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Annotated Bibliography  Hoffman, J. (2002). Flexible Grouping Strategies in the Multiage Classroom. Theory Into Practice, 41(1), 47-52.  This article discusses different grouping strategies that can be used within a multiage classroom, beginning with whole group instruction and ending with small...

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Remember the last time you had to sit through meetings all day? You probably woke up in the morning dreading the amount of time you would have to sit and listen to others talk, while being expected to contribute to the conversation, only getting up for the occasional bathroom or lunch break.

While we dread these isolated incidents, we put our students through it day in and day out. So instead, let's get up and move!

Brushing off the books: why movement works for students

I'm sure you've seen a few conferences that offered workshops or sessions on movement in the classroom, but whether you've been too nervous to take that step or another workshop was calling your name, this section is for you. This is research abridged: movement in the classroom edition.

There is no shortage of research when it comes to the benefits of movement in the classroom. In fact, John Ratey author of a User's Guide to the Brain, calls movement "Miracle-Go for the brain" and in the Edutopia article Move Your Body, Grow Your Brain, Donna Wilson lists some of the many quantitative benefits to movement. These include: "increased oxygen to the brain, alterations to neurotransmitters, and structural changes in the central nervous system." All of those lead to improved memory, focus and attitude (through a more positive outlook).

In a 1977 study published by the John Hopkins School of Education, Anne Gilbert Green took 250 elementary school-aged children and taught language arts through applied movement and kinesthetic methods for 20 weeks. After the 20 weeks, students who participated scored 13 percent higher on the MAT, while the district as a whole fell 2 percent (Green).

While we've all been conditioned to be able to sit for hours a day, it's actually a relatively new concept.

Over the hundreds of thousands of years humans have existed, only the past 500 or so generations have used chairs at all. According Eric Jensen, in his article Moving with the Brain in Mind, extended time sitting in chairs can lead to "poor breathing, strained spinal column and lower back nerves, poor eyesight and overall fatigue". In fact, he goes on to say, "Sitting in any chair for more than a short (10 minute) interval is likely to have negative effects on your physical self, hence your mental self and at a minimum reduce your awareness of physical and emotional sensations" (Jensen).

So how do we expect our students to produce their best work when they spend the better part of a 7 hour day sitting at their seats?

The problem lies in the fact that now, more than ever, teachers are expected to get through more content in a shorter period of time. It feels like there's not enough time in the day to teach what's expected, much less add in movement breaks. The good news is there is a way to authentically introduce movement in the classroom without interrupting lessons. In fact, once these techniques are introduced you might find yourself moving through material faster and more efficiently than ever before!

Ready, Set, WAIT!

Before you introduce movement in the classroom, do some work on the front end to prepare students. Otherwise you'll spend most of the class trying to regain focus.

Six steps to go through before engaging students in movement.

So now that you're convinced, what does this actually look like in an authentic and purposeful way?

Well for one, movement should be seamless in the curriculum, not something you do for one great lesson. To help with that, here are a few suggestions:

First-timers:

"I've tried movement before but..."

"I do movement in the classroom all the time and need some new ideas..."

These are some movement strategies I've seen work well in the middle grades classroom but they don't have to stop here. Teachers across the globe have found ways to engage their students with purposeful movement and authentic kinesthetic integration. One of the best aspects of the teaching profession is the sharing of ideas and activities, so if you have a movement strategy that's worked well in your classroom, leave it in the comments below!

How do you get your middle grades students up and moving?

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Moving in the middle - Innovation: Education

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Remember the last time you had to sit through meetings all day? You probably woke up in the morning dreading the amount of time you would have to sit and listen to others talk, while being expected to contribute to the conversation, only getting up for the occasional bathroom or lunch break.

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In the past couple years, mindfulness has become a buzzword of sorts in the world of education. As is the case with most buzzwords, the popularity of "mindfulness" has generated many questions, and a healthy amount of skepticism (1). Many middle grades educators aren't convinced the practice will work in their classrooms, or question its general effectiveness. And many educators still aren't quite sure what mindfulness is, exactly. So let's start there.

Mindfulness is a secular practice that draws from ancient Buddhist meditation traditions.
Jon Kabat-Zinn, a biologist who is considered by some to be the "father" of secular mindfulness, defines the practice as "paying attention on purpose" (2). In other words, mindfulness is paying attention to the thoughts, feelings, physical sensations, and environment you are currently experiencing, without judgement of yourself.

