1 00:00:00,930 --> 00:00:03,570 Heidi: This is episode 191 of Teacher Approved. 2 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:08,940 You're listening to Teacher Approved, the podcast helping 3 00:00:08,940 --> 00:00:12,720 educators elevate what matters and simplify the rest. I'm 4 00:00:12,720 --> 00:00:13,260 Heidi. 5 00:00:13,470 --> 00:00:16,620 Emily: And I'm Emily. We're the creators behind Second Story 6 00:00:16,620 --> 00:00:19,590 Window, where we give research based and teacher approved 7 00:00:19,590 --> 00:00:22,200 strategies that make teaching less stressful and more 8 00:00:22,200 --> 00:00:25,620 effective. You can check out the show notes and resources from 9 00:00:25,650 --> 00:00:27,480 each episode at secondstorywindow.net. 10 00:00:28,460 --> 00:00:31,220 Heidi: We're so glad you're tuning in today. Let's get to 11 00:00:31,220 --> 00:00:31,760 the show. 12 00:00:36,430 --> 00:00:39,820 Emily: Hey there. Thanks for joining us today. In today's 13 00:00:39,820 --> 00:00:43,270 episode, we're sharing five simple ways to add movement to 14 00:00:43,270 --> 00:00:46,480 your lessons without losing instructional time, and a 15 00:00:46,480 --> 00:00:49,330 teacher approved tip for managing wiggly students right 16 00:00:49,330 --> 00:00:50,170 before lunch. 17 00:00:51,010 --> 00:00:53,890 Heidi: Let's start with a try it tomorrow, where we share a quick 18 00:00:53,890 --> 00:00:56,500 win that you can try in your classroom right away. Emily, 19 00:00:56,500 --> 00:00:57,820 what is our prompt for this week? 20 00:00:58,060 --> 00:01:02,110 Emily: This week, try adding sparkle fingers to your 21 00:01:02,110 --> 00:01:03,610 transition routine. 22 00:01:03,790 --> 00:01:04,990 Heidi: I love this so much. 23 00:01:05,050 --> 00:01:08,170 Emily: I know okay. So when you need students to stop what 24 00:01:08,170 --> 00:01:10,660 they're doing and listen for directions, have them raise 25 00:01:10,660 --> 00:01:13,390 their hands and wiggle their fingers silently while they wait 26 00:01:13,390 --> 00:01:14,770 for everyone to get ready. 27 00:01:14,980 --> 00:01:18,730 Heidi: This is so fun. It's so cute. It gives those fidgety 28 00:01:18,730 --> 00:01:21,130 bodies something to do with their hands without making 29 00:01:21,130 --> 00:01:25,300 noise. And bonus, you can easily see who's ready. And when all of 30 00:01:25,300 --> 00:01:27,910 those little fingers are wiggling in the air, it actually 31 00:01:27,910 --> 00:01:30,310 creates a pretty magical moment in your classroom. 32 00:01:30,460 --> 00:01:33,250 Emily: I can picture it right now. It's so cute. If you like 33 00:01:33,250 --> 00:01:36,070 this idea, or anything else we share here on the podcast, would 34 00:01:36,070 --> 00:01:38,740 you take a second and give us a five star rating on Apple 35 00:01:38,740 --> 00:01:42,400 podcasts? Ratings and reviews are one way that new listeners 36 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:45,640 find us, so every rating and review really is a huge help to 37 00:01:45,640 --> 00:01:46,060 us. 38 00:01:46,750 --> 00:01:49,630 Heidi: All right, Emily, why do we need to talk about movement 39 00:01:49,630 --> 00:01:50,470 in the classroom? 40 00:01:50,590 --> 00:01:54,130 Emily: Well, think about how you feel after sitting through a 41 00:01:54,130 --> 00:01:59,080 long staff meeting. I can hear the groans. Your back starts to 42 00:01:59,080 --> 00:02:02,170 ache, your mind wanders, and you're counting down the minutes 43 00:02:02,170 --> 00:02:05,170 until you can get up and move around and get the heck out of 44 00:02:05,170 --> 00:02:05,920 there, right? 45 00:02:06,250 --> 00:02:09,580 Heidi: Exactly. And now I imagine being seven years old 46 00:02:09,580 --> 00:02:13,300 and trying to sit still for hours at a time. The reality is 47 00:02:13,300 --> 00:02:16,690 that kids are designed to move, their growing bodies actually 48 00:02:16,690 --> 00:02:20,140 need movement, not just for physical development, but for 49 00:02:20,140 --> 00:02:21,400 cognitive development too. 50 00:02:21,740 --> 00:02:25,340 Emily: Yeah, because movement increases blood flow to the 51 00:02:25,340 --> 00:02:28,280 brain, which means more oxygen and nutrients are getting 52 00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:31,640 delivered to those adorable little brain cells, and that 53 00:02:31,640 --> 00:02:35,300 translates to better focus, improved learning and, dare I 54 00:02:35,300 --> 00:02:38,540 say it, fewer behavior issues. 55 00:02:38,900 --> 00:02:41,920 Heidi: But I know, I know the resistance that teachers have to 56 00:02:41,920 --> 00:02:45,880 this. I know you're thinking, I have standards to cover and not 57 00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:49,240 enough time as it is. How am I supposed to add movement without 58 00:02:49,240 --> 00:02:50,500 falling even more behind? 