Fidgeting

I reread a great article today about why kids fidget in school.  Fidget, move, bounce, pace, fall out of their chairs, flick things, and do all the other little things that make a teacher say (with more or less patience depending on the time of day) "Please just SIT STILL!" 

According to Angela Hanscom, a pediatric occupational therapist, in her article "Why so many kids can't sit still in school today," published in The Washington Post on July 8th of 2014, the up-tick in ADHD diagnosis can be attributed to the decrease in free play time children have these days.  She says that children today, compared with children from the 1980s, have decreased core strength, decreased balance, and underdeveloped vestibular (balance) systems - all due to the restricted movement children face these days.  She writes:

"The problem: children are constantly in an upright position these days. It is rare to find children rolling down hills, climbing trees, and spinning in circles just for fun. Merry-go-rounds and teeter-totters are a thing of the past. Recess times have shortened due to increasing educational demands, and children rarely play outdoors due to parental fears, liability issues, and the hectic schedules of modern-day society."

This makes sense to me and I see it daily in my family and my classroom.  My own children are constantly flipping over, hanging upside down in their chairs, bouncing around, moving in odd fidgety ways, and just moving their bodies significantly more than adults do.   Sometimes it drives me crazy, but I try to be patient and remind myself that they NEED that movement.  They need to develop their balance and core strength.  Probably the adults could benefit from more of that as well!

In the classroom the kids often fall out of their chairs, run, skip, hop, and move in ways traditionally considered not appropriate in school.  At the Montessori school the children have extended recess time and go out in most any weather.  They are allowed to roll, climb (on the play structure), and run.  In the classroom we do expect them to move quietly and in control of their bodies, which some children can do and others definitely struggle with, but the Montessori philosophy incorporates movement naturally into many of the materials and children are rarely asked to sit for extended periods of time without movement. 

In a follow-up article published in The Washington Post on October 7th, 2014, Hanscom touches on the many ways teachers are trying to incorporate movement into the classroom, including yoga balls and movement breaks.  She says that while these small steps don't hurt, they really don't address the ultimate problem either.  Children need extended periods of time to move freely, as their minds and bodies dictate. 

The solution she seems to be getting at is more and longer recess time.  Many schools struggle with this solution because while it seems obvious, it is difficult to fit extended recess AND extended academic and test preparation into the same day.  There are only so many hours.  It can be argued that children can have higher quality learning in a shorter period of time (quality of quantity) if allowed more time for movement.  I haven't seen published data supporting that, but it's probably out there.


If you take a look at the map in her article you'll see there are significant differences in the rates of ADHD between states.  I wonder if schools that do have more recess time have lower rates of ADHD diagnosis.  I wonder if communities that promote healthier living (safe, quality playgrounds, bike baths, "walk to school" programs, etc.) have lower rates of ADHD diagnosis.  I wonder if communities could make the case for increased recess time, but also I wonder if more parents made free play a priority if we could together reduce the rates of ADHD diagnosis.  Instead of driving kids from one organized activity to another, instead of giving them iPads in the car and game systems in the house, instead of worrying about all the dangers of the world... if we just sent them out to play.  Or at least organized extended playground time with friends.   (All of my questions could probably be solved with some quality time on Google, but I don't have that time right now so for tonight they will remain questions.)

In the meantime, I think we can incorporate more movement and more understanding in the classroom.  Perhaps the kids can stretch our their legs or lay down during circle time.  Perhaps more walking around the room, or somersaulting, or skipping could be allowed.  I know it depends on the child, the teacher, the class, the room, and the school, but I also know that we can make steps in the right direction if we try.

I think we as parents, teachers, and caring community members need to work together to support our children's biological need to move, to develop their own bodies, to grow, and to thrive.

Ideas for Any Classroom

I've been in the Montessori classroom for over four months now and there are many aspects I really like. There are also many elements of the Montessori philosophy that can be applied in a general classroom, elements that I think would help a classroom run more smoothly and promote community and kindness in the classroom.

For example, in the Montessori classroom the teacher is quiet and should not be "the main event" or the central figure. In our classroom we speak in hushed voices and encourage the children to do so as well by teaching them about volume control and practicing silence.  When the teacher requires full group attention she will ring a small bell and, if appropriate, sing a short song, such as "It's time to put your work away and come to the rug."  When I first started here I was amazed at how quickly the quiet bell drew the children's attention.  The older children know to listen for it and the younger ones quickly learn. 

This could be implemented in other classrooms by using quiet voices, teachers and students, which requires people to move their bodies instead of just using their voices. Instead of a call across the classroom to a student, the teacher walks over and talks quietly to the child. Children are encouraged to do the same with their classmates and teachers.  A friend of mine, who teaches in a public school, recently said, "I wave my arms, dance around, raise my voice... what more can I do to get their attention?!"  I thought, hmm... maybe there is a better way.

