Now here's an idea I'd like to watch in real time. It seems like a great idea --- drain off a bit of that energy might help in concentration and learning. But might it not also lead to a group of kids bouncing around even more than normal and thru harder to gain their attention? Fascinating idea...
WittFitt rolls out Active Sitting 101 WittFitt wants to harness kids' propensity for movement and improve their fitness and focus by replacing classroom chairs with bouncy stability balls. The program educates students and teachers on benefits of a healthy spine and core muscles, and how to safely sit on stability balls. Teachers using the WittFitt program report that ball-based students are more attentive than when sitting in chairs because they can fidget without being disruptive (Fargo Forum 11.4.07). WittFitt is being used in classrooms in nine states. Similar programs are in use in European classrooms (WittFitt.com 11.07). A 2006 study by the Mayo Clinic on ways to combat childhood obesity found that students liberated from desks were less obese, and mentally sharper too (CBSNews.com 3.29.06). Although PE classes have been getting lost in the shuffle for years, addressing kids' bodies and minds is a surefire way to make the classroom a more engaging, enriching place. |
