Improve Grades With Exercise
As more schools are continuing to cut back on physical education programs to make way for more academic classes, studies are showing that exercise may actually improve a student’s grades. New research from the Medical College of Georgia shows that active kids can concentrate better, are more organized and are less impulsive then their sedentary friends.
Jackie Lund, Ph.D, President of the National Association for Sport and Physical Education points out a link between cognitive learning and physical activity. “The area of the brain that’s involved in cognitive learning is the same area that’s stimulated by physical activity, so the two seem to work hand in hand,” she explains.
How does exercise improve grades?
I always say working up the motivation to exercise is harder than actually exercising. Once I get done with a 30 minute strength workout or a 45 minute run I feel great; ready to take on the world. This is because exercise allows more blood to flow to the brain and helps the brain take in more nutrients. This results in:
- More energy for the whole body.
- An increase in stamina (which helps eliminate boredom during studying).
- And higher self-esteem.
But by middle school and high school kids no longer get a recess during the day. And P.E. classes are usually pretty limited by this age as well. While both of my teens are in a P.E. class this term, it’s not for the whole year. In fact my oldest didn’t have any P.E. class last year in the 10th grade.
So what can we do to get our kids active?
Well the obvious answer is, get them off the computer and away the TV and force them outdoors.
- Set limits on electronics. No more than 2 hours a day in front of the TV or computer.
- Encourage your teen to get outside for a walk or a bike ride.
- Organize family activities that get you all moving, such as basketball in the driveway or a soccer game in the backyard.
- Start a new tradition of family walks every night (or a few nights a week) before dinner. This also gives you a great opportunity to talk to your teen and learn about his day.
- Throw on your roller blades and head for the local skating rinks. Teens love to watch their parents make fools of themselves…urm, I mean have fun.
- Too cold outside? Play a game of tag. There are tons of variations of tag. My kids (even my teens) like to play flashlight tag.
- Choose a parking space far away and make the whole family hike it up to the restaurant or store or sporting event.
- Encourage your kids to take the stairs with you when you need to go to the next floor at the department store or doctor’s office.
- And the one suggestion I always go back to…set a good example. If your kids see you getting active they will be more likely to be active themselves.
Sources:
Connect With Kids Exercise Can Improve Grades
Family-Life Magazine Can Exercise Improve Grades?
USA Today Exercise builds strong brains, too
Our school took part in a pilot program this year called PE Literacy. I think about 25 or so incoming freshman who were identified by the middle school they were exiting as “at risk”. They had not-so-stellar grades or poor study habits in the 8th grade. So, in this program, those kids would have the PE Literacy class first period of the day. They would do some activities like running on a treadmill or some weight lifting and during that time a Learning Stratagist would work with them on organizational skills, study skills, etc. The theory was that the combination of the physical activity and the learning strategy at the same time would help them retain the information better. Something like that. I’m sure I’m parapharasing some. They’d go to one of their core classes 2nd period and then have a study hall (called Success Center) that was the 2nd tier of the PE Literacy class from the beginning of the day. They would work with them more on the learning strategies and on any specific homework they needed help with.