Who needs a brain break?

Brain Breaks are a useful tool for students to use to help activate, energize and stimulate their brains. Research indicates that brain breaks help students relieve stress.  Exercise boosts brain power.  Cardio activity increases oxygen-rich blood flow to the brain and increases students’ ability to concentrate.  What does this look like in the classroom?  Go Noodle helps answer that question. When I was a 4th grade teacher, this quickly became a favorite in my classroom. I must admit - I loved it, too! I appreciated the fact that the videos were safe, and I didn't need to worry about my students seeing something they shouldn't. What a relief! If it happened to be a student's birthday, that student picked our videos! It was difficult to stop at just one, too! We love Go Noodle!

Go Noodle is an online tool that is filled with safe videos that help students find their focus, by stretching, moving, and breathing.  Videos range from 2 minutes to 5 minutes, giving teachers lots of flexibility in planning.  

Getting started is quick, easy, and free!  You begin with your information:

Next, it’s time to name your class:

After naming your class, it will be time for your students’ favorite part: it’s time to pick your CHAMP!  You can change your Champ at any time.  As your class accumulates minutes from videos, your Champ’s muscles will grow; students love that!

Before each video, you will see your Champ, along with a fun fact:

It is helpful to review the videos before trying them with students.  There are some videos that are more appropriate for older students, such as “Cha Cha Slide,” while others may be best suited for primary students, including “Don’t Give Up,” with Bruno Mars and The Muppets.

It won’t be long before students pick out their favorites, such as “Let it Go,” “Everything is Awesome,” or “The Continental Drift,” all from recent popular movies.  

Think about times throughout the day when students are asked to sit for long periods of time; these are great opportunities to try Go Noodle.

Go Noodle has a YouTube Channel.  This is a great tool to use to view some of the videos. All the videos are included on their website.

Go Noodle has a Facebook page that has helpful suggestions and this page is used to announce new videos.

The Go Noodle Blog is a very helpful resource, filled with recommended strategies for the videos.

Have questions or suggestions on how to improve this tool?  Follow Go Noodle on Twitter. They add new videos and resources quite often, and they rely on teachers’ feedback for improvement.

Reflect on your daily schedule.  When would be a good time to get students up and get them moving?  

Is there a test coming up in which the breathing and stretching exercises could benefit your students?  Give Go Noodle a try.  Get that cardio going!

Mr. Townsel...

I had wanted to visit The Ron Clark Academy for years - YEARS - before I finally got to go.  Thanks to a grant by the Public Education Foundation, my dear colleagues and I were finally blessed to see the magic in March, 2013!  Within minutes of being inside the building, I was in tears, as I imagined what it would be like if ALL schools felt more like RCA. Yeah, you can just feel it.  There's an energy, an excitement, a deep commitment to do whatever it takes to see their students succeed.  It's evident in everything they do.

I'll never forget Mr. Townsel.  His students were amazing, without a doubt, as they rapped the periodic table!  (How did they do that?) Their passion, energy, and enthusiasm just left us speechless!  Wowzers!

It was at the end of the day, however, when Mr. Townsel left his mark on me.  You see, his classroom was home to several snakes.  Lots of snakes.  Fat, slimy, scary snakes.  Yuck!
We were visiting with him and he asked me if I wanted to hold one.  My immediate response was, "NO WAY!"  He continued to encourage me that yes, I could do something that terrified me greatly.  In the end, I did in fact, hold that snake, but I made Mr. Townsel stand right beside me the whole time!

Even without knowing him well, I know that that's what he did for everyone around him - he guided us, encouraged us, and stood beside us as we took risks.  He told us that we could do things that our fears were telling us we couldn't.

My heart is sad that the world has lost such an incredible teacher, but we are blessed that his GREAT LEGACY lives on in all of us.  Fear is something I struggle with daily, but Mr. Townsel's encouragement and compassion is something I will never, ever forget.  Rest in peace, Mr. Townsel, and thank you. 

That Day We Went to College...

Wow!  What a day!
 

Some of my eLeaders and I returned to my beloved alma mater, Indiana State University, on Saturday, November 1st, to participate in their annual gathering of amazing teachers, Sycamore Educators Day!  We had such a blast!

It was an emotional day for me, as I reflected on so many great memories spent on that campus many years ago.  It was in that very building - what is now the Bayh College of Education - that I decided to become a teacher!  Back then, it was the University Lab School.  I'm so thankful for the incredible professors I had, who taught me more about life than about passing the next test.  Some of those professors had such an impact on me, that I make sure I stay in touch with them.  They still hear from me during "Teacher Appreciation Week" each year.

It was a beautiful day to teach teachers!

We had fun sharing our favorite techie tools with teachers, and learning from them too!  If you'd like to see what we shared, click this link and it will take you to our presentation slides.  Enjoy!

Our t-shirts had the hashtag!