Elevate Mood, Enhance Learning, Enrich Relationships
Susan Hrach writes:
"Bodies and learning are connected. Your whole body and your immediate environment play a role in your thinking process – internally, things like your heart rate, your fluctuating hormones, your digestive functioning, and your level of bodily energy; and externally, things like the conditions of the physical space you occupy, the position of your limbs and posture, and the other living creatures surrounding you (people, animals, plants). These factors, combined with the sum total of your prior experiences, affect every moment of perception. And perception is critical to learning, particularly at the moments when we encounter something new, and need to notice carefully and observe the new information or phenomenon."
Undoubtedly every day in school is filled with so many demands. But we can't ignore the rise of children's physical inactivity. With limited time spent outdoors and much more time spent in front of phones, ipads, and computers – our children are greatly at risk for obesity, lower moods, and diminished concentration fuelled by less physical exercise.
Movement has three key components to help children (and staff) at school to:
Elevate Moods
Enhance Learning
Enrich Relationships
Battling sedentary behaviours in students will enhance concentration and help memory retention. Exercise releases excess energy and restlessness while improving overall academic readiness and adds sustained time on tasks. It also helps to build teamwork and encourages cooperation and social interactions with other students.
Perhaps the imperative question here is – why not more movement in the classroom and school?
Hooping
Waist hooping, believe it or not, is very easy with our well sized weighted hoops. The hoops practically spin themselves!
Our hooping sessions with teachers are a wonderful way to build team spirit while exercising and learning a new skill. Complemented with our drum circles, this is an absolute must for a beginning of term kick off, or mid-term boost.
Waist hoops target the Dai Mai belt, which is the point on the body where the upper and lower meridians meet. After 10 – 20 minutes of waist hooping, there is an immediate feeling of wellbeing and mood elevation.
Embodied Movement
Our Embodied Movement classes bring an incredible awareness and calm to the body and overall group dynamic.
Enjoy the team building games, light and gentle exercises that can be adjusted according to different levels.
The benefits of our embodied movement classes are:
- Enhanced group connection, while building a stronger connection to our own bodies.
- Encourages us to listen to our body's wisdom while moving in a way that feels alive and intuitive, rather than rigid and structured.
Through Embodied Movement we create a conversation.
It is in this quiet place where the mind can awaken and open – preparing the student for heightened learning, plus giving teachers a break from daily routines. The benefits are incredible in this class for both students and educators.