The third month of the year is a transitory time. Winter is clinging to its last frigid mornings with winds that chill you to the bone, while hope emerges with longer days, glimpses of green grass, and a yearning to be out and alive.
For me, March in the classroom always mimicked the unsettled vibes March sends us. There were days where the students were sloths, mere shells of their usual chipper selves; then other days when my classroom was engulfed by feral beasts needing to expend pent up energy that had been hibernating all winter long.
This year, the need to expend pent up energy is even more prevalent in our students and ourselves. As we round the corner on a full year of Staying Home, the underlying current of getting out and engaging is sparking. Also, many schools are heading back into hybrid versions this month, another transition to something different.
Whether your classroom is fully online, full-time face to face, or a mishmash of hybrid uniqueness, March is a time to re-center with movement. Movement is an essential ingredient for alleviating the affective filter, building context through content, and creating connections within the community. Last week on the OWL blog, Emma shared science based research on why moving in the classroom is essential to our community’s success. This month, we’ll be sharing more research, ideas, and share outs on social media, of ways to generate and support movement in your classroom. As you reflect on what movement looks like in your classrooms nowadays, use these guiding questions:
- What is the ratio of standing to sitting in the classroom?
- How can I get students to move their bodies in a way that is safe and secure?
- How can we continue to laugh and connect through movement this year?
- How can I implement more movement into my daily practice? Into my life?
If you’re looking for some fresh, fun ideas on how to incorporate movement into your classroom this month, check out all our offerings below! And 🚨NEW PD ALERT! 🚨, join our half day training on Games and Activities this month too! It’s guaranteed to breathe more movement, laughter, and authentic conversations into your circles.