Lessons of Summer

Summer is here!  It’s a time for kids to shed the book bags, get outside more, and travel.  It is a time kids all look forward to.  I can’t imagine anyone’s child NOT looking forward to summer!  As educators, we can learn a lot from this time of year.  It would be too easy to say that our love affair with summer is that there is no homework or kids can sleep in.  Summer is a time where kids not only get to move, travel, explore and get dirty…it’s an expected behavior.  As parents, we demand our kids get outside, move, play, travel if possible and be more active and social.  We plan for it by sending our kids to camps or making travel plans well in advance.  Being more active is the expectation.

As educators, we can learn a lot from this expected behavior.  We can capitalize on it and harness this in our classrooms.  The single common denominator is movement.  Many outside of education would believe that teachers are “off” for the summer.  That myth needs to be dispelled.  In fact, it takes most of the summer to prepare for the next batch of young bright minds.  For educators, professional development also changes in the summer. Teachers arrive with more vigor; PD becomes more relaxed and collaborative.  Hours of professional development, reading, writing (much like this) and well…movement are all a necessity for teachers to innovate.  We are no different that the kids we teach. In fact, teachers look forward to it!

Learning is enhanced with movement. Research shows that kids who move learn better.

Movement is not just a fad for educators and kids.  It’s built right into the work place as well.  Businesses are moving away from the cubical approach and embracing a new dynamic of creating a more social environment that encourages movement.  It’s built right into out smart phones and watches.  We are told its time to move thanks to our Apple Watch and Fitbits! 

But, we are not powerless to change these policies and educators have more control of “how” they teach than many know.

There are lots of options to finger point at as to what caused our current system.  The old classroom standard, established in 1800's, traps kids in a cycle of sit, listen, lecture and notes that's hard to escape. But that problem is not entirely on educators.  Schools systems are bound by budgets.  Remodeling a classroom is just as expensive as remodeling your house.  It also has great ramifications on your taxes and/or tuition payment.  In addition to these financial issues, many teachers and administrators were born and taught into that very system we are trying to break free of where movement and multiple conversations are seen as classroom chaos (CNN). Teaching old dog new tricks is an uphill battle, but one worth fighting!  Ask any technology specialist or coordinator.  They will tell you that change and innovation takes time, patience and sometimes money. To make matters more difficult, the political policies of today also have a love affair with standardized tests and AP exams, which can trap teachers and students in a system no one seems happy with. When was the last time a teacher or student looked forward to an hour-long lecture or AP exam?  But, we are not powerless to change these policies and educators have more control of “how” they teach than many know.

Creating a classroom culture that incorporates movement can be achieved without content sacrifices and cost.

So how can educators capitalize on this summer time phenomenon?  Learning is enhanced with movement. Research shows that kids who move learn better. (ISTE Study).  Getting kids moving, doing and accomplishing is the great motivator that is the gateway to excellence in education (Edutopia Study).  Here are a just a few steps that may help you get started:

1.    Build in movement within your classroom.  Limit lectures and create more group discussions, debates and presentations.

2.    Math Teachers (and other disciplines):  incorporate more 360 Degree math principles.  Get students up, solving and more peer-to-peer problem solving.

3.    Cross-curricular involvement:  work with other classes and teachers on projects.  Collaborate with other disciplines like art and technology on projects.  In class “field trips” to other classes is a welcomed change.

4.    Project Based Learning (PBL) or Design Thinking:  Add these challenges to your curriculum that encompass collaboration and presentations.

5.    Student Teaching:  Have students teach.  Lead them to incorporate group challenges and presentations of their findings.

6.    Technology:  Use more collaborative tools like GAFE, Padlet, Playposit, maker spaces and more that require group conversations and analysis.

Creating a classroom culture that incorporates movement can be achieved without content sacrifices and cost.  If we have learned anything in America about summer, is that it is the greatest time for our kids to learn, grow and escape the system we are working so hard to change.  But in the meantime…we still have summer