The document highlights the significant role of physical education and movement in enhancing children's learning and executive function. It outlines a project led by a MAC president aimed at improving student participation in physical activities, demonstrating a strong link between exercise and cognitive benefits. Challenges faced include a lack of resources and awareness, but solutions are proposed, including professional development and integrating movement with educational practices.

1. Impactful Leadership Can
Improve Participation
IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND INTERSCHOLASTIC
ATHLETICS

2. A Story on the Power of
Reading & Learning to
foster Growth
• Honored to be asked,
but surprised…
• I had just started
working on a project
as the MAC
president...
• As a leader focused
on participation to
prevent dropouts…
• Being a learner, I
read…
• Staunchly believe in
the value of
scientifically based,
research proven
strategies to improve
learning…

3. The Research is
Clear
 Movement is linked to
improved learning
 Movement combined with
music is linked to even greater
learning improvement
 Planned, intentional movement
with carefully chosen music,
combined with cognitive
learning targets can lead to
significantly improved learning

6. “The Survey of
Research Says…”
 Exercise delivers fuel to the brain
 Exercise balances
neurotransmitters
 Exercise increases memory
 Exercise initiates neurogenesis
 Exercise creates, activates, &
stores BDNF
 Exercise increases attention
levels
 Exercise creates the best
environment for neural plasticity
 Exercise increases the capacity of
executive function

7. Executive
Function…in Kids
 Children rely on their
emerging executive function
to:
 Learn to read & write
 Remember steps in performing
math problems
 Take part in class discussions or
group projects
 Enter into & sustain play with
other children

8. What If…
 Children don’t have
opportunities to use and
strengthen these skills?
 They will likely have a very hard
time maintaining routine tasks in
life
 Studying
 Sustaining friendships
 Later in life it may manifest in
problems
 Managing crisis’s
 Holding a job

9. “Through CREATIVE PLAY,
GAMES, and schoolwork,
children practice integrating
their attention, working
memory, and self-control to
support planning, flexible
problem-solving, and
sustained engagement. “
Center on the Developing Child,
Harvard University

10. Your Brain on
Movement

11. Realities we Face
 Most UPK programs don’t
include PE
 Most PE programs don’t
include learning targets for
young children that create
intentional movements to
develop and strengthen
executive function
 As students age, participation
in PE and sports tends to wane
 Most classroom teachers don’t
know what “intentional
movement” is or integrate it

12. UV Student
Participation in PE
Fall 2014
435
102
34
500
450
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
UV Students in 6-
12
UV Students not
Participating 1st
Quarter
UV Students not
Participating more
than 1 time
Fall 2014
8% of our
6-12
students
23.4% of our 6-
12 students
chose not to
participate in PE
one or more days
in the 1st Quarter
of this year

13. Public Educations
“Go-To Motivator”
ZERO OUR
MOTIVATING
HERO

14. UV Student
Participation in
Sports
400
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
UV Interscholastic Sports
Participation
MAC League Interscholastic
Sports Participation
Total UV 7-12 Students
Fall 2012 Fall 2013 Winter 2012 Winter 2013 Spring 2012 Spring 2013

15. It’s Technology’s Fault

16. Let’s Problem Solve

17. Enough Blame to
go Around
 Not enough knowledge of the
new research
 Not a priority of the BOE or
Administration
 No time to plan with
elementary teachers
 Lack of professional
development around
movement to improve learning
 Lack of resources like “Tools of
the Mind”, Action Based
Learning LAB, Body Brain
Adventure, etc.

18. At UV
 Formed a Professional Learning
Community
 PE & Health Team addresses the
four questions of a PLC
 What’s essential for all students
to learn?
 How do we know they’re
learning?
 How do we respond when they
aren’t learning?
 How do we respond when they
are learning?

19. At UV con’t
 Include PE, Music, Occupational
Therapy (OT), and Library time in
UPK
 Integrating OT in primary
classrooms to strengthen fine
motor skills
 Integrating Physical Therapy in
primary PE classes to strengthen
gross motor skills
 6-12 grade students have 2-4
choices of physical activities in PE
 Implemented athletic program
improvement plan in 2013-14

20. We’re Okay Where
We Are,
 Need to embed PD on intentional
movement in PLC meetings
 Need to update learning targets to
integrate brain research
 Need to continue to increase student
participation in PE & sports
Step 3
Increased
Participation
Step 2
C, I, &
A
Step 1
PD
But,
We’re
Okay
Staying
Where
We Are.

21. The New PE
THE NAPERVILLE REVOLUTION
STARTED WITH EQUAL PARTS
IDEALISM AND SELF-PRESERVATION.
HTTP://SPARKINGLIFE.ORG/PAGE/HOME

22. Executive Function
“A set of processing skills
developed in the brain that
help us focus on multiple
streams of information at
the same time, monitor
errors, make decisions in
light of available
information, revise plans as
necessary, and resist the
urge to let frustration lead
to hasty actions.”
Center on the Developing Child,
Harvard University