Movement in the Classroom: The Importance of Brain Breaks
Eyes closing, noise fading, head bobbing... we've all had those days when the desk we sat in nearly became our pillow. Whether it was the morning after a long night of studying or a boring lecture, you know what it's like forcing your eyelids to stay open when they feel 100 pounds.
Staying active has always been a huge part of my life. It keeps me sane, healthy, and refreshed. I started playing sports at just 5 years old, as a child I could not stay still. I tried ballet but was removed from the class for doing cartwheels and forward rolls across the floor. It was evident, I was not meant for anything elegant or slow. My father constantly said, "patience is a virtue," as I struggled sitting still and waiting for anything to come my way. In the classroom you could find me tapping my foot, rocking in my chair, or staring out the window (a teacher's nightmare)! I "transitioned" from my desk to the rug usually twirling, skipping, or leaping. The miniature breaks never felt long enough for the ants in my pants to escape.
I often think to myself how funny it is that kids can sit through movies, without hearing a word an adult says, but as soon as it comes to school, their attention can be held for a very short period of time. So, how can you hold the attention of students in a COVID classroom with desks spread out and students distanced from one another?
The answer is: brain breaks.
Brain breaks are exactly what they sound like. A short pause in instruction to allow time and space for students to move and relax. They are beneficial for students of all ages, and there are many different types to choose from. “When we take a brain break, it refreshes our thinking and helps us discover another solution to a problem or see a situation through a different lens. During these few minutes, the brain moves away from learning, memorizing, and problem solving.” (Desautels, 2015) As teachers, we need to be able to read the room and gather what our students need by studying their body language and behavior. Finding time to do these is crucial, if you are prone to forget, add it to your plans.View the short video linked below that explains the science behind brain breaks in the classroom.
https://www.edutopia.org/video/science-behind-brain-breaks
As a second grade teacher, brain breaks are a very important part of my day. With limited movement around the room due to COVID, it has become very important for me to incorporate time and space for my students to take breaks from instruction. "Research has shown time and again that children need opportunities to move in class. Memory and movement are linked, and the body is a tool of learning, not a roadblock to or a detour away from it." (Dotson-Renta, 2016) As teachers we also need time to recenter ourselves to ensure we are ready to teach and give our students 100%.
As we’ve learned in the course, technology is an incredible tool when used properly. There are hundreds of websites, applications, and resources that can be used for this purpose. From workout videos to child yoga poses in a chair, your options are not limited. My students have particular favorites but in order to keep the whole class engaged I tried to vary the style.
To learn more about the ins and outs of brain breaks, explore Amanda Morin's post: https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/for-educators/teaching-strategies/evidence-based-behavior-strategy-brain-breaks
In the textbook, Read The World by Kristen Ziemke and Katie Muhtaris they mentioned a concept called, “Creation not consumption.” Essentially this encourages technology to be used in students lives for creation purposes rather than entertainment and consumption. A brain break can be used to calm a classroom or energize one by getting the wiggles out. Either way it enhances students ability to focus on the next learning activity. It's not meant to be used for a consumption of time or for entertainment purposes, there is a creative piece of this that is beneficial. Ziemke and Muhtaris note that as educators it's our job to, "give students the tools and skills they need to thrive- academically, socially, and emotionally." With technology so heavily intertwined in our lives, it's important to show our students how to use it in different ways. With so many students learning from home, teachers have been forced to find ways to get them up and moving from a distance.
Keep their heads up and their blood flowing, they are not a waste of time. There are plenty of ways for students to learn and grow through brain breaks. Admire, accept, and access the digital sources that we are fortunate enough to have in our lives. Listed below are just a few of many sites and ideas that can be used to keep your kids moving and your day rolling.
- https://family.gonoodle.com
- https://www.kidsyogastories.com/chair-yoga-poses/
- https://standupkids.org/movement-break/
- https://www.calm.com
- https://www.youtube.com/user/JackHartmann
- https://www.weareteachers.com/brain-breaks-for-kids/
Best of luck to all of you wherever you are in your educational and or teaching career. Remember, even on the days that multiple cups of coffee can't keep you awake, you are still amazing. Give your students a fresh start everyday and don't forget to take care of yourselves.
Works Cited:
https://www.edutopia.org
https://www.understood.org
https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2016/05/why-young-kids-learn-through-movement/483408/
HI Grazia,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your insight on taking brain breaks! As a classroom teacher I know how important it is to take brain breaks. However, watching the video you posted was eye opening in explaining the science behind what happens in the brain when we take a break, and the benefits of shorter lessons actually makes the kids able to learn more! Next time I teach my minilessons I am going to use a timer to keep it short and sweet! I also agree with the quote you used from the book about using technology for "Creation not consumption." I can see that playing videos such as GoNoodle, yoga, or relaxation exercises are allowing for brain breaks to "create" an environment where kids can learn more effectively as a result of this productive way to implement technology!
Yes! Brain breaks and movement are both SO important! My favorite quote you included in your post is, "Research has shown time and again that children need opportunities to move in class. Memory and movement are linked, and the body is a tool of learning, not a roadblock to or a detour away from it." It can be tempting to shy away from lessons that involve movement, as they will most likely result in a slightly louder classroom and possibly a bit of chaos. However, it is SO important to remember that the research shows that adding movement will help students remember what they are learning. As teachers, we need to embrace this "chaos" and provide students with the opportunities that will be the most beneficial to them.
