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S.M.A.R.T. Newsletter - Oct. '22

9/23/2022

One S.M.A.R.T. Teacher - Oct. '22

One S.M.A.R.T. Teacher at Discovery Elementary in Waite Park, Matthew, lays out his S.M.A.R.T. Course in a serpentine fashion to maximize the space AND stimulation his students get by doing the activities. You will notice that each activity leads directly to the next to keep the students moving on the course. In the places where there is wall space, Matthew has placed Learning Ladders at varied levels to address the different heights of children and various content to address the diverse needs of all his students.

This S.M.A.R.T. Teacher’s advice is: “Slow and steady will win the race. Stay true to what we have learned, and hold the expectations of each movement to the highest standard. Also have fun!! If you are excited the kids will be excited!”

Matthew is also a S.M.A.R.T. Teacher because he attended a S.M.A.R.T. Workshop 2 years in a row and gave us several laughs! We get excited when we recognize the names of educators in our registration as repeat participants. Educators who come back for additional workshops tell us they learn even more the second time and gain a much deeper understanding of the program.

Is there a S.M.A.R.T. Teacher at your school who deserves to be recognized? Send their name, email address, and a brief description of what they are doing to [email protected] so we can feature them in this section.

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S.M.A.R.T. Spaces - Oct. '22

9/22/2022

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Did you know that if you don’t provide movement breaks for students, they take them anyway? Think about it, do you see kids in your classroom tapping on their desks, rocking or leaning back in their chairs, bothering their neighbors, roaming around the room, etc.? So, help them out and include S.M.A.R.T. breaks all through the day. Check out this months’ Time Saving Tips for a free dice game!

You don’t need a lot of space for a movement break.

Students can do a movement break:

right beside their desks
at their assigned “S.M.A.R.T. Zone” around the room

If you use an assigned S.M.A.R.T. spot for movement breaks, check out the variety of Velcro shapes on Amazon to space students.

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S.M.A.R.T. at Home - Oct. '22

9/22/2022

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We have some fun and effective ways to make homework a little more fun using one of our S.M.A.R.T. Principles - Movement Anchors Learning!

Did you know that thinking and learning aren’t just in our heads? Movement influences the ability to concentrate in a classroom and to learn to read and write. Movement is also a way to recharge the brain! We have some fun ideas for you that involve movement and learning.

Dribble a ball and spell words
Use a jump rope to practice math facts
Jump from side to side over a line while identifying letters or numbers
Walk a Balance Beam (reuse that jump rope!) while reviewing vocabulary

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Time Saving Tips - Oct. '22

9/22/2022

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Does it seem like your students have ants in their pants? Don’t wait until most of your students are antsy to take a movement break; it is a big mistake!!! Instead, when you start to see students squirm, provide a quick movement break to get their brains and bodies back on track. But some teachers are nervous about adding movement breaks during the day because they feel they’re taking away from their instructional time. However, the opposite is true! Purposeful, intentional movement breaks enhance instruction!

After a movement break, children will be more focused and able to concentrate better. And you’ll notice you don’t have to repeat directions as often or redirect behaviors, saving you some time and frustration.

Your movement break options may include:

Helicopter Spinning
Balance Sequence
Flamingos
Jumping Jacks
Windmill Toe Touches
Cross Pattern Marching

Several amazing things happen when you take a movement break. The children are getting the “wiggles out,” they’re getting more oxygen and blood flow to their brains, improving their focus and alertness for their academics, and getting more S.M.A.R.T. minutes!

Try this dice game for a fun and easy way to decide what type of movement break to use. We consulted our S.M.A.R.T. Pre-K CORE Guide and included some of our favorite movement break ideas. Just click, download, and print (yes, this will also save you time)!

Download:

Dice Game (PDF)

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S.M.A.R.T. Newsletter - Oct. '22

One S.M.A.R.T. Teacher - Oct. '22

S.M.A.R.T. Spaces - Oct. '22

S.M.A.R.T. at Home - Oct. '22

Time Saving Tips - Oct. '22

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