Physical Activity Enhances Academic Achievement
As parents and teachers, we all want our kids to enjoy school, but we also want
them to do well in the classroom. Sure, we’re all for our children having a
balanced education, with time for science and social studies, as well as and art
and gym. But let’s face it, they are in school to learn, and when push comes to
shove, the important work gets done in the classroom, right? Time spent on the
playground will not help raise SOL scores. Or will it?
Surprisingly, researchers have learned that physically fit kids perform better
academically. The California Department of Education recently released a study
linking physical fitness to higher achievement in both reading and mathematics.
This finding reinforced an earlier study published in the book, Children and
Sport, which showed that academic achievement improves even when physical
education takes time away from academics. When class time for academics was
reduced by 240 minutes per week to allow for increased physical activity, math
scores were consistently higher, according to the study.
Even the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports agrees. “Evidence
suggests that time spent in physical education does not decrease learning in
other subjects,” according to the Council. “Youth who spend less time in other
subjects to allow for regular physical education have been shown to do equally
well or better in academic classes.”
So there you have it. You want better grades? Spend less time with the bar
graphs and more time on the monkey bars.
Andrew M. Tarr
For more details:
California study:
http://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/ne/yr02/yr02rel37.asp
240 minutes for higher math scores: Shephard, R.J., Volle, M., LaVallee, H.,
LaBarre, R., Jequier, J.C., & Rajic, M. (1984). Required physical activity and
academic grades: A controlled study. In J. Ilmarinen & I. Valimaki (Eds.),
Children and Sport (pp. 58-63). Berlin: Springer-Verlag
President’s Council:
http://www.fitness.gov/digest_sep1999.htm
And to see why jumping jacks improve memory and enhance those neuron
connections, read Teaching with the Brain in Mind, by Eric Jensen.
This article first appeared in the June 2005 issue of Ashlines, the monthly
newsletter of Ashlawn Elementary School, Arlington, Va.
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