DPA and The Walking School Bus!

Okay everyone, this one’s for parents! Have you been wondering how you can motivate your child and set a positive example when it comes to physical activity? Implementing a Walking School Bus is a creative solution which incorporates daily physical activity into your child’s day. Not only is this a fun, and environmentally friendly way for students to get to school, but it is safe! 

What is a Walking School Bus you ask? Well it is just that- it is a group of children in the community that walk to school together with one or two adults. It is like a car pool, but without the car! It can be as easy as two families taking turns walking the children to school, or you can even request the assistance of older siblings, friends of the family etc to take turns walking the children. And of course it doesn’t just have to be walking! In the spring and summer months children can ride their bikes, their roller blades or their skateboards to school, just ensure that they are all wearing helmets and that you can keep up!

Your Walking Bus can start off small and grow as more and more parents hear about it and become interested. Discuss all of the logistics, such as ensuring that all parents know what time the buses arrive at, how often you would like the Walking Bus to operate, and whether or not it will take place before and after school.

So if you want your child to become more physically active, raise concern about the environment, as well as share valuable time with your child and neighbors in the morning, then go ahead and implement a Walking Bus in your community. What’s stopping you? Your children and your dogs will love you for it! 

Check out the following clip for more tips and safety information!

 

Posted By Meagan Harrington

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Prepping your classroom for DPA!

It is extremely important to make sure that the classroom environment is suitable for DPA to take place.

Here are some safety tips!

#1. Have an area of the classroom (perhaps a corner or middle of classroom) that is free of tables, chairs and desks. You could place a large carpet or rubber or foam puzzle mats in this area. Tape down the edges of a carpet to remove a tripping hazard. This will provide a safe, clutter-free space for students to participate in physical activity exercises. Invite students to this area when you are engaging in DPA but be sure that there is enough room for all students to have enough 'personal space'. Bringing all students together will keep them focused and provide modeling for students who are having difficulty grasping the activity. 

#2. Get your students in the habit of always tucking in their chairs every time they get up from their desks. This will not only provide more space for DPA in the classroom but also reduce the chances of students tripping on chairs that are in the way. With their chairs tucked in, students will have a safe place to do DPA right at their desks!

#3. If possible (which it very well may not be!) try to arrange desks either in rows of 4+ desks or in groups of 4-6 desks rather than individually. Again, this strategy will increase the amount of space available as well as reduce opportunities for tripping.

#4. This one is not so ‘safety’ related but it is very important! Ask students to bring a leak-proof water bottle to class. Label them with each student’s name and have a large container (Tupperware, basket, etc.) at the back of the classroom to store them. When students are engaging in physical activity they will likely need a drink afterward! Encourage students to grab a drink at any time throughout the school day. They can fill them up during breaks or recess. This strategy gives students responsibility, reduces interruptions during class time, keeps students in the classroom rather than wandering through the halls and most importantly keeps them hydrated!

Have fun!

Posted by Alison McIntyre

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Hey Teachers! Still nervous about yoga in the classroom? Get some cool tips from this class!

 

Posted by Meagan Harrington

SPOTLIGHT STUDENT ATHLETE

Introducing…

 

Our first  

 SPOTLIGHT 

              STUDENT 

                           ATHLETE...

LILY!!!

Okay, I’ll admit that my choice for our first Spotlight Student may have been a bit biased. She’s my cousin! But she’s smart, out-going, adorable, and there’s no doubt that this star gymnast deserves some recognition! I told Lil all about our blog and asked if she wouldn’t mind sitting down with me for an interview - her dedication to her sport is sure to amaze you!

I recorded our conversation and will scribe it for you know… mind you, I’ll be omitting lots and lots of giggles heard from both her and I throughout our talk! Since I had the advantage of knowing Lily’s background prior to the interview, I’ll provide you some of that info now! She’s a grade 5 student in Ottawa, Ontario and is a competitive gymnast. She’s been training since she was only two years old! Lily is a fantastic student and excels in gymnastics competitions at both city-wide and provincial levels.

(Me/Mollie, Lily)

What kind of daily physical activity did you do today?

I went skating twice with my class, and I ran outside at recess.. a lot!

So how much time would that be?

Well we went skating for two whole blocks, which are about an hour and fifteen minutes each, so about 2.5 hours, plus the running around at recess…

 

Is that a typical amount of exercise for you in a day?

Yeah because of all my gymnastics, I do four hours of it almost everyday.

How many days?

Four times a week after school, and then once on the weekend. So 20 hours a week total!

Wow! How do you find time to fit in your school work?

Well I do some when I get back from gymnastics, and then sometimes in the mornings before school, and then I have Thursday nights free and a little bit of time on Saturday and Sundays.

Do you find that being a gymnast helps you be a better student?

I think it does, just like… kind of like learning about physical education and commitment… so yeah!

Are you training for anything in particular?

Normally I train for competitions; I have about 4 to 5 a year. I do a lot of routines.

What’s your favourite event?

The floor.

What achievement are you most proud of?

I do well in competitions, and I’m proud that I’m doing all new moves that I couldn’t do when I was younger. 

What level are you at and how to do the levels work?

You have to be at level 5 to compete, and I’m at level 7. There are 12 levels – 12 would be Olympics, 9 would be Nationals… 

Is being in the Olympics a goal for you?

Ummmm.. MMMmmm…Maybeeee. Not too sure. 

Tell me about your best moves.

On bars it’s giant – do a hand stand and circle around the bar in a straight body. On floor it is a layout full twist, which is a straight body flip with a full twist, and on beam it is tic toc back hand spring.

Can you describe that one for us, please?

