Energized Strategies for Engaged Learning

Using Movement, Rhythm, and Creative Play to Facilitate Classroom Learning

It is common knowledge that children today exercise, move, and play outdoors less often than any previous generation, while at the same time engaging in ever more screen time and “virtual reality.” The troubling result of some refer to as an “evolutionary experiment” can be seen in the rise of problems related to attentional focus, concentration, impulse control, and in-depth learning. Movement, rhythm, and creative play are the primary evolutionary mechanisms through which the dynamic systems undergirding attention and concentrated focus are made active and stabilized. In this workshop we briefly survey theory and research, and then move into a direct exploration of a variety of movements, including those involving rhythm and play, that serve to engage and enhance the brains of children, teens, and adults. In addition to being fun, the workshop provides activities for immediate use!