PA and academic results

Introduction

Physical and social-emotional body states are closely related. The poorer emotional state is, the worse body functions work. Even moderate level 10 mins physical activity may recharge ability to concentrate, help release or prevent negative emotions, cool down the brain.

In many schools students are not physically active both during the lessons and the breaks too. When they come to school after insufficient sleep, they can hardly start learning. The next 5-8 hours they spend their time at school passively. In many cases higher grades student tend to skip their sports lessons too.

All these lead to reduction in student’s functionality, effectiveness, makes their health poorer, supports and fuels frustrations, anxiety, and bad behavior.

Relation of the PA level and academic results

Please find a picture No. 8 below to get acquainted with the results of scientific research on the benefits of PA to children.

What to do?

One of the best solutions include insertion of elements of physical activity into formal curricular, lessons of different subjects. The simple example of it – the math, or physics, or chemistry and any other hard subject lesson to happen outside on the street, park or wherever, not sitting – but walking and executing certain tasks which may help to learn subject in another way.

However, in many schools it may seem not possible due to strict lesson plans and school rules.

In such cases we propose to grab 1-4 minutes from the lesson and organize some fun activity before, during or at the end of lesson or during the breaks (if the lessons are strictly structured).

The proposed activities combined with previously described mindfulness exercises may work even better together and help fix certain failures of social-emotional and behavioural character in the class. Please search this web site for practical ideas of physical activity insertion into learning process in the menu section “SHAPING ACTIVITIES” menu item “Exercises for physical activity”.