You go into bridge and touch your foot then kick back then do a back handspring, you like jump back on to your hands and then step down. Oh and the vault! Vault is front hand spring half, you jump on the beat board – the bouncy thing, and then your hands go on the vault and then you pop off and then you just do a half twist. 

What kind of training do you do during the four hours of practice?

We do conditioning every practice, which is push ups, sit ups, you hang on the wall bar, climb the rope, hand stand walk and more for about 45 minutes. Then we do events the rest of time. We have breaks and snack time too!

Any advice for our readers?

Always go for your dreams!

Teachers – keep an eye out for a Spotlight Student in your class! Why? Allowing student athletes to lead exercise lessons using their expertise is not only a great way to incorporate various DPA styles into the classroom, but gives students the opportunity to learn more about their classmates, show off their talents and discover new activities that they may like to get involved in.

Already thinking of one? Let us know! We encourage you to nominate Spotlight Students via email: dpablog@hotmail.ca - they might be the next star of our blog!!

Parents - Check this out! If your child is involved in an extra-curricular activity, you may be eligible for a tax credit! The following link will provide you with more info: 

Tax Credit Info

I’ll end with a quote from Lily’s dad/ my uncle/ former teacher/ former principal/ current guidance counsellor:

“I think that for kids who have some kind of outside activity, it doesn’t have to be 20 hours, more than anything it builds their self-esteem. I think that’s the biggest value that comes from extra-curricular activities… Every kid should have ‘something’…”

Posted by: Mollie Halverson 

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Welcome to the Joys of Yoga!

Hello teachers! Have you ever considered using yoga in your classroom? Well you should! Not only is yoga a wonderful way to incorporate DPA into your students day, but it also integrates multiple intelligences simultaneously. All your students need is a yoga mat (they can be found at the Dollarama for two dollars) and a water bottle. Don’t be scared teachers- even if you do not practice yoga, there are still lots of resources available to you! In Ontario, Yoga Unlimited works with teachers, offering them specialized courses on how to incorporate yoga into their classroom and school. Since yoga is one of my passions, here are some great yoga moves to get you and your students started. Enjoy!!

Step 1: Roll out the mat 

Roll out the yoga mat and don’t forget a water bottle! It is important to always stay hydrated while doing physical activity.

Step 2: Breathe

It is important to start yoga with breathing. Taking deep, and controlled breaths allows the body and muscles to warm up for some serious stretching to come. Breathe deeply in and out for five deep breaths.

Step 3: Strike a Pose

The Tree: Stand on one foot while the other is folded in like a triangle, resting on the standing calf. Have your hands on your hips or straight up. Don’t forget to breathe!

Step 4: The Chair

Sit back like you are sitting in a chair. You can have your arms up or straight out.

Step 5: The Plank

This is just like a push up. The only difference is keeping your arms tucked in by your side. Lower your body down to a hover a few inches off the ground. Hold for three to five seconds and release.

FINALE:

Lay on the mat either on your back or stomach and just breathe. This is the time to meditate and reflect on your yoga practice.

PLEASE NOTE: I am NOT a certified Yoga teacher. All the moves I have described here, I have simplified into my own words. If you need more instruction please feel free to consult these resources.

http://www.yoga4kids.org/

http://www.yogajournal.com

http://yogakids.com/

http://www.karmakidsyoga.com/

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Blogged by: Charlotte Blahut

Create A Positive Classroom Environment Through Physical Activity!

Hey teachers! Are you looking for ways to improve your classroom management? Have you tried just about everything under the sun, whether it be yelling, nagging, taking away privileges or implementing a rewards system? Well I have news for you! Teachers agree: the implementation of daily physical activity into instructional time improves student behavior and attentiveness throughout the day.

Now I know what you’re thinking: How on Earth am I going to find the time to incorporate an additional twenty minutes of physical activity every day? All five of us have recently completed our first practicum, and we have realized that the classroom runs at breakneck speed. Let’s be honest- teacher’s are faced with a lot of pressure, whether it be over standardized testing or the fact that teachers must accomplish a large amount of academic progress in the limited frame of the school day. However, we believe that no matter what the size of a teacher’s classroom is, or the strict curriculum guidelines, there are always creative ways to bring daily physical activity to the classroom.

Easier said than done right? I am sure many of you are reading this thinking “Of course physical activities are great for classroom management, however how do I keep the students behavior from getting out of control?” No problem! Follow these full proof tips and you can thank me later for your student’s good behavior in class!!

Tip # 1: Shorten the time frames in which you do your activity. Instead of completing the required twenty minutes of daily physical activity at once, have two ten minute breaks or four five minute breaks throughout the day.

Tip # 2: Set out the rules and expectations of each activity before starting.

Tip # 3: As soon as you notice that some students are getting off topic, redirect the class by beginning a new physical activity. Keep a copy of activities and stretches in your desk so that you are never scrambling for ideas!

Tip # 4: Provide an alternative activity for students. If a student has an exceptionality or is not particularly interested in the activity you have selected for the day, provide them with other options. For example, chair squats.

Tip # 5: End each physical activity break with a breathing exercise. After exercising, try saying to students “concentrate on how your body feels, you are now energized, focused and ready to learn.”

Tip # 6: Make sure you model to students how to efficiently transition from a daily physical activity back to their classroom work. To avoid wasting time transitioning from your DPA activity back to your lesson, ensure that you lay out the procedures and expectations at the beginning of the year. 

EXERCISE HELPS STUDENTS STAY FOCUSED! CHECK OUT WHAT IVERSON ELEMENTARY IS DOING IN THEIR SCHOOL TO KEEP STUDENTS FIT........WHAT ARE YOU DOING????

Posted by Meagan Harrington

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