physical activity
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Physical activity and learning

Originally published Nov. 7, 2018 in the Lethbridge Herald.

An Eye on Education Column by Cheryl Gilmore

It’s that time of year again when the beauty of fall begins to wane and cooler temperatures have a tendency to push us indoors characterized by a less active routine. Whether at school or at home, I encourage everyone to push beyond the boundaries of cooler weather and find ways to keep our children and youth active.

We all intuitively know there is a direct relationship between physical activity and overall wellness. There is also a direct relationship between being active and learning. Countless studies point to the positive impact that physical activity has on student achievement. Read More

physical education classes
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Let’s get physical — Why Penn should offer for-credit physical education classes

Originally published Nov. 1 in The Daily Pennsylvanian

Editorial

At an academically competitive school like Penn, it isn’t hard to find a student whose most dreaded high school course was [physical education]. [P.E.] class was often a bizarre interlude in an otherwise normal school day. Jerry Seinfeld described it well: “You had English, Social Studies, Geometry, then suddenly you’re in ‘Lord of the Flies’ for 40 minutes.”

However, beyond the clear physical benefits of exercise, college students who regularly work out are often more focused, less stressed, and have sharper memories. For these reasons, we believe that Penn should utilize its existing athletic facilities and offer for-credit physical education elective courses. Read More

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Even mild physical activity immediately improves memory function, UCI-led study finds

Originally published Sept. 24, 2018 by Eureka Alert and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

People who include a little yoga or tai chi in their day may be more likely to remember where they put their keys. Researchers at the University of California, Irvine and Japan’s University of Tsukuba found that even very light workouts can increase the connectivity between parts of the brain responsible for memory formation and storage.

In a study of 36 healthy young adults, the researchers discovered that a single 10-minute period of mild exertion can yield considerable cognitive benefits. Using high-resolution functional magnetic resonance imaging, the team examined subjects’ brains shortly after exercise sessions and saw better connectivity between the hippocampal dentate gyrus and cortical areas linked to detailed memory processing. Read More

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Dynamic PE Course at Pomperaug High School Honored

Originally published Oct. 5, 2018 in the Southbury Patch.

The course was developed with the intention of assisting students who are struggling in school through physical activity.

The Connecticut Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (CTAHPERD) has awarded the “Dynamic Physical Education” course at Pomperaug High School (PHS) as an outstanding program.

Danielle McCauley, a Physical Education teacher at PHS, wrote the curriculum and syllabus for the dynamic PE course. The course was developed with the intention of assisting students who are struggling in school through physical activity, with a conscious effort toward developing a growth mindset and sense of mindfulness to improve calmness and focus through yoga and meditation. Read More

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Physical education class every day

Originally published Oct. 4, 2018 in the Charlevoix Courier.

Editors note: The following letter to the editor is from a fifth-grade student at Charlevoix Elementary School. Each week the Charlevoix Courier will feature one of the 19 student essay submissions from Charlevoix Elementary School teacher Dawn Hovie and run it on our opinion page.

Editor:

I think there should be physical education class every day in school for at least one hour a day because kids need exercise every day. Maybe the kid has a lot of chores to do at home, lives in an apartment, or the city and they do not have a chance to get outside easily to run around and play. Daily gym classes would give those kids the opportunity to get the recommended 60 minutes of exercise a day.

It has been proven that kids who go to P.E. do better in their classes that day than if they didn’t have P.E. This is because it allows the kids to work out extra energy and have the ability to focus more on their schoolwork. If kids have P.E. every day of the school week they would do better in classes all week. Having P.E. in the early afternoon helps to work out any remaining extra energy allowing for more focus the rest of the day.

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