EP314 How you–and your students–can use movement to increase work quality, focus, and creativity
Nov 10, 2024
Discover the powerful link between movement and cognitive performance in education. Learn how standing meetings and dictation while walking can enhance student engagement and creativity. Explore innovative strategies like audio learning on the go and walking brainstorming sessions. Gain insights on how outdoor environments can further boost cognitive skills. Plus, find effective ways to handle off-task behavior during these activities. Simple shifts in perspective can unlock deeper thinking and focused learning for everyone!
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Movement Enhances Cognitive States
Movement fosters diffuse thinking, a relaxed mental state essential for creativity and problem-solving.
Diffuse thinking complements focused thinking and is vital for deep work and innovation.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Use Standing Meetings
Use standing meetings and discussions to boost engagement and focus.
Standing increases alertness by improving blood flow and prevents lengthy, unfocused conversations.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Dictate While Walking
Encourage students to dictate their ideas while walking to overcome writing reluctance.
This movement-based approach can enhance focused thinking and generate better ideas.
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In 'Deep Work', Cal Newport argues that the ability to perform deep work—professional activities in a state of distraction-free concentration—is becoming increasingly valuable in our economy. The book is divided into two parts: the first part explains why deep work is valuable, rare, and meaningful, while the second part presents four rules to transform your mind and habits to support this skill. These rules include 'Work Deeply', 'Embrace Boredom', 'Quit Social Media', and 'Drain the Shallows'. Newport provides actionable advice and examples from various successful individuals to help readers master the skill of deep work and achieve groundbreaking results.
There’s a powerful connection between movement and cognitive performance. Standing up and moving around can both foster diffuse thinking—the kind of relaxed mental state that encourages breakthroughs and innovative ideas.
In this episode, I’ll share Cal Newport’s research on training the brain for deep work through “productive meditation”, a practice that involves focusing on a specific problem while engaged in physical movement. I’ll then share 4 practical ways to incorporate productive movement into your instruction, not as a break from learning but as a critical component of it:
Standing meetings and discussions to increase engagement and collaboration. Dictation while walking, allowing students to process and express ideas on the move. Using audio learning while students walk, so they can absorb information away from their desks. Encouraging walking brainstorming sessions to help students collaborate and generate new ideas.
I’ll also share how to extend these strategies to outdoor environments for an even greater cognitive boost, even if you don’t have a large, quiet school campus.
Finally, I’ll talk about handling off-task behavior and off-topic conversations you observe during productive moment activities, and offer a mental reframing you can use to determine when you should (and shouldn’t) use these movement activities.
Discover how simple shifts in how we think about movement can unlock deeper thinking and more focused learning for both you and your students!
Angela Watson's Truth for Teachers 