What are movement and brain breaks?
Movement breaks are brief intervals that enable all students to move their bodies and help teachers and tutors to engage learners in physical ways. Chants, poems, greetings and activities can be used as movement breaks throughout the day. Intersperse quick movement breaks into the day to bring oxygen up to students' brains and refuel them for learning. Often times, squirming, calling out, staring out the window, whispering to a neighbor, and other such minor misbehavior are clear signals that students need to get up and move to refocus!
How do movement breaks help students?
Quick, frequent breaks not only enable students to stay focused on learning—they can even increase learning. By using movement breaks at the right time, students maximize their attention and stay on task. That's why I often lead a rousing game of "Double This Double That" (see you tube video) during Writing or a quick round of "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes" during assessments.
How do movement breaks help teachers and tutors?
In addition to refocusing attention, these breaks can help students and tutors connect on a different level, if only for a minute. Engaging in a fun activity helps the dynamic of the classroom changes subtly. It’s fun to share a smile, laughter and a silly moment together. Finally, movement breaks help to release stress and wipe the slate clean.
Movement breaks benefit both you and your students. Using them at the right time helps increase student focus, decrease stress, and create opportunities for community building and fun. Plan to use movement breaks more often this week—and consider trying one during a time in the session when you haven't before.
Movement breaks are brief intervals that enable all students to move their bodies and help teachers and tutors to engage learners in physical ways. Chants, poems, greetings and activities can be used as movement breaks throughout the day. Intersperse quick movement breaks into the day to bring oxygen up to students' brains and refuel them for learning. Often times, squirming, calling out, staring out the window, whispering to a neighbor, and other such minor misbehavior are clear signals that students need to get up and move to refocus!
How do movement breaks help students?
Quick, frequent breaks not only enable students to stay focused on learning—they can even increase learning. By using movement breaks at the right time, students maximize their attention and stay on task. That's why I often lead a rousing game of "Double This Double That" (see you tube video) during Writing or a quick round of "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes" during assessments.
How do movement breaks help teachers and tutors?
In addition to refocusing attention, these breaks can help students and tutors connect on a different level, if only for a minute. Engaging in a fun activity helps the dynamic of the classroom changes subtly. It’s fun to share a smile, laughter and a silly moment together. Finally, movement breaks help to release stress and wipe the slate clean.
Movement breaks benefit both you and your students. Using them at the right time helps increase student focus, decrease stress, and create opportunities for community building and fun. Plan to use movement breaks more often this week—and consider trying one during a time in the session when you haven't before.
TLC Staff have created a binder with break examples, instructions and pictures on how to implement these simple exercises into your tutoring routine.
Ask a staff member to browse the options!
Break Ideas
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Movement Based
Musical and Rhythmic with Video Links
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Watch some of our TLC students demonstrating brain-breaks!
Additional Resources
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Videos
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