🏃‍♀️Active Breaks in Education 🏃‍♂️

In a world where we get told off by our smart watches and phones for being too sedentary, is it fair that we expect children to sit in classrooms without breaks?

You arrive at work one day to find out you and your work colleagues are no longer allowed to move from your desk. If you need the toilet, want a coffee or need some fresh air you have to put in a request. Your manager will judge these requests and there is no guarantee they’ll be granted.

You are also not allowed to talk to your colleagues, any communication must be conducted silently E.G. through Microsoft Teams chat. If you break these rules, you must stay late after work. Continued rule-breaking, classified as persistent disruptive behaviour, will result in you spending a day alone in a small room without windows.

You start to panic, there’s no way you can adhere to these rules. This is not the job you signed up for. You want to leave immediately. But you can’t, you’ve signed a 5-year contract with no exit clause.

Does this sound like a healthy and productive work environment? I’d argue that it’s not…Yet this is the expectation we have of so many children aged 11-16 up and down the country in our secondary schools. If we know adults wouldn't be able to adhere to those rules. Why do we expect children to?

Aside from the double standard of expecting children to adhere to these rules whilst we wouldn’t as adults. There are numerous benefits to taking breaks and being social during work/school time.

🫀Physical Health: Regular physical activity is essential for everyone. Active breaks provide an opportunity to engage in physical movements, such as stretching, jumping, or simple exercises. These activities promote cardiovascular health, increase blood flow to the brain, and release endorphins, which improve mood and reduce stress. By incorporating physical movement into their routines, students can positively impact their physical health and set the foundation for lifelong healthy habits.

🧠Emotional Regulation: Managing emotions can be challenging for many students. Active breaks offer a valuable outlet for children and young people to regulate their emotions. Physical activity stimulates the release of neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin, which are associated with positive emotions and well-being. Engaging in active breaks allows students to channel their energy constructively, reducing restlessness and providing a healthy emotional release. This, in turn, helps them to focus better, regulate their emotions, and maintain a positive mindset throughout the day.

⌛Enhanced Concentration: Sitting for prolonged periods can be challenging for students. Active breaks provide a much-needed change of pace, helping to alleviate restlessness and combat attention fatigue. By incorporating movement into their breaks, we can improve students' concentration levels, as physical activity increases oxygen flow to the brain, enhancing cognitive function and alertness. Short bursts of activity can re-energize students, leading to better engagement and improved learning outcomes.

⚽Social Interaction: Active breaks can foster social interaction and inclusion among students. Group activities and games encourage collaboration, cooperation, and the development of social skills. Through team sports, dance routines, or other interactive exercises, students have opportunities to interact with their peers, build friendships, and develop crucial communication skills. These social interactions contribute to the overall well-being and sense of belonging of all students.

🧘‍♂️🧘‍♀️Stress Reduction: Stress and anxiety can significantly impact the learning process. Active breaks provide a natural stress relief mechanism, allowing students to take a mental break and refocus their energy. Physical activity triggers the release of endorphins, which are natural mood elevators, reducing stress and promoting a sense of well-being. Incorporating active breaks into the daily routine can help students manage stress levels more effectively and create a positive learning environment.

In my opinion, active breaks work for the vast majority of pupils and the benefits massively outweigh the negatives.