomplishment. While the focus is not solely on walking or running, these activities serve as a vehicle for students to experience the benefits of Brain Breaks. 

Practical Implementation 

Implementing Brain Breaks in the classroom is simpler than it sounds. A Brain Break can be as easy as a five-minute walk around the school or a short jog on the playground. Teachers can use this time to engage with students in a more informal setting, further strengthening their bond. 

Creative and Fun Ideas for Brain Breaks

1. Nature Walks

               Encourage students to observe their environment and discuss what they see. 

2. Relay Races

            A fun way to get the heart pumping and instill a sense of teamwork.

3. Dance Breaks

            Let students shake off the cobwebs with a quick dance session

4. Stretching Exercises

            Gentle stretches can help relieve physical tension and mental stress. 

Student Involvement 

Empowering students to take charge of Brain Breaks can be incredibly beneficial. Allowing them to choose the activity or lead the session gives them a sense of responsibility and ownership, enhancing their engagement and enjoyment. 

Conclusion 

Brain Breaks are an essential tool in the educational toolkit. By combining scientific evidence with practical, enjoyable activities, we can create an environment where students are more engaged, attentive, and ready to learn. Incorporating walking and running through programs like Mileage Club offers a structured way to implement these breaks, but the focus should always remain on the overarching goal: re-energizing the mind and body to enhance learning and well-being. Let's give our students the gift of movement and watch them thrive! 

References 

1. University of Illinois. (2011). Brief diversions vastly improve focus, researchers find. 
2. American Academy of Pediatrics. The Importance of Play in Promoting Healthy Child Development and Maintaining Strong Parent-Child Bonds. 

Three Reasons We Do Things The Hard Way

 

“When we’re accustomed to doing things the hard way it’s like being blinded by the glare coming off the water”--Greg McKeown in “Effortless: Make It Easier to Do What Matters Most”

 Does the glare blind you? Do you keep up the same routine tasks because you can’t quite see the big picture?  

 As instructors responsible for teaching our youth, we want to do things the right way. Most of us have not thought about it, but in the book quoted above, the author claims that we are confusing “the hard way” with “the right way.”  

 Why do we do that?

 These three misconceptions, or illusions our brains like to believe, give us a glimpse at the underlying causes.

1. There is a subconscious belief that doing things the right way means hard work and long work hours. Given that basic assumption, we never consider the idea that we can get the same outcome (which is the goal, right?) with much less effort.
2. Another way the brain tricks us is the idea that “we can’t afford to” do something that would make life easier. This belief ignores the vital idea that our time is valuable. The hours we spend grinding it out week after week have a cost. Could you choose to use your budget in a way that allows you to spend where you don’t think you can? Or would it be worth going to a few local businesses and asking for help, in exchange for a sponsorship, maybe? Or even worth spending less on that daily latte? We tend to see everything as either/or, and usually, many options allow us to reach our goal.
3. Finally, changing the way we do something requires us to learn new technology (assuming this is the opportunity to make things easier). You can’t teach an old dog new tricks. There are tons of solutions involving tech that can streamline your activities. Still, any tech we are unfamiliar with feels intimidating. However, all good apps and programs have lots of information on the web (Google?), in their knowledgebase of articles, and often have customer service that will walk you through getting past the unknowns. Good companies want to help you succeed, take advantage of the framework they make available.

If we aren’t thoughtful and purposeful, our brain will keep telling us to do things “the hard way.”

 

 What tasks or processes take up too much of your time that you could streamline?

A Reading Teachers' Motivational Tool

An Interview with Tina Slater, a Special Education Teacher

Name: Tina Slater

Position Title: Special Education Teacher

Grades: Fourth and Fifth Grades

School Name: Onsted Elementary School

Years Teaching: 27 years

Current Subjects: Reading, Math and Writing

How do you use tokens from Fitness Finders in your reading classroom?

In my reading resource classroom, students are awarded tokens after reading a leveled chapter book. Students are reading their chapter book 10-15 minutes each day so it can take 8-12 days to complete a book. During reading, the student and I talk about the text and I listen to them read. When the book is complete, we meet to talk about the book and their reading success. During this time I present a token to commemorate their accomplishment. 

 

How do you choose which tokens to use?

When selecting the token to award, I try to match the token with the book the student has just completed. I have a variety of animals, and objects to choose from. When students completed a book about Knights, I awarded them a key and a compass — which were two important objects from the Knights Quest. They were thrilled! Sometimes it can be more difficult to make a match - in those cases I may use the question mark token and make a connection with the predictions students made during reading or their use expression when reading aloud. 

 

How do you distribute tokens?

