Posts:

• Helpful Vote = 0
  Val Choo-Foo - 11/28/2011 10:23:57 PM

  We have just started an after-school fitness program called "Fit for Fun" for our three middle years' schools - 1 day a week for each school from after school until 5:00 pm.  We have a qualified instructor who is young, energetic and eager to get students active and having fun!  However, we are really struggling to get students to stay after school and participate.  I have spoke to all the students, sent letters home, had it announced and put posters up.  We are giving away small prizes each week too, and still very poor attendance!  Any suggestions??

• Helpful Vote = 0
  Val Choo-Foo - 10/6/2011 12:47:25 PM

  Is your community or school running an after-school program?  If so, how does it work?  Do many students participate?

• Helpful Vote = 0
  Kim Herperger - 9/20/2011 10:13:52 AM

  Great ideas, Val. Thanks for those. We've heard from a lot of teachers that it just takes a little creativity, but it can be done.

  Our Daily Physical Activity Manual is a great place to start for those who need more ideas.

• Helpful Vote = 0
  Val Choo-Foo - 9/12/2011 5:49:57 PM

  Being a teacher for 13 years, I often found it difficult to add more to my day as you mention Christine; however, I agree with Graham that it can be just using those few extra minutes in between classes or to give your class a Body Break.  Some quick examples are:  practice multiplication by giving the answer in toe touches, practice spelling words with jumping jacks (say the letters out loud and do an open jumping jack for consonants and a closed jumping jack for vowels), play "A Deck of Activities" (for each suite have an activity such as "hearts" are pushups and then when a student chooses a card the class does that number of that activity - does that make sense?)  If anyone is interested, I can send you a copy.

  Good luck and have fun being in motion!!

   

• Helpful Vote = 1
  Graham Richardson - 8/25/2011 2:47:53 PM

  Good question Chris.  For those teachers who don't believe they have enough time, it needs to be communicated to them that being in motion isn't something that needs it's own specific block of time for.  in motion becomes part of the culture of the school. An additional 30 minutes doesn't need to be added to the school day...small periods of time within the school daty turn into in motion time.  When a teacher sees that their students are becoming distracted in class, a quick 2 or 3 minute physical activity can bring their attention back.  Moving between classes in the hallways, students can do lunges instead of simply walking from room to room.  Before they know it, the 30 minutes will be achieved and it won't even feel like any work has been done to do so!

• Helpful Vote = 0
  Christine Niemczyk - 8/25/2011 8:55:47 AM

  Graham - quick comment for you - when I talk with some teachers about encouraging their school to become an in motion school they right away tell me that they don't have time to include another 30 minutes of physical activity, there's just not enough time in their schedule, they don't know how to fit this in, and so on. Do you have any tips for teachers to help break down some barriers so they can offer 30 minutes of physical activity daily for our kids who desperately need to keep moving?! 

• Graham Richardson - 8/22/2011 1:52:50 PM

  Within a few weeks, kids all across Saskatchewan will be back at school.  Do you know if your children are going back to an in motion school?  In motion schools work to provide a minimum of 30 minutes of physical activity to all students every day, aside from the already prescribed physical education programs.

  Don't be afraid to ask your child's teacher if their school is in motion, and what sort of activities they are doing to provide the students with opportunities to be physically active.  Share what some of these activities are that are occurring within the school, or share your experiences in approaching the teachers about the school being in motion and advocating for physical activity.