The popularity of mindfulness has skyrocketed over the past decade, thanks in part to numerous research studies. These studies, both qualitative and quantitative, illustrate an impressive array of benefits. These benefits include:

Mindfulness has been shown to improve overall mental, emotional, and physical health. Since the 1970s, mindfulness practice has slowly become more mainstream in the Western world, and is now used in settings ranging from medical to therapeutic to corporate.

Why bring mindfulness into the middle school classroom?

Middle school students today struggle to cope with stress brought on by factors including poverty, social media use, and ever increasing homework loads. Developing the skills to manage and reduce the negative impacts of stress, anxiety, and trauma is crucial during the pivotal early adolescent years. Mindfulness practice can provide the tools to support young people as they navigate the adolescent world of rapidly changing emotions, bodies, and relationships. "Release," a short video by Wavecrest films, explores the stress and anxiety experienced by middle schoolers, and the positive effects of mindfulness (7).

Classrooms are at the forefront of the latest mindfulness research. Studies in schools ranging from preschool to high school have shown that students benefit from mindfulness practice. One study of a group of elementary school children showed that a mindfulness-attention program resulted in improved cognitive skills, and increased social and emotional competence (6). Mindfulness programs are being used effectively with students from a wide variety of socioeconomic backgrounds- a pilot program implemented in Chicago public schools is proving beneficial in helping low-income urban students cope with the stress of poverty and trauma (8).

What does mindfulness look like in a middle grades classroom?

students through guided imagery (look
Mindfulness practice can take a variety of forms in a middle grades classroom. A classroom mindfulness practice can be as simple as a routine "moment of silence" each day, where students learn to focus on their breathing for 5 minutes as they sit quietly.
Other educators might lead their here to learn more, and for sample guided imagery scripts ).

In order to avoid religious associations, and to reinforce that this is a secular practice, it is important to use terminology such as "relaxation" or "centering practice," rather than "meditation."

How can I make this a success in my classroom?

The most important key to success for mindfulness practice is teacher buy-in. When students see that their teacher believes that mindfulness is something important and worthwhile, they will be more likely to take it seriously.

3. It's important that your school administration, and students' parents are aware of, and comfortable with what is happening in class. Check in with your school administrators to let them know what you are doing, and why you are doing it. It is also smart to send home a note and a permission slip before starting. Emphasize that this is a
Make sure administration and parents are on board.
se cular practice.

The success of mindfulness is dependent on its implementation as a daily classroom routine. Teachers who have implemented mindfulness in their middle grades classrooms report that it may take a few sessions for students to become comfortable with the practice, and that they may giggle or fidget as a result. Stick with it-in time students will become more comfortable, and begin to experience the benefits of mindfulness.

"Jon Kabat-Zinn: Defining Mindfulness." 3) Miller, John J., M.D., Ken Fletcher, Ph.D., and Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D. "Three-year Follow-up and Clinical Implications of a Mindfulness Meditation-based Stress Reduction Intervention in the Treatment of Anxiety Disorders." Rosenzweig, Steve, Jeffrey M. Greeson, Diane K. Reibel, Joshua S. Green, Samar A. Jasser, and Denise Beasley. "Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction for Chronic Pain Conditions: Variation in Treatment Outcomes and Role of Home Meditation Practice." Ostafin, Brian D., and Kyle T. Kassman. "Stepping out of History: Mindfulness Improves Insight Problem Solving." Mindful. N.p., 11 Jan. 2017. Web. 8 Apr. 2017. <http://www.mindful.org/jon-kabat-zinn-defining-mindfulness/>.
General Hospital Psychiatry 17.3 (1995): 192-200. Science Direct. Web. 9 Apr. 2017. Journal of Psychosomatic Research 6.1 (2010): 29-36. ScienceDirect. Web. 9 Apr. 2017. Consciousness and Cognition 21.2 (2012): 1031-036. ScienceDirect. Web. 9 Apr. 2017.

