Ashland teachers will incorporate physical activity into lessons

Teachers from Ashland Independent Schools attended a Take 10 workshop to learn how to incorporate physical activity into the classroom, Adam Black reports for The Independent: “The program, which has been provided . . . through a grant, encourages teachers to give students 10 minutes twice a day in physical activities while learning core curriculum subjects.”

The workshop included colorful scarves, stress balls and Chinese jump ropes. Teachers said the alphabet backwards while jumping rope and used scarves to write out letters. John Smith, educational consultant for Flaghouse Inc., said, “There is a 42 percent obesity rate in the Ashland area.” Smith told teachers who attended the workshop that the Take 10 program could positively affect their schools. “Kids get better test scores after physical activity,” he said.

Smith demonstrated activities students could do even in a small classroom and shared some analogies and stories with the group. “Imagine you are a car, and you fill your tank up, drive around the block and fill up again. Eventually you will explode since you’re not burning it all off,” he said, Black writes.

“They are really practical activities that don’t require a lot of prep time,” said Oakview Elementary School music teacher Braun Ream.