59 00:02:50,690 --> 00:02:53,450 Emily: So that's the beauty of what we're sharing today. These 60 00:02:53,450 --> 00:02:56,420 are not separate activities that take time away from your 61 00:02:56,420 --> 00:02:59,660 curriculum. We're going to share some ways to integrate movement 62 00:02:59,780 --> 00:03:02,360 into your existing lessons. 63 00:03:02,870 --> 00:03:05,000 Heidi: So this isn't about choosing between movement or 64 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:08,750 instruction. You're enhancing your instruction with movement. 65 00:03:09,110 --> 00:03:11,780 And you know, for those of you teaching upper elementary, don't 66 00:03:11,780 --> 00:03:12,440 click away. 67 00:03:12,770 --> 00:03:16,310 Emily: No, these strategies work for big kids too. They might 68 00:03:16,310 --> 00:03:19,310 roll their eyes at first, but trust me, they need the movement 69 00:03:19,340 --> 00:03:22,400 just as much as the little ones, though you might have to work 70 00:03:22,400 --> 00:03:25,400 really hard to get them on board with the sparkle fingers idea, 71 00:03:25,430 --> 00:03:26,450 just saying. 72 00:03:26,720 --> 00:03:28,100 Heidi: But it would be worth it. 73 00:03:28,130 --> 00:03:30,710 Emily: Yes, if you could do it, I'd love to see a picture. 74 00:03:31,820 --> 00:03:34,220 Heidi: All right, let's jump into our five ways to add 75 00:03:34,220 --> 00:03:37,370 movement to your lessons. Strategy number one is act it 76 00:03:37,400 --> 00:03:39,410 out. Can you tell us about this one, Emily? 77 00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:43,100 Emily: Yeah, when your students can become the learning they're 78 00:03:43,100 --> 00:03:46,430 going to remember it so much better. This works especially 79 00:03:46,430 --> 00:03:49,700 well in subjects like reading, science, and social studies. 80 00:03:50,030 --> 00:03:53,240 It's about getting their whole bodies involved in understanding 81 00:03:53,240 --> 00:03:53,960 a concept. 82 00:03:54,350 --> 00:03:56,570 Heidi: I used to do this with vocabulary words all the time. 83 00:03:56,600 --> 00:03:59,510 If we were learning a word like collapse, I'd have the kids 84 00:03:59,510 --> 00:04:01,610 stand up and, you know, literally collapse to the floor 85 00:04:01,610 --> 00:04:04,490 like a pile of blocks, and then we'd use it in a sentence as we 86 00:04:04,490 --> 00:04:05,210 stood back up. 87 00:04:05,510 --> 00:04:09,410 Emily: I love that, because you know they never forgot that word 88 00:04:09,410 --> 00:04:13,130 after doing it like that. Our brains are wired to remember 89 00:04:13,130 --> 00:04:16,460 things that involve movement and emotion, so this strategy really 90 00:04:16,460 --> 00:04:19,040 locks in the learning, which is our goal, right? 91 00:04:19,380 --> 00:04:22,460 Heidi: And this strategy works for sequencing too. If you're 92 00:04:22,460 --> 00:04:24,860 teaching the water cycle, for example, you can have your kids 93 00:04:24,860 --> 00:04:27,860 move around the room pretending to be water droplets. They 94 00:04:27,920 --> 00:04:30,980 evaporate by rising on their toes, condensed by huddling 95 00:04:30,980 --> 00:04:34,040 together and fall down as precipitation. 96 00:04:34,150 --> 00:04:37,930 Emily: Oh, so cute. And you'll hear some giggles, for sure, but 97 00:04:37,930 --> 00:04:41,440 you'll also see the learning in action. I have found this 98 00:04:41,470 --> 00:04:45,310 approach particularly powerful for visual and kinesthetic 99 00:04:45,310 --> 00:04:48,370 learners who might struggle with just hearing or reading 100 00:04:48,370 --> 00:04:49,150 information. 101 00:04:49,660 --> 00:04:52,000 Heidi: And the great thing about acting it out is that it creates 102 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:55,570 these strong mental images that students can recall later. When 103 00:04:55,570 --> 00:04:58,030 test time comes and they are trying to remember the water 104 00:04:58,030 --> 00:05:01,450 cycle, they'll easily remember physically moving through it. 105 00:05:01,990 --> 00:05:04,750 Emily: Exactly, so you can create movement anchors for 106 00:05:04,750 --> 00:05:08,680 almost any subject. Just think about the key vocabulary or 107 00:05:08,680 --> 00:05:11,830 concepts you want students to remember and brainstorm some 108 00:05:11,830 --> 00:05:13,480 simple movements to go with them. 109 00:05:14,380 --> 00:05:18,250 Heidi: Alright, let's move on to strategy number two. Stand If 110 00:05:18,280 --> 00:05:19,210 statements. 111 00:05:19,450 --> 00:05:22,420 Emily: I love this. It's such a simple way to get kids moving 112 00:05:22,510 --> 00:05:26,770 and get some sneaky checks for understanding at the same time. 113 00:05:27,070 --> 00:05:30,340 So you make a statement and students stand if it applies to 114 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:33,600 Heidi: So for example, in a science lesson about habitat, 115 00:05:30,340 --> 00:05:30,760 them. 116 00:05:33,600 --> 00:05:37,110 you might say, stand if a fish would live in the desert. Then 117 00:05:37,110 --> 00:05:39,810 students have to process that information and decide to stand, 118 00:05:39,810 --> 00:05:41,010 or, you know, stay seated. 