In the article at http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/07/08/why-so-many-kids-cant-sit-still-in-school-today/ , the author explains that one possible reason for increasing ADHD diagnoses is the increase in sedentary time at school. These children are not getting to move nearly as much as they need. Constantly sitting in class is taking a toll on children's bodily development. Due to lack of play, children are developing poor strength and balance.
This is a huge problem in schools today. Teachers are put in a hard spot; with increasing academic demands, teachers feel the need to keep students in their desks more throughout the day. In addition, parents increasing fear for their children's safety has minimized their playground options. I have noticed that playgrounds now look more like gyms than parks. I believe there are several things that teachers can do in the classroom to combat this issue. At an Early Childhood Education conference I attended this year, I learned about a resource called Move to Learn (http://www.movetolearnms.org/) which provides curriculum themed dance videos for students to do in the classrooms. Many schools have implemented these videos as a daily activity for kids. Another thing we as teachers can do is interactive readings. When reading a book to the class, show them motions to repeat during the reading. If the character reaches, they reach. If the character stomps, they stomp. Large scale manipulatives can offer some movement during math lessons. Overall, there are more than enough small adjustments that we can make to create a better learning environment that involves movement for our students.
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