If getting kids physically active increases their academic scores, why is it not being done in every school?

Guest Post
Richard Monette

Integrated Learning Strategies (ILS) is a learning and academic center. As a reminder, ILS is not a health care provider and none of our materials or services provide a diagnosis or treatment of a specific condition or learning challenge you may see in your child or student. If you seek a diagnosis or treatment for your child or student, please contact a trained professional who can provide an evaluation of the child.

The science is clear: If you get kids moving throughout the school day, they will do better academically. That’s the case being made in the article “Building a better brain” recently published in the Globe and Mail.

The article quotes Harvard Medical School’s John Ratey, an internationally recognized expert in neuropsychiatry:

“If you want to raise test scores, we have documented evidence — big time evidence – that the key is to include fitness-based activity in the day.”

Not only do schools need to start incorporating physical activity into every school day, they need to make sure that their students are physically literate, so they have the skills necessary to participate and enjoy that activity. And we know that kids who are physically literate have the confidence to move and will seek out opportunities to be physically active.

Not developing physical literacy isn’t the only challenge. The article mentions another barrier to getting kids moving: we live in a “grade-obsessed” society. Comparing test scores between countries, provinces, school boards – and yes parents, with the kid next door – has become the norm.

When academic scores fall one of the first responses is to sit kids down for longer periods of time so they can study more. The problem is, that’s the wrong response.

At least that’s what four high schools in Simcoe County are discovering after implementing “Spark Breaks” that get kids moving for short period of time through the school day. Russell Atkinson, the principal of Barrie Central Collegiate, which first adopted the “Spark Breaks” as a teaching strategy comments:

“We saw amazing results. The teachers said just the improvement in mood was worth it.”

The evidence is unmistakable, yet very few school boards, schools or teachers apply this practice. Dr. Charles Hillman from the University of Illinois neurocognitive kinesiology lab captures the frustration of many:

“Everybody comes back and says there are positive effects behaviourally, emotionally, academically, and asks, ‘Why isn’t everyone doing it?’ But the people making the decisions aren’t putting the practice into place. I don’t understand it.”

The truth is, if we want our children’s schools to be more active, then we, the parents, have to take action. Because unless we ask for more and better quality physical activity, and ask for it in large numbers, it will continue to fall to the bottom of the priority list. So if you’re ready to add your voice to the cause, here are several things you can do:

• Forward this article to the minister of education of your province and ask what can be done to get physically literate and moving so they acquire the foundation for many positive outcomes for them.
• Forward this article to the principal of your children’s school and ask the same question.
• Forward this article to your child’s teacher and ask to discuss the topic of physical literacy and physical activity.
• Mobilize more parents through social media.

Though challenging, it’s definitely not impossible to get the system to change and increase physical activity in schools. It starts by making sure they get instruction in developing fundamental movement skills so they can be physically literate. Together, let’s give kids what they need to succeed and be healthy.

Active for Life is a non-profit organization committed to helping parents raise happy, healthy, physically literate kids. For more articles like this one, please visit Activeforlife.com.

Integrated Learning Strategies is a Utah-based center dedicated to helping mainstream children and children with learning challenges achieve academic success. Our services provide kids with non-traditional tutoring programs within the Davis County, Kaysville, Layton, Syracuse, Farmington, and Centerville areas. Areas to find Integrated Learning Strategies include: Reading tutors in Kaysville, Math tutors in Kaysville, Common Core Tutors in Kaysville, Tutors in Utah, Utah Tutoring Programs