119 00:05:41,370 --> 00:05:45,390 Emily: Or in math, you could say stand if seven times eight is 120 00:05:45,390 --> 00:05:49,410 greater than 50. Or in reading, you could try, stand if you 121 00:05:49,410 --> 00:05:52,800 think the main character made a good decision in chapter three. 122 00:05:53,490 --> 00:05:55,890 Heidi: What I love about this strategy is that it gives you, 123 00:05:55,890 --> 00:05:58,770 as the teacher, immediate visual feedback about student 124 00:05:58,770 --> 00:06:02,070 understanding. You know, if half of your class is standing when 125 00:06:02,070 --> 00:06:05,220 they shouldn't be, you know you need to revisit a concept. 126 00:06:06,330 --> 00:06:09,450 Emily: And it gives every student a chance to respond, not 127 00:06:09,450 --> 00:06:13,800 just the one who raised their hand, plus that simple act of 128 00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:16,890 standing and sitting is enough movement to help reset focus. 129 00:06:17,190 --> 00:06:19,830 Heidi: Just keep in mind that these movement based checks are 130 00:06:19,860 --> 00:06:23,610 maybe not always reliable for deep assessment. Your students 131 00:06:23,610 --> 00:06:26,010 that are unsure will often look around and copy what their 132 00:06:26,010 --> 00:06:29,610 classmates are doing. So these type of strategies are best used 133 00:06:29,610 --> 00:06:33,210 for engagement and quick informal checks rather than 134 00:06:33,210 --> 00:06:34,380 truly measuring mastery. 135 00:06:35,240 --> 00:06:38,000 Emily: Yeah, that's a really good point. I always treated 136 00:06:38,000 --> 00:06:41,140 these as temperature checks. They give you a general sense of 137 00:06:41,140 --> 00:06:45,940 the room, but not precise data on each student. If I saw a lot 138 00:06:45,940 --> 00:06:48,760 of confusion, I'd follow up with more individual assessment 139 00:06:48,760 --> 00:06:49,420 later. 140 00:06:50,080 --> 00:06:52,660 Heidi: And building on this idea, we can also use movement 141 00:06:52,660 --> 00:06:55,960 to show understanding in other ways. This works great for true 142 00:06:55,960 --> 00:06:58,960 false questions, multiple choice, or even just, you know, 143 00:06:58,960 --> 00:07:00,520 general comprehension checks. 144 00:07:00,810 --> 00:07:03,120 Emily: For example, you might say, if the sentence is a 145 00:07:03,120 --> 00:07:05,700 statement, touch your head. If it's a question, touch your 146 00:07:05,700 --> 00:07:11,790 toes. Or show me a right angle with your arms, or even hop once 147 00:07:11,790 --> 00:07:13,410 for each syllable in this word. 148 00:07:14,010 --> 00:07:17,700 Heidi: I like to think of these as human whiteboards. Instead of 149 00:07:17,700 --> 00:07:19,860 writing their answers, the student showed it with their 150 00:07:19,860 --> 00:07:23,070 body. It kept everyone engaged. And it, you know, gave me a fast 151 00:07:23,070 --> 00:07:24,450 way to kind of see who was getting it. 152 00:07:24,990 --> 00:07:27,720 Emily: For a little extra fun, you can mix in some personal 153 00:07:27,720 --> 00:07:30,420 stand if statements too. This would be really fun at morning 154 00:07:30,420 --> 00:07:34,230 meeting. You could do stand if you have a pet, stand if you 155 00:07:34,230 --> 00:07:37,740 like pizza. It builds classroom community while giving kids more 156 00:07:37,740 --> 00:07:38,640 chances to move. 157 00:07:39,570 --> 00:07:41,850 Heidi: Now let's talk about movement strategy number three, 158 00:07:42,090 --> 00:07:44,430 learning stations or rotations. 159 00:07:44,970 --> 00:07:48,240 Emily: Oh, yeah, moving between stations is such a natural way 160 00:07:48,240 --> 00:07:50,910 to incorporate movement. Instead of doing all your math 161 00:07:50,910 --> 00:07:53,550 activities at their desks, set up three to four different 162 00:07:53,550 --> 00:07:56,640 stations around the room and have students rotate around 163 00:07:56,640 --> 00:07:58,020 every 10 to 15 minutes. 164 00:07:58,470 --> 00:08:01,140 Heidi: Even just that short walk between stations gives kids a 165 00:08:01,140 --> 00:08:04,140 chance to move their bodies, and it naturally breaks up the 166 00:08:04,140 --> 00:08:06,090 learning into more manageable chunks. 167 00:08:06,540 --> 00:08:08,400 Emily: And remember, your stations don't have to be 168 00:08:08,400 --> 00:08:11,580 elaborate. One station might be a worksheet at their desks. 169 00:08:11,760 --> 00:08:14,220 Another might be a math game at the back table, and a third 170 00:08:14,220 --> 00:08:16,590 could be a problem solving activity on the carpet. 171 00:08:17,070 --> 00:08:19,170 Heidi: Or you could even designate different parts of the 172 00:08:19,170 --> 00:08:22,320 room for different types of thinking. Maybe the front carpet 173 00:08:22,320 --> 00:08:25,500 is for collaborative discussion and desks are for independent 174 00:08:25,500 --> 00:08:28,230 work, and save the back table for your teacher led 175 00:08:28,230 --> 00:08:28,860 instruction. 