The new math

Michelle Hillier leads a group of PECI students through a workshop of her Fit 2 Learn program—a series of activities and movements designed to stimulate creativity, confidence and inclusion.

Fitness equals learning

There are an abundance of philosophies, centuries old that link a healthy mind to a healthy body.

Today the hiccup in the philosophy comes in the execution, that is, putting the body in motion to foster the healthy mind, especially in modern, first world countries that are seemingly sliding down a path to “death by sitting.”

New research, published by a select committee of the British House of Commons suggests that this generation of children and youth may be the first in a century in which life expectancy falls.

The hurdle, in the view of many, lies in turning that trend around to help our children live long, health, productive and stimulating lives. To give them the tools to develop a healthy body and a strong mind despite the fact that the current curriculum requires only one physical education credit to achieve an Ontario Secondary School diploma.

In a collaboration between the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board (HPEDSB) and the Hastings and Prince Edward Counties Health Unit (HPECHU), a pilot program has been on-going at Prince Edward Collegiate Institute to incorporate physical activity breaks into the high school classroom.

Fit 2 Learn is a program adapted from the research of Dr. John Ratey, an associate clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, who says, in short, exercise switches the brain on.

“The more fit the child is the better learner they are. Exercise makes your brain better.

It optimizes your brain’s ability to learn. It helps regulate emotions. It improves your memory. It improves your motivation,” said Ratey. “We need to reinvigorate our schools and get our kids out of their seats and moving.”

“When they realize they can’t get it wrong and that they are too busy to notice if anyone is looking at them, their self-confidence goes up and they start to smile,” said Hillier. “That’s when we know it’s working.”

Jennifer Ronan, public health nurse at the HPECHU introduced the Fit 2 Learn program to PECI. It has been incorporated as a pilot program into the classrooms of three of volunteer teachers and, through word of mouth, six additional teachers at the school have jumped on-board for January.

“I have 25 very busy math students who look forward to coming to class,” said Laurie Spencer, who teaches grade 9 applied math and physical education. “We come in, take up homework, do the lesson and take an activity break. It has made a big difference. The students sit down ready to learn.”

Spencer leads the students either outside for 10 minutes to play Frisbee or kick the ball around or alternatively to do an organized physical activity in the class. When they resume class they return ready to learn and absorb the lesson.

It is reminiscent of the morning exercises done in schools in China or by Japanese workers, but without the synchronized, robotic appearance.

The students and teachers participating in the workshop appreciated that being active helped clear the mind.

“It refreshes your brain,” said one student.