Human beings were not designed to sit in metal contraptions for seven hours a day. As hunters and gatherers, we survived based on movement and observation. Today's people are no different. Students lose motivation when movement is squandered. Encouraging students to get out of their seats and move around the classroom is necessary to engage and motivate quality learning. Examples of movement activities discussed during this semester (5441) include:- Round Robin discussion formats
- Jigsaw Activities
- ArtsLit Community Builders
Beyond encouraging these activities, educators can empower students to monitor their own movements. In Tyler's class, the “take a break” system seems to work pretty well. When students find themselves checking out, they are encouraged to get up and move around the back of the classroom. “Taking a break” helps to stimulate attention and results in increased motivation for classroom activities. Whether self induced or teacher directed, movement is a cost effective investment towards motivating students.
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