176 00:08:29,430 --> 00:08:31,590 Emily: The beauty of this approach is that you're not 177 00:08:31,590 --> 00:08:34,500 adding any new activities to your day. You're just changing 178 00:08:34,500 --> 00:08:37,500 where students do the activities you've already planned. 179 00:08:38,040 --> 00:08:40,530 Heidi: And if you are worried about transitions, which can be 180 00:08:40,530 --> 00:08:43,500 tricky with this type of setting, we have got lots of 181 00:08:43,500 --> 00:08:48,510 tips for that. Go back and check out episodes 48, 49 and 50, 182 00:08:48,720 --> 00:08:50,610 where we deep dive into making transition smoother. 183 00:08:50,610 --> 00:08:51,780 Emily: Yes, and there's great ideas in there for incorporating 184 00:08:51,780 --> 00:08:52,980 movement into the way you do your transition. So those that's 185 00:08:52,980 --> 00:08:59,940 a great series to check out if you haven't listened to it yet. 186 00:09:00,720 --> 00:09:04,050 Okay. Now strategy number four is one of my favorites. So tell 187 00:09:04,050 --> 00:09:07,140 us about this. Heidi, it's academic movement games. 188 00:09:07,680 --> 00:09:10,410 Heidi: I love using games to teach. So this is where you take 189 00:09:10,440 --> 00:09:14,220 a familiar game or activity and adapt it to reinforce academic 190 00:09:14,220 --> 00:09:17,280 content. These are so great to use near the end of the day, you 191 00:09:17,280 --> 00:09:19,500 know, when the kids energy is maybe starting to fade a little 192 00:09:19,500 --> 00:09:19,890 bit. 193 00:09:20,280 --> 00:09:24,090 Emily: Yeah. So one example is sight word freeze dance. So you 194 00:09:24,090 --> 00:09:26,940 can play music and have students dance, and when the music stops, 195 00:09:26,940 --> 00:09:30,600 you hold up a sight word card, and then students have to read 196 00:09:30,600 --> 00:09:32,550 it correctly before the dancing continues. 197 00:09:33,110 --> 00:09:35,780 Heidi: Another fun one is vocabulary charades, where 198 00:09:35,780 --> 00:09:39,770 students act out vocabulary words while others guess. This 199 00:09:39,770 --> 00:09:42,080 was always a hit with my second graders when learning about 200 00:09:42,080 --> 00:09:43,220 science terminology. 201 00:09:43,640 --> 00:09:46,640 Emily: Or even something as simple as equation scavenger 202 00:09:46,640 --> 00:09:50,060 hunt. You can hide index cards with math problems around the 203 00:09:50,060 --> 00:09:52,880 room, and students find a card, solve the problem and bring it 204 00:09:52,880 --> 00:09:54,860 to you to check before finding another one. 205 00:09:55,280 --> 00:09:58,070 Heidi: Having kids hunt for their own work to do will get 206 00:09:58,070 --> 00:10:00,380 them to do way more work than just having a worksheet will. 207 00:10:00,650 --> 00:10:01,760 Emily: Ah, true story. 208 00:10:02,690 --> 00:10:05,090 Heidi: Another way to pair learning and movement is to just 209 00:10:05,090 --> 00:10:07,670 use the walls in your classroom. If your students are stuck in 210 00:10:07,670 --> 00:10:10,760 their seats, try turning your classroom into an interactive 211 00:10:10,760 --> 00:10:14,600 space. Post questions, vocabulary cards, math facts or 212 00:10:14,600 --> 00:10:17,390 even sentence strips around the room, if you still have sentence 213 00:10:17,390 --> 00:10:19,640 strips, and you have your students walk around and 214 00:10:19,640 --> 00:10:20,150 respond. 215 00:10:20,630 --> 00:10:23,270 Emily: And we love to do this with an end of your cumulative 216 00:10:23,270 --> 00:10:26,930 review that we just call an around the room review activity, 217 00:10:27,140 --> 00:10:29,540 and we just stick up the questions around the room, and 218 00:10:29,540 --> 00:10:31,760 they walk around with clipboards and answer the questions. And 219 00:10:31,760 --> 00:10:34,730 suddenly the exact same questions that they would groan 220 00:10:34,730 --> 00:10:37,460 throughout their desks become an exciting adventure, because they 221 00:10:37,460 --> 00:10:39,410 got to stand up and use clipboards. 222 00:10:39,990 --> 00:10:43,380 Heidi: A similar idea is to do four corners questions. You 223 00:10:43,380 --> 00:10:45,900 label each corner of the room with a multiple choice answer, 224 00:10:45,900 --> 00:10:48,930 A, B, C and D, and then you have students walk to their answer. 225 00:10:49,470 --> 00:10:51,990 It's a quick way to gauge understanding and get some 226 00:10:51,990 --> 00:10:55,200 movement in. And it's even more fun if your question has more 227 00:10:55,200 --> 00:10:57,660 than one possible correct answer. So then you can have 228 00:10:57,660 --> 00:11:01,410 some discussion about why they chose corner A, and why those 229 00:11:01,410 --> 00:11:04,320 kids chose corner C and their different reasoning behind it. 230 00:11:04,680 --> 00:11:07,140 Emily: Yeah, that way you don't also have a stampede of all the 231 00:11:07,140 --> 00:11:09,000 kids just running to one corner. 