Recess in Kansas – Too Short?

By Kim Jones, CEO, Curriki

According to an article this week from the Associated Press, elementary students in public schools in the State of Kansas have only 20 minutes or less for their daily recess.

The Kansas State Department of Education and the state’s Association for Physical Education, Recreation and Dance presented their research findings this month to the Kansas State Board of Education.

The Kansas Health Foundation supported the study. Jeff Willett, the vice president for programs and advocacy at the foundation noted that “Far from taking time from learning, these healthy habits (physical activity) actually help kids succeed in school”. Physical activity supports mental activity and improved learning.

Children at recess in Hanoi, Vietnam

There are concerns nationwide in the U.S. about childhood obesity and the level of fitness of children. According to the National Youth Fitness Survey in 2012, only one quarter of preteens and young teens are getting an hour or more of physical activity per day.

Teachers and parents should be encouraging sufficient recess periods during the school day.

Lessons plans around fitness, exercise and nutrition can be found here on Curriki:

http://www.curriki.org/xwiki/bin/view/Coll_Group_CurrikiMonthlyThematicCollections/KidsgovExerciseFitnessandNutrition

and also here:

http://www.curriki.org/xwiki/bin/view/Coll_kathyf/FitnessforLife

Top 10 Tips – Organizing for Back to School

from Joanne Masters, Curriki Contributor

Whether you are an educator or a parent, getting organized for back to school can be a challenge.  To help you get a jump-start on this process, we have amassed top industry best practices and tips ranging from new teachers strategies, to back-to-school checklists to creative ideas/icebreakers for the first day of school. Check out the top ten and let us know what you find helpful!

1. New Teacher Collection of back to school web links, activities, and practical information for new teachers.

2. From Simplify 101, seven creative Back to School Organizing Tips ranging from establishing a communications hub with a command central binder to a simple yet, effective “don’t forget” door hanger with critical take to school items.

3.  Call your school to find out the required back-to-school paperwork and mandatory immunization shots .  Many kids have been delayed from starting their first day due to improper school papers and/or lack of all the required immunization shots.  This site explains the typical vaccinations types, reasons for the shots and an excellent resource center for parents.

4. Play the “Match Game” with your kids and their clothes.  Enlist your kids to clean out their closets, sort out the old, match up outfits and donate unwanted or outdated clothing to charity.  This activity will help reduce the morning dressing chaos that places stress on the entire family and starts the day off on the wrong foot.

5. Back to School: How can Curriki Help? Find Icebreaking activities, student facing materials, tips on networking with other teachers and more.

6.  From the Teacher’s Corner to Reading Rockets (resources from the national multimedia  project) to A-Z Teacher Stuff, NEA’s Back to School site is a great resource for educators.

7. Back-to-School Checklist from OnLine Organizing is a concise list covering everything from buying school supplies to teaching kids to set boundaries.

8. Need classroom management guidance or best practices for student motivation? At a loss for ideas to do the first day of class?  From creative writing to icebreakers to management tips you’ll ind it all on Curriki’s Back to School. Lessons and activities targeted for grades K-8.

9.  Don’t forget to pay attention to the classroom ambiance and arrangement.  A warm and welcoming classroom environment provides a great back drop for students to learn.

10. Beginning of the Year Teacher Strategies: Getting the Year Started on the Right Foot.  About.com has great advice on Preparing for the First Day of Class.

11. Extra Credit:  USA.gov Back to School has a wealth of resources for parents, students and educators.  A particularly good segment is on Safe and Healthy Students that addresses back to school anxiety, bullying, preventive drug abuse, school nutrition and much more.

Back-to-School Success from Day One

[tweetmeme]

The days are getting shorter, the wind is blowing colder, the public pools are closing, and the crosswalks have been repainted…

These signs can only point to one thing: it’s September, and another school year is about to begin!

Learning for Success

To be a successful learner, students must feel welcome and accepted from the moment they walk through the door. As teachers we must promote positive, healthy relationships every time the students enter a classroom. The lessons included in Bodyism: Celebrating Differences are excellent resources for starting the conversation of acceptance and support in your classroom.

Creating a Success-Full Environment

Turn your classroom into a Peaceful Place, where students feel supported, encouraged, and empowered. “A Peaceful Place is more than just a “location” you create for the children in your care; it is an approach you can adopt that addresses environmental design, educational activities, and your attitude.”

Directing Successful Behavior

…Even when you make an effort to create a safe, supportive space in your classrooms, conflicts may arise. To restore (and promote!) Harmony in the Classroom, access this book dedicated to conflict resolution for secondary schools, with a focus on diverse populations.

How has Curriki shaped your practice? Tell us your story, and win cool stuff!

@Curriki

Like what you read? Become a fan of Curriki on Facebook!

Photo by: Sakeeb via Flickr Creative Commons

Back to School: How can Curriki help?

Back to school: it’s a fraught topic, right? As a student, I remember how important those first impressions were. Lots of planning went into those outfits!

In our house, there were always nerves but excitement about seeing old friends, making new ones, and, what would my teacher be like?

As a teacher, you’re definitely not immune from thinking about your first outfit. But as the person largely responsible the academic trajectory of your students, going back to school and the attendant feelings are inevitably broader and deeper. (i.e., less shallow!)

If you’re like most teachers, you’re probably thinking . . .

Whose education will I be responsible for this year? How will I start the year off right? How can I keep them engaged enough to absorb the curriculum when they are so absorbed in their own technologies? What challenges will my students bring? What joys will they bring, and what will I learn from them? And, what is the district / principal / state expecting from me this year? How can I deliver?

As a community of educators, Curriki is committed to helping with many of these questions.

There are a few ways Curriki can help:

Icebreaking Activities: The Curriki New Teachers group has lots of resources and link for organizing your year and getting to know the students who will be the focus of your days for the next year.

Student Facing Materials: In the vast array of learning resources in the repository are many lessons and activities suitable for students. When searching the repository, type “student-facing” into the search box to see what you can find in terms of engaging activities and multimedia resources.

Networking with Other Teachers: If you have a particular education-related topic you are interested in convening about with others, start a group! Let editorial@curriki.org know about your group and perhaps we can direct you to others who might be interested in joining, or suggest esources that might work well for your purposes.

Focus on Subject Areas: We’re launching a series of subject area pages within the next few weeks. Check the home page in a few weeks or links to pages including recently top reviewed content, blogs in your discipline, and other highlights.

This year, the site is bigger than ever, with more than 82,000 active members from all over the world.

Curriki is more valuable than ever because frankly? Curriki is as free as it ever was, and that means a good deal these days.

Meredith Phillips
Curriki Editorial Team