Study after study shows that physical activity throughout the day activates the brain, improves cognitive function, and is correlated with improved academic performance. Less talked about, however, is “mindful movement” – i.e., tying movement to content learning. The method of Total Physical Response, for example, is one that has students acting out physical gestures to represent vocabulary words or concepts. Doing physical activity to demonstrate models or simulations can also make learning stick. Join us to discover some of the supporting research for mindful movement, along with an example curriculum called Resilient Movements (RM). RM was co-developed by a mental health mentor and PE/Health teacher to teach life skills (specifically, social-emotional and relational connections) during PE class.