232 00:11:09,390 --> 00:11:10,620 Heidi: Yes, also that. 233 00:11:10,920 --> 00:11:13,080 Emily: What's great about these games is that they don't feel 234 00:11:13,080 --> 00:11:15,300 like work to students. The movement makes the learning more 235 00:11:15,300 --> 00:11:16,740 engaging and memorable. 236 00:11:17,010 --> 00:11:19,350 Heidi: And they are perfect for those times when energy is low, 237 00:11:19,380 --> 00:11:21,660 you know, like after lunch or toward the end of the day. 238 00:11:22,140 --> 00:11:25,590 Instead of fighting the wiggles, you are channeling them into 239 00:11:25,590 --> 00:11:26,100 learning. 240 00:11:27,030 --> 00:11:29,610 Emily: Our fifth and final strategy is probably the 241 00:11:29,610 --> 00:11:32,610 simplest. Use intentional brain breaks. 242 00:11:33,060 --> 00:11:36,030 Heidi: Brain breaks are short movement activities, usually one 243 00:11:36,030 --> 00:11:38,580 to three minutes, that give students a chance to move, 244 00:11:38,580 --> 00:11:41,790 stretch and reset their focus. In my class, we needed these 245 00:11:41,790 --> 00:11:45,300 after any focused work, probably longer than about 20 minutes. 246 00:11:45,690 --> 00:11:48,720 Emily: Yep. And the key to making these brain breaks 247 00:11:48,720 --> 00:11:52,290 intentional is that, instead of waiting until the kids are 248 00:11:52,290 --> 00:11:55,920 climbing the walls, you plan for these brain breaks at natural 249 00:11:55,920 --> 00:11:57,300 transition points in your day. 250 00:11:57,780 --> 00:11:59,850 Heidi: Maybe that's between subjects, or after a time of 251 00:11:59,850 --> 00:12:03,090 focused work, or, you know, when you notice engagement starting 252 00:12:03,090 --> 00:12:06,330 to dip a little bit. This way you are being proactive instead 253 00:12:06,330 --> 00:12:07,170 of reactive. 254 00:12:07,710 --> 00:12:10,620 Emily: And as you know, there are tons of brain break ideas 255 00:12:10,620 --> 00:12:13,770 out there. You could do stretches or a quick game of 256 00:12:13,770 --> 00:12:16,740 simon says or follow along with a go noodle video. 257 00:12:17,380 --> 00:12:19,870 Heidi: And we actually have our own set of printable brain 258 00:12:19,870 --> 00:12:22,690 breaks if you want something that doesn't require technology, 259 00:12:22,900 --> 00:12:25,540 which sometimes can be a real hassle if you're in a tight 260 00:12:25,540 --> 00:12:28,960 bind. Our brain breaks are Print and Go cards with three 261 00:12:28,960 --> 00:12:32,080 different types of activity styles to match whatever your 262 00:12:32,080 --> 00:12:33,370 class needs in the moment. 263 00:12:33,700 --> 00:12:36,910 Emily: Yep, we've got recharge activities for when kids need to 264 00:12:36,910 --> 00:12:40,330 get the wiggles out, refocus activities that help students 265 00:12:40,330 --> 00:12:43,750 calm down and prepare to concentrate again, and refresh 266 00:12:43,750 --> 00:12:47,140 activities that engage their minds in fun ways. You can find 267 00:12:47,140 --> 00:12:49,990 the brain breaks in our shop, and we'll put a link to them in 268 00:12:49,990 --> 00:12:50,650 the show notes. 269 00:12:51,280 --> 00:12:53,860 Heidi: What I love about brain breaks is that they actually 270 00:12:53,860 --> 00:12:57,310 save you time in the long run. Yes, you know, you're spending a 271 00:12:57,310 --> 00:13:00,400 minute on movement, but you're gaining several minutes of 272 00:13:00,400 --> 00:13:02,140 improved focus afterward. 273 00:13:02,530 --> 00:13:05,500 Emily: It's like paying interest on an investment. That one 274 00:13:05,500 --> 00:13:09,040 minute brings returns in the form of better behavior and more 275 00:13:09,040 --> 00:13:12,160 efficient learning, and it prevents that cycle where kids 276 00:13:12,160 --> 00:13:15,490 get wiggly, behavior deteriorates, you have to stop 277 00:13:15,490 --> 00:13:18,670 and redirect, and suddenly you've lost five minutes anyway. 278 00:13:19,030 --> 00:13:21,670 Heidi: It is definitely better to give them one minute of 279 00:13:21,670 --> 00:13:25,480 structured movement than to lose five minutes on the chaos. When 280 00:13:25,480 --> 00:13:28,690 I was a brand new baby teacher, I was really reluctant to waste 281 00:13:28,690 --> 00:13:31,270 time on something that felt as frivolous as movement. 282 00:13:31,480 --> 00:13:33,880 Emily: Oh, me too. I just thought movement was something 283 00:13:33,880 --> 00:13:38,140 extra, something I could only do if we had time. But now I can 284 00:13:38,140 --> 00:13:41,200 see that it's an essential part of effective teaching. 