Evidence Supports Importance of DPA

"See Jane run (for at least 30 minutes),
See Jane play violin (preferably in a youth orchestra),
See Jane's grades soar."

Researchers are bringing to light what many HPE educators have long suspected: exercise has a positive impact on students' grades. This conclusion comes from a growing body of evidence studying the link between academic performance and physical activity (see blog post from June 1, 2009) and was most recently discussed this past weekend in a Globe & Mail article by Anne McIlroy.

The article discusses the fact that exercise improves executive functions - a cluster of skills and processes thought to be critical for success in school and life. They include: inhibitory control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility. Neuroscientists claim that the brain circuits involved in cognitive function overlap with those relating to motor function. In other words, priming one system can engage, or warm up, the other.

20 minutes of sustained moderate-to-vigorous exercise, preferably in the morning or mid-day, is all that is needed to reap the benefits. So the challenge then is to find new and workable ways to incorporate daily physical activity into a school's schedule. The Saskatoon class run by teacher, Allison Cameron, profiled in the article, were part of an experiment that used treadmills and stationary bikes to get students' heart rates into the target zone.





Photo courtesy of Geoff Howe for the Globe and Mail



However the same effect can be had by using inexpensive and not to mention greener (a treadmill uses a lot of electricity) methods such as running on the spot, going up and down stairs, and walking around the classroom. Circuit charts are a simple and affordable way to keep activities fun and challenging.

Teach your class how to find their target heart rate and find out what they do to get active! By using differentiation and creativity you can create daily fitness blasts that will engage your students while raising their grades in and outside of the health and physical education classroom!