Why Incorporating Movement Into the School Day Improves Classroom Management and Student Behavior
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Welcome to our yearlong series on Classroom Management by Design for Primary Teachers. Each week we will give you a new piece to the classroom management puzzle to have in place when you need it this school year. Think of it as a Lego kit just waiting to be built.
Classroom Management by Design for Primary Teachers: Why Incorporating Movement Into the School Day Improves Classroom Management and Student Behavior
As teachers, we’ve all been there: trying to get our students to sit still, pay attention, and engage during lessons. It can feel like an uphill battle, especially with younger students who seem to have endless energy. But what if the key to better classroom management and improved student behavior isn’t about getting them to sit still but actually encouraging them to move more?
Research and experience show that incorporating movement throughout the school day isn’t just beneficial for students’ health—it’s a game-changer for behavior, focus, and learning. Movement helps regulate emotions, improves cognitive function, and even fosters stronger teacher-student relationships. Let’s dive into why movement should be an essential part of your classroom management strategy.
The Brain-Behavior Connection: Why Movement Matters
When children move, their brains release powerful chemicals like endorphins and dopamine. These neurotransmitters play a significant role in mood regulation and focus. According to Dr. John Ratey, author of Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, movement acts like a "reset button" for the brain, allowing students to refocus and regulate their emotions.
More specifically, physical activity increases blood flow to the brain, delivering oxygen and nutrients that enhance cognitive functions like memory, attention, and problem-solving. This is critical for behavior management because when students are better able to process information and self-regulate, disruptions decrease.
Movement Reduces Behavioral Challenges
Behavioral challenges often stem from unmet sensory or emotional needs. Movement can address these underlying issues in surprising ways:
Sensory Integration: Many behavioral outbursts occur because students struggle with sensory overload or under-stimulation. Movement helps regulate their sensory systems, allowing them to feel more grounded and focused. Activities like balancing, spinning, or even simple stretching can stimulate the vestibular system, which plays a critical role in attention and emotional regulation.
Decreasing Anxiety: Children, especially those with high levels of stress or anxiety, benefit from the endorphins released during movement. According to the Journal of Pediatrics, even short bouts of physical activity significantly reduce cortisol levels (the stress hormone), making it easier for students to manage their emotions.
Improved Impulse Control: Movement helps students develop better executive functioning skills, including self-regulation and impulse control. A study from the University of Illinois found that physically active students were less likely to engage in disruptive behaviors because they could better manage their impulses.
Academic Benefits That Lead to Better Behavior
When students are struggling academically, frustration often translates into disruptive behavior. Incorporating movement can directly address this by boosting cognitive function and engagement.
Memory Boost: Movement stimulates the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that supports memory and learning. Activities like jumping while reciting multiplication tables or using hand movements to spell words can make lessons stick better.
Improved Focus: A Harvard Medical School study found that students who participated in regular movement breaks were 31% more focused during academic tasks than those who remained sedentary. Focused students are less likely to act out or distract their peers.
Higher Engagement: Movement creates a dynamic and interactive learning environment, keeping students engaged. When students are actively participating, they’re less likely to exhibit off-task behaviors.
Health Benefits That Impact Behavior
It’s no secret that movement is good for physical health, but what teachers might not realize is how closely health and behavior are tied together:
Energy Regulation: Movement helps burn off excess energy in hyperactive students while boosting alertness in those who are sluggish. This balance prevents extremes in behavior.
Better Sleep: Physical activity promotes better sleep quality, which directly impacts behavior. A well-rested student is less likely to have emotional outbursts or struggle with focus.
Posture and Stamina: Core strength developed through movement improves posture and stamina, allowing students to sit comfortably and stay attentive for longer periods.
Movement and Social-Emotional Skills
Incorporating movement into the school day also fosters critical social-emotional skills that improve overall classroom dynamics:
Teamwork and Cooperation: Group movement activities, like relay races or cooperative games, teach students how to work together and resolve conflicts. This reduces peer-related disruptions.
Emotion Regulation: Activities like yoga or mindful stretching teach students to connect with their bodies and manage stress. This can be especially effective for children with behavioral challenges stemming from trauma or anxiety.
Boosting Confidence: Achieving physical milestones, such as learning a new dance move or mastering a balancing act, builds self-esteem. Confident students are less likely to engage in attention-seeking behaviors.
Practical Ways to Incorporate Movement
Now that we understand the benefits, how can we integrate movement into the school day without disrupting lessons? Here are some creative strategies:
Brain Breaks: Schedule 3-5 minute movement breaks every 20-30 minutes. Use activities like jumping jacks, "freeze dance," or stretching to get students’ blood flowing.
Active Transitions: Turn hallway transitions into opportunities for movement. Have students march, skip, or hop to their next location instead of walking quietly.
Movement-Based Learning:
Use hand claps, stomps, or gestures to teach phonics and sight words.
Create math relay races where students solve problems at different stations.
Act out story scenes during reading lessons.
Flexible Seating: Provide options like wobble stools, standing desks, or yoga balls to allow students to move while staying engaged in lessons.
Outdoor Learning: Take lessons outside when possible. Activities like nature walks can be used to teach science or spark creative writing ideas while giving students a chance to move.
Incorporate Technology: Use apps or videos like Movement to Mastery to guide short, interactive movement sessions.
Research-Backed Results
Numerous studies support the idea that movement improves behavior and classroom management:
A 2018 study in the Journal of Educational Psychology found that students who engaged in 20 minutes of physical activity before school had a 25% reduction in behavioral incidents throughout the day.
Research from the American Academy of Pediatrics revealed that incorporating movement breaks reduced teacher stress by 20% due to fewer disruptions and improved student focus.
Overcoming Barriers to Movement
Some teachers worry that movement will lead to chaos or take time away from academics. However, structured movement activities often prevent chaos by addressing students’ physical and emotional needs, making them more receptive to learning. And the time spent on movement is gained back through fewer disruptions and smoother lessons.
If you’re unsure where to start, begin small. Add a single movement break or try incorporating gestures into your teaching. Observe how it impacts behavior and learning, and build from there.
Conclusion: Movement Is a Classroom Management Power Tool
Incorporating movement into the school day isn’t just a “nice-to-have”—it’s a must-have for effective classroom management and fostering positive student behavior. From improving focus and memory to reducing anxiety and fostering teamwork, the benefits of movement are undeniable.
By making movement a regular part of your teaching strategy, you’re not only helping your students succeed academically but also creating a more harmonious and engaging classroom environment. So, get moving—and watch your classroom transform!
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Date: Jan. 27 - Jan. 31
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DID YOU KNOW…
Did you know I organize a FREE Facebook Group for Mastering Classroom Management? We are gearing up for our school year quarter sessions, so if you’re looking for a simple way to improve your classroom management join the already 200+ teachers that have signed up: Mastering Classroom Management Facebook Group
Your ebook GIFT: Empowering Primary Teachers: Effectively Manage Disruptive and Violent Behaviors in the Classroom
FINALLY…
If you enjoyed the tips in this post, you might also enjoy this series of videos Classroom Management by Design for Primary Teachers:
The Importance of Identifying Gifts and Talents in Each Student
Back to Basics: Teaching Expectations and Routines in January
Staying Organized as a Primary Teacher in January
Making Your Teacher Dollar Stretch This Holiday Season
Student Gifts: To Gift or Not to Gift?
Don’t forget to follow us over on Instagram!
Teach~Relax~Repeat
Lauren