285 00:13:41,920 --> 00:13:44,020 Heidi: Movement isn't a distraction from learning. It's 286 00:13:44,020 --> 00:13:47,050 a catalyst for learning. When we work with children's natural 287 00:13:47,050 --> 00:13:50,950 need for movement instead of against it, everyone wins. 288 00:13:51,790 --> 00:13:55,060 Emily: Okay, so let's quickly recap our strategies for adding 289 00:13:55,060 --> 00:13:58,900 movement to your lessons. First, act it out. Let students 290 00:13:58,900 --> 00:14:03,820 physically become the learning. Second, stand if statements. Get 291 00:14:03,820 --> 00:14:08,080 kids up and down while checking understanding. Third, learning 292 00:14:08,080 --> 00:14:11,740 stations or rotations. Change where students do their work. 293 00:14:12,310 --> 00:14:16,420 Fourth, academic movement games. Turn review into an active game. 294 00:14:16,750 --> 00:14:20,050 And finally, fifth, intentional brain breaks. Plan short 295 00:14:20,050 --> 00:14:22,510 movement activities between learning segments. 296 00:14:22,960 --> 00:14:25,150 Heidi: And remember, you don't have to implement all of these 297 00:14:25,150 --> 00:14:28,780 at once. Please don't feel like that. Even adding one movement 298 00:14:28,780 --> 00:14:31,690 strategy to your day can make a big difference for your wiggly 299 00:14:31,690 --> 00:14:32,500 little learners. 300 00:14:33,110 --> 00:14:35,750 Emily: We'd love to hear which of these strategies you try in 301 00:14:35,750 --> 00:14:38,360 your classroom. Come join the conversation in our teacher 302 00:14:38,360 --> 00:14:39,500 approved Facebook group. 303 00:14:40,520 --> 00:14:44,300 Now let's talk about this week's teacher approved tip. Each week, 304 00:14:44,300 --> 00:14:47,210 we leave you with a small actionable tip that you can 305 00:14:47,210 --> 00:14:50,180 apply in your classroom today. This week's teacher approved tip 306 00:14:50,240 --> 00:14:54,020 is manage those pre lunch wiggles. Tell us about this one, 307 00:14:54,020 --> 00:14:54,410 Heidi. 308 00:14:54,830 --> 00:14:57,200 Heidi: Well we all know that right before lunch can be one of 309 00:14:57,200 --> 00:15:00,440 the wiggliest times of the day. Kids are hungry. They've been 310 00:15:00,440 --> 00:15:03,200 working hard all morning, and their focus is waning. 311 00:15:03,620 --> 00:15:06,440 Emily: Oh, yes, I used to dread that 15 minutes right before 312 00:15:06,440 --> 00:15:09,080 lunch, because it was like herding cats no matter what. 313 00:15:09,680 --> 00:15:11,630 Heidi: So instead of fighting those wiggles, one thing you can 314 00:15:11,630 --> 00:15:14,960 try is a standing station for the last 10 minutes or so before 315 00:15:14,960 --> 00:15:18,620 lunch. Designate a few areas in your room where students can 316 00:15:18,620 --> 00:15:20,180 stand to complete their work. 317 00:15:20,750 --> 00:15:24,020 Emily: Okay, I love that idea. What does a standing station 318 00:15:24,020 --> 00:15:24,710 look like? 319 00:15:24,980 --> 00:15:26,780 Heidi: Well, it's really just anywhere kids can stand. It 320 00:15:26,780 --> 00:15:30,710 might be a counter or a shelf at standing height, or really even 321 00:15:30,710 --> 00:15:33,290 just a clipboard that they can use while standing at the wall. 322 00:15:33,830 --> 00:15:36,680 And then when you notice the wiggles are starting to ramp up 323 00:15:36,680 --> 00:15:39,890 before lunch, offer the option to move to a standing station to 324 00:15:39,890 --> 00:15:40,550 finish their work. 325 00:15:41,030 --> 00:15:42,950 Emily: Oh, this is brilliant, because it gives kids the 326 00:15:42,950 --> 00:15:45,710 movement they need without disrupting the flow of your 327 00:15:45,710 --> 00:15:48,320 lesson. And for some kids, standing actually helps them 328 00:15:48,320 --> 00:15:49,850 focus better than sitting. 329 00:15:50,270 --> 00:15:53,390 Heidi: Oh, exactly. And the beauty is that you don't need 330 00:15:53,390 --> 00:15:56,990 anything special or any extra planning. It's just offering an 331 00:15:56,990 --> 00:16:00,410 alternative workspace, assuming that you give them the 332 00:16:00,410 --> 00:16:02,930 consequence that if they can't handle making that choice, 333 00:16:02,930 --> 00:16:06,380 you'll have to choose where they stand or have to go back to 334 00:16:06,380 --> 00:16:07,130 their desks. 335 00:16:07,250 --> 00:16:09,500 Emily: Oh, for sure. This is an option that you would want to 336 00:16:09,500 --> 00:16:14,240 introduce with some expectations and practicing how they should 337 00:16:14,240 --> 00:16:17,420 behave there and letting them know what the consequences are 338 00:16:17,420 --> 00:16:19,880 if they don't follow those expectations. Or this could tune 339 00:16:19,880 --> 00:16:20,810 into a nightmare. 340 00:16:21,410 --> 00:16:23,630 Heidi: Yeah, being clear about expectations is going to make or 341 00:16:23,630 --> 00:16:27,230 break this. Be clear that standing work is still work 342 00:16:27,230 --> 00:16:30,530 time. It's not a social break or a time to wander around the room 343 00:16:30,530 --> 00:16:32,360 and try out all of the different spots. 