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Action Based Learning

Published June 6, 2008

The following article was written by Williamson County Schools Health/Wellness Coordinator Ken Brooks

Recently, Coordinated School Health and the WCS Professional Development office teamed up to bring an exciting development opportunity for teachers.  Jean Blaydes Madigan is an internationally know educational consultant, speaker and author on the subject of how brain research supports the link of movement to enhanced learning.  In a very interactive presentation, teachers were presented information and teaching strategies that included:

  • Movement, physical activity and exercise all have benefits for brain health, development and learning.
  • The body is designed to move.  After 17 minutes of sitting the brain begins to signal the body to begin sleep mode since not navigating.  This supports the need to get students up and moving as a normal part of the classroom teaching/learning experience. 
  • Brain research supports the link of movement and physical activity to increased academic performance. 
  • Activity and exercise grows new brain cells in the learning and memory center of the brain and gets the brain fuel, oxygen and glucose to the brain center.
  • From birth to death, activity and brain development are linked.  Proper activity stimulates new brain cell growth and releases natural chemicals within the body that enhance learning and brain strength.
  • The teenage brain is truly different due to neuron pruning.  There are specific strategies that teachers can use to enhance the learning process for teenagers.
  • Neuron pruning during the teen years is also a reason why the teenage brain is prone to such damage (not easily recognized) from using substances like alcohol and/or tobacco. 

The response of our teachers was overwhelmingly positive.  One teacher expressed the sentiments of the vast majority by stating:

"I learned how brain research impacts my job as a teacher.  Knowing student attention spans, eye dominance, kinesthetic needs, and physical makeup will greatly impact the why and how of what I teach.  I learned some very practical ways to implement this learning in the fall, and I’m excited about it!”