Tokens are presented by me to students in a private ceremony. I actually make a big deal when presenting the token and make a mini speech calling out the achievements the students made while reading the book and making connections between their reading success and the token. I am conferencing (video) with the student, but I am aware that others (family members) are listening. I try to call out as many positive reading behaviors as possible.

 

How do students display their tokens?

Students wear their tokens on lanyards during reading class (the laces from Fitness Finders). Each student selected their lanyard and the links (Lacelink) from the variety of colors and patterns Fitness Finders offers. When students aren’t wearing their necklaces they are displayed on hooks near our bookshelves. 

 

 

 Do you have a favorite token? 

I love all of the ANIMALS! Our school mascot is the wildcat — so all of the cats and paws are a hit with my students. 

 

 How has this changed your classroom environment or impacted student motivation? 

Rewarding tokens has brought a bit more fun and provided a visual that represents student success.  I love it when I hear a student say, “I can’t believe I have read this much,” as they are putting on their necklace before class.

 

Can you share any stories or quotes from students while using tokens in your class?   

5th grader Emma said, “When we get rewarded with tokens, it just makes us want to read more and work harder. It makes everything more fun!”

 

Do you have any plans specifically for reading month?

During Reading Month, students will be earning double tokens and we will be celebrating Wildcats Read with drawings for extra tokens. I’ll also be taking pictures of students reading while wearing their token necklaces to send home with their progress reports in mid-March.

 

Motivation and Habit Formation

I met a young middle school teacher a few months ago who wants to be successful. She has visions of her students coming back to visit her after they graduate high school and thanking her for the impact she made on their lives. Unfortunately, her day to day teaching experience makes her feel ineffective and frustrated. More and more of her students are disinterested, and sometimes even disobedient. To be a great instructor you need students who listen and desire to learn.

The solution to this problem is not new but requires planning, purpose, and some discipline. Successful students cultivate some or all of the habits that almost all successful people have: THEY EXERCISE, READ, SHOW UP (ATTENDANCE), AND EAT HEALTHY FOODS. The more habits students cultivate from this list, the more successful they will be.

A proven way to help create such “successful habits” is to create goals and then reward students when they attain the desired behavior. Teachers across the country find this works very well, and research bears this out.

That’s why we created the #1 selling award for run clubs, Toe Tokens® – colorful, plastic feet that kids love to collect.  Kids run miles and love it J, so they can get a Toe Token. 

Due to the success of Mileage Club®, and because of requests from teachers, we quickly followed up with awards for reading, attendance, and nutrition – which is also helping kids reach their goals.

 

Here is how it works:

1. Develop a plan to create routine activities around the desired goals for your classroom.
2. Layout the prescribed activities based on your goals and circumstances.
3. Following the idea of cue-habit-rewards made popular recently by Charles Duhigg (2012) and  now James Clear (2018), you then create:
1. A cue that tells the student when it is time to begin the habit/activity.
2. Clear instructions on what the activity consists of, without uncertainty.
3. An incentive plan to reward students at fixed intervals.
4. Design a system to measure progress.
5. Celebrate the goals met by distributing the awards earned.

Let’s look at how this works with Mileage Club (run club):

 

1.  Goal - my students will exercise more to increase their learning readiness and improve their health and mood.

 

• Create a program that allows every student to participate. 
• Allow each student to feel accomplished.

 

2.  Prescribed Activity – Start a running/walking club (Mileage Club).

• Create a course/track for the Mileage Club. (Our example will be a ¼ mile course around the playground.)
• Students run two times a week during recess (with an optional third day on Friday).
• Provide 20 minutes for each run.

3.  Cue - the recess bell.

• On Tuesday and Thursday, the students move around the track at whatever pace they can.
• Music can be played during this time to create a fun atmosphere.
• Incentive plan- every 5 miles (20 laps), a student earns a Toe Token.

 4.  Measuring – laps and total mileage will be tracked with the EZ Scan tracking software. 

5.  Celebration – awards day every Friday.

• On Friday, at lunch, all students who earned awards receive their Toe Tokens.
• A lanyard is also provided with the first Toe Token so a student can display their awards.
• Students who desire to run more may do so on Friday.

This goal/reward method has worked for decades across the country for run clubs, as well as reading plans, and behavior programs. Such programs are easy to create and implement. And, they help students create those necessary “successful habits.”

Stop being frustrated with your current efforts and start making a massive difference in your students' lives - just like you dreamed about in college - with Mileage Club, EZ Scan, and Toe Tokens! Fitness Finders has decades of experience to help you begin today.

References:

The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg from 2012

Atomic Habits by James Clear from 2018