344 00:16:32,570 --> 00:16:35,180 Emily: Yeah. And you probably want to start small with this 345 00:16:35,180 --> 00:16:38,360 idea, with maybe just three to four standing spots at first, 346 00:16:38,720 --> 00:16:41,360 and then you could use a rotation system if lots of kids 347 00:16:41,360 --> 00:16:45,380 want to try it. And then if you find that it's popular and it's 348 00:16:45,380 --> 00:16:47,420 helping your students, and you've established good 349 00:16:47,420 --> 00:16:50,210 expectations for it, it could become a more regular option in 350 00:16:50,210 --> 00:16:53,540 your classroom. But for sure, some kids are probably never 351 00:16:53,540 --> 00:16:55,310 going to want to stand there, and some will probably want to 352 00:16:55,310 --> 00:16:57,530 stand there a lot, because it helps them focus better. It just 353 00:16:57,530 --> 00:16:58,310 depends on the kids. 354 00:16:58,880 --> 00:17:01,520 Heidi: And really this is such a simple adjustment, but it can 355 00:17:01,520 --> 00:17:04,130 make a big difference in managing that challenging time 356 00:17:04,130 --> 00:17:05,000 before lunch. 357 00:17:05,960 --> 00:17:08,210 To wrap up the show, we are sharing what we're giving extra 358 00:17:08,210 --> 00:17:10,730 credit to this week. Emily, what gets your extra credit? 359 00:17:11,360 --> 00:17:15,350 Emily: I'm giving extra credit to the TV show The Pit on Max. 360 00:17:15,590 --> 00:17:18,200 When this first came out, I didn't pay any attention to it 361 00:17:18,200 --> 00:17:22,040 because I don't generally watch hospital things. I mean, okay, I 362 00:17:22,040 --> 00:17:26,120 was very into Grey's Anatomy in the original, in the original 363 00:17:26,120 --> 00:17:29,480 first few seasons, when it was so good. And I did watch the 364 00:17:29,480 --> 00:17:33,860 original seasons of ER as well, which also had Noah Wiley in it, 365 00:17:33,860 --> 00:17:38,150 who is in The Pit, yes. But somebody was raving enough about 366 00:17:38,150 --> 00:17:41,870 it that I'm like, I'll just give it a try. And guys, it is so 367 00:17:41,900 --> 00:17:46,280 good. It is set in this Pittsburgh ER, and each episode 368 00:17:46,280 --> 00:17:49,940 is one hour of one day, so the whole season is just like one 369 00:17:49,940 --> 00:17:54,200 shift on one day. And it is so well done. Now, I will say, 370 00:17:54,200 --> 00:17:58,250 because it's on max instead of like on NBC, there is a lot more 371 00:17:58,280 --> 00:18:03,110 gore. So just being prepared for that. I am a pro from my years 372 00:18:03,110 --> 00:18:06,020 of watching Grey's Anatomy, of just knowing when to look away. 373 00:18:06,740 --> 00:18:08,960 Unknown: When the squishy sounds start, you need to mute the 374 00:18:08,960 --> 00:18:09,710 squishy sounds. 375 00:18:10,880 --> 00:18:13,880 Emily: So I do tend to watch this when I'm doing something 376 00:18:13,880 --> 00:18:17,060 else that I can just look away when I don't want to watch 377 00:18:17,060 --> 00:18:20,780 what's going on, but like the stories and the format is so 378 00:18:20,780 --> 00:18:24,590 interesting in the way that these stories build from episode 379 00:18:24,590 --> 00:18:27,080 to episode. Since it's all in the same day, you're seeing 380 00:18:27,080 --> 00:18:30,350 patients over several hours, and I have just found it to be super 381 00:18:30,350 --> 00:18:32,960 captivating. I've totally binged it. There's like, one more 382 00:18:32,960 --> 00:18:34,970 episode coming out this week, and then I'm gonna be sad, but 383 00:18:34,970 --> 00:18:38,060 there is already a season two confirmed. So if you start this, 384 00:18:38,060 --> 00:18:40,880 you can know it's not gonna disappear. You can, it's worth 385 00:18:40,880 --> 00:18:41,870 committing to. 386 00:18:42,330 --> 00:18:43,650 Heidi: That's good. There's nothing worse than getting 387 00:18:43,650 --> 00:18:47,190 attached to a show only to have it cut and axed from your life. 388 00:18:47,370 --> 00:18:50,190 Emily: I know. So if you watch this, let me know what you 389 00:18:50,190 --> 00:18:54,000 think. Not you, Heidi. I mean you too, if you want to. Not 390 00:18:54,000 --> 00:18:56,160 that I don't want your opinion, but I know you won't watch it. 391 00:18:56,550 --> 00:18:59,520 Maybe somebody you will. But if somebody else watches it, come 392 00:18:59,520 --> 00:19:02,490 and talk to me about it. What are you giving extra credit to, 393 00:19:02,490 --> 00:19:02,820 Heidi? 394 00:19:03,080 --> 00:19:05,630 Heidi: Well, how's this for a segue? I'm giving extra credit 395 00:19:05,630 --> 00:19:11,030 to magnesium threonate because it did, it has saved my life. So 396 00:19:11,030 --> 00:19:14,390 like back in the fall, my doctor suggested I switch to that 397 00:19:14,420 --> 00:19:17,660 rather than whatever I was taking via citrate, whatever 398 00:19:17,660 --> 00:19:20,840 form of magnesium I was taking, because threonate crosses the 399 00:19:20,870 --> 00:19:23,570 blood brain barrier. That's a thing, right? 400 00:19:23,660 --> 00:19:25,460 Emily: So smart. You're so smart. 