The Montessori classroom is about building independence and self reliance in children.  Materials are placed at child-accessible heights, sinks and toilets are small, and children are encouraged to be as independent as possible.  This could be replicated in a public school setting by thinking through each request a student makes and deciding if that could be done more independently.  Do the students really need to ask to use the bathroom, get a tissue, or get a drink?  Do students know where to put their papers or find materials without assistance?  Of course it depends on the school and the children's age.  I think it is worthwhile to make the classroom as accessible as possible to promote confidence and independence in the students.

In the Montessori classroom the students have a lot of responsibility for themselves and others.  Each child has a job that they are responsible for completing each day.  We rotate the jobs every few weeks so the students get the opportunity to learn all of them.  Students also have more independence in group settings, such as show-and-tell where they chose who goes next, and lining up where one child may be asked to line the others up when they are ready.  The students offer their assistance to one another in the coat room when they are zipping coats and tying shoes.  These behaviors are encouraged and may could be replicated in any classroom setting, building both the child's independence and the overall sense of community.

Students in a Montessori classroom do much of their work on mats on the floor. This works well as they are each working on individual tasks.  The mats also help the children contain their work and define their work space.  Children are taught to keep their work on the mat and to be respectful of other people's mats.  In a public school classroom the children generally work at desks or tables, but perhaps in some situations working on mats would be helpful.  During free play time, keeping work (or toys) on the mats can help the child stay focused, and during work time some students may benefit from working on the floor instead of at a table or desk.  Having the mats available and the procedures defined promotes flexibility and independence.

At the core of the Montessori philosophy is that young children are rooted in the real, the "here and now" and learn best by doing practice, real-life activities.  Magic and fairies and stories are all fine for the older children, but for the young ones they need to be grounded in the real world.  Much of the materials or "work" in the Montessori classroom is focused on developing those real world skills.  Classrooms often have material focused on individual skills, such as buttoning, zipping, tying, snapping, polishing, folding, and washing.  These materials, while teaching individual skills, also build eye-hand coordination, encourage wrist and hand movements, and set the stage for successful writing movements later on.

While a public school classroom may not have the budget for all of the fine Montessori materials, much could be done with specific, targeted materials to help children develop the skills they need to be independent and confident, thereby setting them up for continued success in school.   

A reading success!

I'm running a reading group in my kindergarten this spring.  I have four kiddos, all reading at the D level (F&P score).  Two are very motivated to read, but the other two try to race each other through the books, paying little attention to the actual process of learning.  They race because they are competitive, but also in part because the books are boring to them.  One of my racers is a boy and I've been trying to find something that would appeal to him as our books about puppies don't seem to do it.  I selected a non-fiction book about tadpoles and frogs with him in mind, but he wasn't interested and the girls squealed in disgust, much to my amusement!  We started a unit this week on "day and night" so I introduced a new book to the group called "Night Workers," about people who work at night.  He loved it!  The cover picture is a road construction vehicle in a tunnel at night and he was hooked before even opening the book!

Yesterday I asked my mentor teacher if it would be ok to let him read the book in front of the class.  It's not something we normally do, but I knew it would make him feel motivated and it was relevant to our day/night unit.  In How People Learn, John Bransford notes that social opportunities have an effect on a learner’s motivation, saying “young learners are highly motivated to write stories and draw pictures that they can share with others.”  He was excited about the idea, practiced his reading with diligence, and read the entire book to the class with pride.  I was equally proud of him!

In my classroom I would take the opportunity to let all students read to the class, if they wanted too.   There are A level readers in class who run over to me after reading group time to read their new book to me.  They are working with the para in the room and are so proud when they learn a new book.  I know they would be equally excited to read to the class.  I think it would also give the class a chance to practice understanding differences between students and a chance to encourage and support their fellow classmates, whatever their learning levels are.  Perhaps each day or each week there could be time for a couple of students to read to the class.  I think it would be a win-win for everyone!

The Over-Protected Kid

I recently read a great article in The Atlantic magazine (also online).  Hey! Parents, Leave Those Kids Alone, by Hanna Rosin, is all about the rise of the "over-protected kid" culture we now live in and what has been lost in childhood due to it.

As an educator and a parent I really connected with this article.  Rosin starts off at "The Land," an adventure playground that sounds much more theme-park like than it really is.  "The Land" is an acre-sized open space for kids to roam in North Wales, UK.  It has tire piles, pallets, a creek, mud, a fire-pit, and much more... all open and available for kids to explore.  I'm not sure if something like that exists in the lawsuit-happy USA, and if it did, I'm not sure I'd be comfortable leaving my kids.  "The Land" has a few adults who monitor the kids, interfering only in extreme situations, but generally staying out of the way and letting the kids roam free.  The reason being that "kids should face what to them seem like “really dangerous risks” and then conquer them alone."  This is what builds self-confidence and courage.

