FORT LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS — Improvements to daily classroom effectiveness and student behavior have been noted since Unified School District 207 first implemented “move-to-learn” practices in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, schools more than a decade ago.
Shelly Swartz, district health and science intervention coordinator, said student-driven academic data and decreased behavior referrals have confirmed how beneficial the move-to-learn tools the district uses have been for students, and has also meant improved student behavior and self-regulation and students learning how to advocate for themselves.
The move-to-learn concept, combining exercise with learning, is backed by science: specific movement improves cognitive function and increases retention, among other positive outcomes. Possibly most notably, move-to-learn allows movement options for students with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other factors competing with their school success.
“Kids want to be successful, they just don’t always know how — they don’t know how to ask for it, they don’t know what’s wrong. They want to be successful, but if they don’t know how, they can’t advocate for themselves, they can’t help themselves, and so the education is the big key — teaching the kids what is sensory processing, how does that affect learning, how does that affect your emotional responses or behavioral self-regulation. Once they know how specific exercise helps brain development, they are all about helping themselves,” Swartz said.
Project ARMIES
With USD 207’s Project ARMIES (Anchoring Reading and Mathematics In Exercise (Health) Sciences) grant, the move-to-learn principle has been expanded to include exergaming equipment in the schools. Exergaming combines exercise and technology, in the form of rowing machines and treadmills and other exercise equipment with video-game-type graphics to make the activity fun and engaging.
The exergaming room is referred to as the Move-to-Learn Lab, emphasizing its purpose.
“We wanted to hit home with the kids — yes, it is fun, but you’re coming here as a tool, you’re coming here to help yourself, to build brain cells, to help your focus, self-regulation — so we wanted to make sure it was called MTL Lab instead of ‘exergame,’” Swartz said.
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