Why Kids Shouldnt Sit Still in Class

[elleng]

'Sit still. It’s the mantra of every classroom.

But that is changing as evidence builds that taking brief activity breaks during the day helps children learn and be more attentive in class, and a growing number of programs designed to promote movement are being adopted in schools.

“We need to recognize that children are movement-based,” said Brian Gatens, the superintendent of schools in Emerson, N.J. “In schools, we sometimes are pushing against human nature in asking them to sit still and be quiet all the time.”

“We fall into this trap that if kids are at their desks with their heads down and are silent and writing, we think they are learning,” Mr. Gatens added. “But what we have found is that the active time used to energize your brain makes all those still moments better,” or more productive.'>>>

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/21/well/family/why-kids-shouldnt-sit-still-in-class.html?

[BigmanPigman]

1. I taught first grade for 15 years and there are some things that kids of certain ages can and

can't do at particular ages and stages of development. Many people don't comprehend this, even many in the field of Education. It is very frustrating for teachers.

[skylucy]

2. I taught kindergarten for 38 years. You are so correct!

[no_hypocrisy]

3. And the kids who push back on being held hostage in their seats, in their classrooms

end up being mis-diagnosed as ADHD and given pharmaceuticals.

[LWolf]

4. That's a broad brush.

Of course I can't speak for all teachers, but I can say that the teachers in 2 states and different schools I've worked with over the decades know the difference between ADHD and general kid energy.

Still, this is an important topic to keep at the forefront of people's minds. The "standards and accountability" "reform" movement's focus on high-stakes testing has been the force behind more and more seat time, less recess, less active time.

I've always, regardless of trends in the system, made sure that there was plenty of opportunities to get up and down and move around in my classroom. I don't like to ask my students to do things that I can't tolerate myself.