ReplyDelete-Colleen Konkol
Hi Amanda,
ReplyDeleteBrain Breaks are so important! At the last elementary school I worked at, Go Noodle was used often. I'm currently teaching completely online, but I cover a lunch for a second grade classroom that is in person. Yesterday they asked if I could put on some Kidz Bop songs to dance to when they had finished eating, and I was more than happy to. I even got up and danced with them! But when the classroom teacher came back and saw them all out of their seats, she was very upset and said only movies could be played during lunch. I was crushed. I was so disappointed for the kids. Does this teacher only let them out of their seats for recess? Do they ever get brain breaks?
This article also made me reevaluate how I use brain breaks. Because in my current job, I haven't. The students have time when they are not online with me, but they might be spending this time doing independent school work. I am now inspired to work full class brain breaks into my day. I can put aside five minutes at the end of a full class lesson for a guided dance video and get the kids out of their seats! I am excited to try this tomorrow.
Thank you for inspiring me to make a change in my classroom!
Best,
Kate
Amanda - I love all of the research and personal examples you provided! You are so right that movement in the day is hard to incorporate but is definitely important and neccessary. Especially with covid, any form of engagement is helpful in making learning memorable, so hearing that movement is interchangeable with memory, it makes sense that these 'breaks' can support keeping their brains in working mode without feeling the burnout or overload of straight continuous work. I will definitely be looking to explore more brain break resources, awesome job and thanks for sharing! feel free to send me any of the brain breaks you use in your classroom ;)
ReplyDeleteI love the quote you used, “During these few minutes, the brain moves away from learning, memorizing, and problem solving.” I think brain breaks are awesome and can be incorporated all throughout the day because even just a minute or two of rest or movement can be so beneficial for kids! Brain breaks gives students time to think about what they have been working on in class. I love the way that you added different resources in your blog because even though we all love go noodle, there are so many different sources out there that we can use for brain breaks. I also really like the beginning of your blog when you talk about being really antsy and you were always moving around in school. When I was in school, I felt the same way! I was always shaking my leg or tapping my pencil and I just wanted to move. I definitely would have benefited from brain breaks when I was in elementary school. I cannot wait to use some of these resources when I have a classroom of my own. Great job on your blog thank you so much for sharing.
ReplyDeleteHi Amanda- I loved reading your blog post! I think that Brain Breaks are so important, I use at least three a day! 1 is always a GoNoodle, a fan favorite (with a lot of content related videos, which is great!), and 1 is normally a creative Brain Break. I write down a topic on the board with a 7 minute timer and let the kids use their Play Doh or white boards & markers! Some have included, ¨Create your own animal¨, ¨Make up your dream amusement park¨ or ¨Design a school¨. I really enjoyed reading about the different ideas and resources you included for how to implement different types of Brain Breaks! I will definitely use them in the future!
ReplyDeleteSo great, Amanda. This is so true. I definitely think brain breaks are so important, regardless of age. We used GoNoodle a lot in student teaching and it was a perfect break in between lessons and really a great way to give students a break they need. I felt like every time that we left those breaks, they were ready to be focused again which is so great. Another Brain break we did was with doing a step by step drawing videos which were so fun for the class. I think the breaks are just an important lesson that about giving yourself time to breathe in between what you have scheduled. While it may be small, any movement I feel like makes me feel better and more energized, so definitely something I will continue to do in my own classroom.
ReplyDeleteBrain breaks are a game changer! I am always looking for new resources to use for brain breaks and love the links you provided. I liked how you included the science behind brain breaks which is so informative as to why they are so important. I saw the need for brain breaks when my five year old daughter was remote learning and melting in her chair in front of the computer. Her teacher used a lot of Jack Hartman and we put on a dance class almost every day. I noticed how her focus and attention improved after each movement break. The quote you included on how movement and memory are linked was evident through my daughter. When she would use her body to make a letter or jump when adding she had better recall of those skills. Thank you for the great resources! I can't wait to try some new ones with my students.
ReplyDeleteHi Amanda!
ReplyDeleteI love having brain breaks throughout the day! and I believe they are so important for students. I feel like sometimes we fail to realize or remember just how difficult it is to sit in a chair all day. If its hard for us as adults to do we can't expect children to sit still without breaks either. When I was younger we never did anything like this and I really wish we did! Its a great strategy to use to get the wiggles out and refocus. I really loved reading the research about brain breaks that you included. I have only really used GoNoodle in the classroom for brain breaks so I'm really excited to look into and use the other suggestions you included. Great job! :)
-Grace
Hi Amanda,
ReplyDeleteThis is a great blog post! I agree that movement breaks are incredibly important. I always try to plan for them throughout the day. My first grader's favorites are freeze dance, and there are so many options on both Go Noodle and Youtube. I also enjoy the mindfulness ones, and make it a point to practice deep breathing with my students. You included a lot of helpful resources in this post to highlight the science behind why brain breaks are so important. Your post inspired me to check out sites beyond Go Noodle to find effective breaks for my students. Great job!!
-Shawna Zeisner