6) Schonert-Reichl, K. A., Oberle, E., Lawlor, M. S., Abbott, D., Thomson, K., Oberlander, T. F., & Diamond, A. (2015). Enhancing cognitive and social-emotional development through a simple-to-administer mindfulness-based school program for elementary school children: A randomized controlled trial. Developmental Psychology, 51 (1), 52-66. doi:10.1037/a0038454

Salzman, J. B. (Filmmaker). (2016, September 1). Release [Video file]. Retrieved March 6, 2017, from http://www.mindfulschools.org/news/release-film-middle-school-stress/

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In the past couple years, mindfulness has become a buzzword of sorts in the world of education. As is the case with most buzzwords, the popularity of "mindfulness" has generated many questions, and a healthy amount of skepticism (1). Many middle grades educators aren't convinced the practice will work in their classrooms, or question its general effectiveness.

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Exploratory Interest Blog Post Tricia Stokeststokes@uvm.edu, @tricia_stokes  University of Vermont  Targeted Course Proficiencies  I can advocate for young adolescents, middle level programs and practices.  I can model effective use of current and emerging digital tools to locate, analyze, ev...

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Annotated Bibliography for Exploratory Research Project  You will create an annotated bibliography for your research topic in APA format that demonstrates research using a variety of perspectives and resources, including digital media and resources.  This should include between 5 and 10 resources...

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Tarrant Institute for Innovative Education : University of Vermont

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This post is from PLP Pathways contributor Maura Wieler, Proficiency Based Learning and Technology Integration Coach at Lamoille South Supervisory Union.

A Smarter Take on Goal Setting?

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to attend a conference called Grading Exceptional and Struggling Learners with Lee Ann Jung . If your school is in the process of transitioning to a proficiency-based grading and reporting system, chances are you have read an article or an excerpt from a book authored by Jung or her colleague Thomas Guskey.

During her presentation she discussed a process to support struggling and exceptional learners through the development of a growth plan. The growth plan helps the student set goals and track progress towards meeting those goals using a process called goal-attainment scaling . The focus of the presentation was around teacher created goals. However, my gears started turning when considering how to use this process with students to build their goals for the school year.

How does Goal-Attainment Scaling Work?

Goal attainment scaling is a method of tracking progress that was initially developed in the health field to track medical rehabilitation. It is now being used in special education to develop goals and communicate student progress towards meeting those learning growth goals.

As Jung was talking about the process of special education case managers using this process to develop goals, I started to think about the power of using the structure of goal attainment scaling to empower students in the goal setting process. Goal-attainment scaling relies on the creation of a specific goal using the following format, very similar to a Mad Libs activity:

In [settings], I will [skill and behavior] [preposition], [acquisition criterion] [preposition] [fluency criterion]

In Language Arts and Social Studies class I will stay organized and write down my assignments every class with a strategy that works for me for a full week.

I would encourage a teacher to use language that students are familiar with to build a classroom specific goal setting sentence that would support the learners in their classroom. Once the student creates the goal, the next step is to make their scale. The goal sits at the top of the scale.

The scale has four descriptive statements, with the ultimate goal at the top and then three statements underneath. The other criteria parts of the scale are left blank, allowing for more growth and reflection.

I could imagine students using emojis, instead of numbers at the "score" or create a 1-8 scale instead of half points. The key is that students would be identifying three steps describing what progress would look like between where they are currently performing and their goal.

I can also imagine a student drawing four images to capture the four performance levels between where they currently are and what it will look like when they achieve their goal.

How will these goals support student reflection?

Writing a student goal using a goal-attainment scale helps a student to visualize what progress would look like at four different steps in their growth. Students would match their reflection with what part of the scale they are currently performing, and then would be able to use a reflective tool to help communicate their next steps and supports that they need. The numerical side of the scale helps the student articulate their current stage and measure their progress.

It is also important in this process to honor that when we are building new skills, we will slide up and down the scale. It is common to make some growth, and then find that our progress may have regressed back down the scale. This is all a part of the process of working towards reaching goals.

My Students Already Set Goals, Are We Too Late?

For me, the process of goal attainment scaling has the potential for students to identify specific benchmarks for themselves as stepping stones to help identify progress and also develop a path towards meeting their goal. The piece around the scale helps a student to quickly identify and reflect on where they are in the process of reaching their goal in a clear and specific way.

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This post is from PLP Pathways contributor Maura Wieler, Proficiency Based Learning and Technology Integration Coach at Lamoille South Supervisory Union. A Smarter Take on Goal Setting? A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to attend a conference called Grading Exceptional and Struggling Learners with Lee Ann Jung .