I agree with the idea.  I think kids are handed everything these days, being driven to playdates and sports practices, monitored 24/7.  I considered myself fairly laid-back as a parent, but even I find myself in irrational worry situations sometimes.  My kids, ages seven and eight, went on a "safari" around our neighborhood a few weeks ago.  They were super excited, packed up tons of stuff (bug collecting gear, a map, snacks, all the things they thought might be useful) and then went out.  I gave them firm boundaries, despite the fact that our neighborhood is quiet and safe.  The kids collected a few friends a long the way and had a great time, but I spent the entire two hours totally nervous when I couldn't see them from a window.  At one point they went inside a house to wait for friends to get ready and my heart started racing.  Oh no, I forgot to tell them not to go into houses!  I barely know that family (except they are elderly, raising grandkids, always very friendly when we see them outside, and have been known to bring over fresh-from-the-oven cookies to share) and now my kids are in their home!  Pure, irrational panic.  The kids were fine, of course, had a great time, and learned a few things about winter safaris.  In a different era that would have been a normal afternoon, not a parental milestone that took more courage for me than for them.

In the article Rosin also discusses the rise of playground safety standards, brought about largely by lawsuits in the 1970s.  Now playgrounds have very strict, very detailed, safety standards covering heights and angles of slides, spacing between bars, depth and type of padding below surfaces and much, much more.  Playgrounds have become so safe and sterile that children are bored by them.  Happening across an old playground is an exciting and novel experience for children.  I know of one playground that still has a merry-go-round, one that you can actually push and spin around, not a fancy musical one with slow moving horses.  Kids love it!  "Children are born with the instinct to take risks in play, because historically, learning to negotiate risk has been crucial to survival; in another era, they would have had to learn to run from some danger, defend themselves from others, be independent. Even today, growing up is a process of managing fears and learning to arrive at sound decisions. By engaging in risky play, children are effectively subjecting themselves to a form of exposure therapy, in which they force themselves to do the thing they’re afraid of in order to overcome their fear. But if they never go through that process, the fear can turn into a phobia."  Super-safe playground eliminate all risk, thereby eliminating opportunities for children to face their fears.

Are playgrounds safer now?  Do injury rates go down as playground safety standards go up?  Studies say no.  Because kids have this inborn need for risk they just use the playground structures in unintended, riskier way, like climbing on top of the covered slide, or walking across the top of the monkey-bars, in places where monkey bars are still allowed.  The "safer" the structures get, the more creative the kids get, or else they lose interest altogether, which is something we see on school playgrounds.  When kids go out for recess they are closely monitored by recess teachers enforcing strict rules such as no running in the structures, no climbing up the slides (something kids LOVE to do!), and no wrestling.  All intended to reduce injury at school, but also reducing risk and challenge for the kids.

I had recess duty one winter day and I saw a group of fifth grade boys wrestling in the snow.  I watched them for a few minutes and everyone seemed to be having fun, though one boy was frequently on the bottom.  At one point I went over, paused the game, and checked in with the bottom kid.  He was laughing and having a great time.  I walked away.  A few minutes later another recess teacher came over and separated the boys, reminding them of the "no wrestling" rule, a rule I wasn't aware of at the time.  I understand it from a school liability standpoint, by oh what a loss.  Fifth grade boys really need that opportunity to get their energy out, to run, and rough-house.  That's how they learn and grow, testing their strengths and weakness, testing their roles with dominance, testing their muscles, and just getting their physical energy out.  Instead they come in all wound up and bickering and we, as teacher, are supposed to push that aside and try to refocus them on academics.

I see the same thing in kindergarten each day.  The five year olds are bored of the play structure and instead find ways to bug each other, then bring the bickering back to the classroom.  There is no physical challenge for them at recess, no testing boundaries, no pushing themselves, no way for them to clearly work out the social dynamics they need to learn.  Instead they turn to teachers, asking the adults to work out every minor disagreement for them. 

A school in New Zealand agreed to participate in an experiment suspending all playground rules, "allowing the kids to run, climb trees, slide down a muddy hill, jump off swings, and play in a “loose-parts pit” that was like a mini adventure playground. The teachers feared chaos, but in fact what they got was less naughtiness and bullying—because the kids were too busy and engaged to want to cause trouble, the principal said."

Could we do that in this country?  Probably not, especially without written permission from the parents of every child.  Is it the ultimate answer to the problem, no, of course not, but I think it would be a start.  Suspend or perhaps just reduce the rules.  Of course that would require a change in liability, and a change in the parents' perspectives.  Change, Rosin says, will have to come from the parents.  She feels the culture is starting to slowly shift, with many parenting books appearing on shelves advocating a more relaxed, hands-off parenting style.  Change, I agree, will have to come from the parents, but as a parent I know it will be easier said than done.