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Do You Recommend Physical Activity in the Classroom?

Rondalyn V. Whitney, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA

March 23, 2015

Question

Do you recommend physical activity in the classroom?

Answer

Yes, I recommend physical activity in the classroom to decrease stress and help with attention.  For example, I knew a special education teacher who had a classroom of teenage boys. As she transitioned from one activity to another, she would have them march to the beat of a drum.  When they sat down to do their work, they were all able to focus and stay on task. I think physcial activity in small doses (30-60 seconds) throughout the day can be very helpful.  Some ideas can be running in place or standing up to get the wiggles out.

 


rondalyn v whitney

Rondalyn V. Whitney, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA

Rondalyn Whitney’s research focuses on emotional disclosure to reduce stress and improve quality of life and family quality of life when raising a child with disabilities.  She is the author of more than 6 books, her work has been published in over 10 scholarly journals and she is a Fellow of the American Occupational Therapy Association. She serves as a reviewer for several journals.


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