EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
By definition, experiential means involving or based upon experience and observation. When paired with learning it brings to life the lessons and concepts being taught by having students actually "live" what they are learning. Based upon the combined theories of Piaget, Dewey and Lewin, experiential learning asserts that knowledge and understanding is achieved through the combination of grasping and transforming information.
LIFE LONG MOVEMENT
FOCUS/ATTENTION SPAN
Beginning at a young age, children learn the importance of movement; our world works on both physical and mental movement. Instilling a solid base knowledge of movement in students allows them to become more productive and healthy adults both physically and mentally.
Life long movement promotes the idea that humans were built to move and interact with the world around them. Being consistently active throughout one's life reduces obesity, lowers stress, and nourishes the body in many ways.
The Lancet, a world reknowned medical journal, recently released many abstracts on the effects of movement and physical activity. It highlighted the following:
- Physical inactivity causes around 1 in 10 deaths worldwide (physical inactivity increases the risk of health conditions such as coronary heart disease, breast & colon cancer, type 2 diabetes, as well as shortens life expectancy.
- 4 out of 5 adolescents & 1 in 3 adults are NOT meeting recommended amounts of physical activity and are at high risk of disease resulting from a sedentary life.
Exercise has many positive and fruitful ramifications upon the brain.
It increases heart rate which in turn pumps more oxygen to the brain. More oxygen flooding the cells promotes new cell growth as well as decreases cell breakdown. As the body exercises and oxygen flows more readily there is a release of various hormones throughout the body allowing a more enriching and nourished environment for cell growth.
Exercise also nourishes the plasticity of the brain by stimulating growth of new connections between cells throughout the vital cortical areas of the brain. Research from UCLA illustrated that exercise increased brain growth thus making it easier for the brain to grow new neuronal connections.
When there is increased cell growth focus and attention span are increased as well. Memory is aided and the brain functions at a much higher level with movement and exercise.
COORDINATION
Coordination develops in the younger years. It begins with simple locomotor skills and development (ie: skipping, jumping, galloping, tumbling, running, climbing, throwing, kicking, etc). Between the ages of 2-5, early childhood, is the critical period for skeletal growth as well as joint flexibility.
Also during this early childhood period, children are developing their muscles, the nervous system, vision & visual perception, balance, cognition, and kinesthesia (the sense that detects body position, weight, and movement of muscles, tendons, and joints).
The early years should be focused upon physical activities that are tailored to the physical development needs of that age (ie: dancing, gymnastics, tumbling, motor skill development). Then as the child grows and forms a solid basis of motor skills activities that introduce and promote visual acuity, control, and balance should be introduced (ie: organized sports).
HEALTH
There are a wide array of health benefits associated with exercise. The obvious physical benefits include muscle strength, cardiovascular endurance, increased balance, locomotor skills, and strategy and tactic development.
Other health benefits that have recently been brought to light are the antidepressant effects exercise plays in reducing stress hormones. The reduction in stress hormones actually increases cell growth in the hippocampus (the area of the brain responsible for learning and memory).
As the body feels less stress it shifts away from a sense of survival mode into one that promotes development of cells thus allowing the body and brain to begin to function at a higher level.
The potent neurotrophic hormone, IGF-I (insulin growth factor I), mediates many of the effects of exercise on the brain. A 2001 research project by the Cajal Institute found that exercise prevents and protects brain damage through an increase in uptake of circulating IGF-I in the brain. They concluded that "the practice of exercise is thus strongly recommended as a preventative measure against neuronal demise."
FITNESS
Regular exercise improves both health and fitness. Health is defined as a state of complete mental, physical and social well-being. Fitness is the ability to meet the demands of the environment one is functioning in.
Fitness reduces the risk of coronary heart disease, hypertension, stress, colon cancer, breast cancer, diabetes, asthma. It also promotes mental well-being and coping strategies.
Allowing students to become accustomed to beneficial fitness levels promotes, not only life long health, but stamina, improved posture, higher confidence levels, and tension relief.
Helping students achieve high levels of fitness and health enables them to be successful navigators and negotiators within their environments.