By: Sam Marquise, MEF Intern
The days of anxiously tapping your toes under your desk to focus are over! Swivel chairs, yoga balls, and other forms of active seating have taken schools by storm in a new initiative to help students who find it difficult to concentrate within the confines of a desk. Woodgate Intermediate School is taking active learning to the next level with their new grant, Reading, Riding, ‘Rithmatic. By bringing exercise bikes into classrooms, the school is helping students pedal their way to academic success.
While reading, math, and bikes may seem like a funny group, Ms. Gibson and Ms. Carney, teachers at Woodgate, see it as an opportunity to integrate activity into more sedentary subjects. By reading stories, doing math problems, and taking notes while pedaling on the bikes, kinesthetic learners and students who struggle with maintaining focus are able to stay moving and active. Students then feel more engaged with the lesson and can stay focused longer.
Both teachers have reported tremendous success with the bikes. Though not all students use them, the teachers have found that the students who had a history of struggling in their class have quickly taken to the bikes and use them voluntarily to help pay attention in class. When asked how they feel about the bikes, several students responded that they liked being able to stay moving and get their excess energy out so that they can focus on their school work. One student even responded that they have helped him not only learn math, but also how to ride a bike since he had never been taught!
The increased success of the students since the implementation of the bikes is truly inspiring. With the help of this grant, Woodgate continues to help set their students up for success!
Woodgate Intermediate School is thankful for the Education Foundation’s support of this grant. The grant has been named in honor of Jim Turner Chevrolet in appreciation of their long time support of the foundation.