401 00:19:26,180 --> 00:19:28,670 Heidi: I could work on that show, that medical show. 402 00:19:28,880 --> 00:19:29,900 Emily: You totally could. 403 00:19:30,950 --> 00:19:34,370 Heidi: And so I switched over, and I thought, like, I mean, 404 00:19:34,400 --> 00:19:37,730 yeah, I guess it seems fine. I'm not really noticing any, like, I 405 00:19:37,730 --> 00:19:40,670 didn't get any superpowers. I'm sure it's great, but it is a 406 00:19:40,670 --> 00:19:43,430 little bit expensive. I mean, it's not crazy, it's, you know, 407 00:19:43,460 --> 00:19:45,980 30 bucks for a month. It's not crazy, but when you can get 408 00:19:45,980 --> 00:19:47,990 magnesium, a lot cheaper, it just seemed like some place I 409 00:19:47,990 --> 00:19:50,930 could save money. So early in March, sorry, this is turning 410 00:19:50,930 --> 00:19:53,360 into a story. Early in March, I just went back to the other 411 00:19:53,360 --> 00:19:57,620 magnesium I was using, and then I didn't notice that my restless 412 00:19:57,620 --> 00:20:01,940 legs started to ramp up. And then suddenly I was like up for 413 00:20:01,940 --> 00:20:04,040 hours and hours every night, and I couldn't figure out what's 414 00:20:04,040 --> 00:20:07,340 going on until I remember that I had just switched over the 415 00:20:07,340 --> 00:20:11,720 magnesium. So I'm saying all that to say, if you also deal 416 00:20:11,720 --> 00:20:16,460 with restless legs, trying out magnesium threonate could be a 417 00:20:16,460 --> 00:20:19,370 game changer, because once I got back on that, it took a couple 418 00:20:19,370 --> 00:20:21,710 nights, but I have not had this problem since. 419 00:20:22,400 --> 00:20:25,520 Emily: Well, now you've done a perfect case study of one. This 420 00:20:25,520 --> 00:20:29,360 works great for restless legs. So if that applies to you out 421 00:20:29,360 --> 00:20:30,620 there, you should try it too. 422 00:20:30,740 --> 00:20:32,690 Heidi: And if you have been there, you know how desperate 423 00:20:32,690 --> 00:20:35,930 you are to try anything. I've tried it all because it's the 424 00:20:35,930 --> 00:20:39,440 worst feeling to just like be laying there and having your 425 00:20:39,440 --> 00:20:43,310 legs go on an adventure without you. You just want to sleep. 426 00:20:43,790 --> 00:20:45,530 Emily: And I've been taking this. I don't have restless 427 00:20:45,530 --> 00:20:47,840 legs, but I have been taking this, and I feel like I've been 428 00:20:47,840 --> 00:20:50,810 sleeping better too. But I don't have a perfect example like 429 00:20:50,810 --> 00:20:52,730 yours. It's one of those like, Well, I think I'll just keep 430 00:20:52,730 --> 00:20:55,880 taking it, because I think it's doing something. I guess if I 431 00:20:55,880 --> 00:20:58,490 wanted a case study of one for me, I could stop taking it, but 432 00:20:58,490 --> 00:20:59,480 I don't want to do that. 433 00:21:00,080 --> 00:21:02,060 Heidi: Because I didn't even think it was doing anything, 434 00:21:02,060 --> 00:21:05,630 because it took so, you know, it took a while, a couple weeks, 435 00:21:05,630 --> 00:21:08,840 probably, to kick in. And so I didn't make the connection. I 436 00:21:08,840 --> 00:21:12,080 just was like, Well, yeah, that problem suddenly fixed. I don't 437 00:21:12,080 --> 00:21:17,930 know what I did, but yay me. I learned. I love that stuff. Now 438 00:21:17,930 --> 00:21:21,230 I've got bottles and bottles of it in my bathroom cabinets. 439 00:21:21,350 --> 00:21:23,330 Emily: We will link to it in the show notes. 440 00:21:24,710 --> 00:21:27,140 Heidi: That is it for today's episode. Remember adding 441 00:21:27,140 --> 00:21:30,410 movement to your lessons doesn't have to be complicated. Try one 442 00:21:30,410 --> 00:21:33,140 of our five strategies and see how your students respond. 443 00:21:33,770 --> 00:21:35,870 Emily: And don't forget our teacher approved tip for 444 00:21:35,870 --> 00:21:39,050 managing those pre lunch wiggles with standing stations. 445 00:21:39,290 --> 00:21:41,960 Sometimes the simplest solutions make the biggest difference. 446 00:21:42,440 --> 00:21:45,080 Heidi: Thanks for listening to the Teacher Approved podcast. If 447 00:21:45,080 --> 00:21:47,600 you found this helpful, please share it with a teacher friend 448 00:21:47,600 --> 00:21:48,920 who might need these ideas too. 449 00:21:51,470 --> 00:21:55,190 We hope you enjoyed this episode of Teacher Approved. I'm Heidi. 450 00:21:55,280 --> 00:21:58,550 Emily: And I'm Emily. Thank you for listening. Be sure to follow 451 00:21:58,550 --> 00:22:01,070 or subscribe in your podcast app so that you never miss an 452 00:22:01,070 --> 00:22:01,490 episode. 453 00:22:01,980 --> 00:22:04,290 Heidi: You can connect with us and other teachers in the 454 00:22:04,290 --> 00:22:07,470 Teacher Approved Facebook group. We'll see you here next week. 455 00:22:07,680 --> 00:22:08,490 Bye, for now. 456 00:22:08,520 --> 00:22:09,300 Emily: Bye.