There are many things we take for granted, and many things we just assume.  Many people assume, for example, that the best position from which to read a book is sitting.  Or that someone studies better at a desk, alone on a chair.  Our schools in particular base many of their activities around outdated and silly theories that completely ignore the importance of physical movement in helping to activate neural connections in our brains. Granted, many talented teachers figure out ways to incorporate movement into every day classroom routines: kids get up to pick up handouts, a student walks up to the board to solve a problem, groups of kids move from table to table after each completed assignment.  When I taught high school history, I sometimes had my students get up and turn around 4 times, supposedly a lucky number in Kwaikutl culture.  I also just told them to get up and stretch, … [Read more...]