Kinesthetic Teaching Techniques
Achievement Gap Cut By 21.4%
"In August of 2005, Paoli Community School Corporation was recognized by Standard and Poor's School Evaluation Services for leading the State of Indiana in reducing the achievement gap between economically disadvantaged and all students. Nineteen school systems were recognized for significantly reducing the achievement gap. Our schools cut the gap by 21.4%. The second place school's rate was 11.5%.We are proud of this accomplishment, especially since the margin was so huge.
For more than two years preceding the announcement for this incredible accomplishment, our staff development was handled solely by Performance Learning Systems' Steve Mintner. Steve led us in designing our staff development activities based on our staff needs relative to our School Improvement Plan. Indeed, during that time span, Steve Mintner was considered a part of our faculty. The data doesn't lie!
"
–Jerry Stroud, Principal
Paoli Junior/Senior High School
Paoli, Indiana
“Gotta Move” is a series of dynamic workshops created by Steve Mintner of Performance Learning Systems. Participants learn through movement as they experience this highly interactive learning style in all curriculum areas.
The “Gotta Move” workshops are received well because attendees are deeply involved. They participate in lessons through movement and learn first-hand the skills that they later return to use in their own classrooms with their students. The exercises are high impact, low stress, and provide lots of involvement and humor.
Why is movement important in learning?
As a consultant, Steve gave hundreds of learning styles inventories to students at several high schools. When the data was analyzed a pattern emerged. Over 90% of all students who were failing state mandated tests were students who required movement to learn best.
In addition, the dropout rate and discipline problems were highest among these students.
Proven Success
Steve worked with Paoli Junior/Senior High School in Paoli, Indiana providing “Gotta Move” training with their faculty 24 times over a two-year period. The results were eye opening! Over that two-year period an analysis of the same students' test scores showed a lowering of the achievement gap by 21.4%! Additionally, Paoli has been recognized as the leading school in the state of Indiana in reducing this gap. Read more about Paoli's success from the words of their principal on the right of this page.
Several other examples of success through this teaching style can be found in “Improving Test Stores, Attitudes, and Behaviors in America’s Schools: Supervisors' Success Stories” by Rita Dunn. Transformations like those at Paoli Junior/Senior High School are taking place across the nation. PLS is convinced that this is a tool that every school system should use to help them reach their low achieving students.
Classroom Examples
There are many more examples of using the movement learning style within the classroom. In addition to subject specific ideas, there are several “frame activities” that can be used in all areas.
- Science
Students become human chromosomes and use ropes as spindle fibers to act out the phases of mitosis. Desks and chairs are moved to form nuclear membranes. Eventually the teacher calls out a phase and a diploid number and the students must create it, such as “Metaphase 2n = 8”. - Math
Students form human equations with each student representing either a variable (such as X) or an integer. There is an equal sign between the sides and they must work the equation to solve for a variable. - Social Studies
There are many simulations available for historic events by simply acting out the event. Additionally, the “Invisible Map” has been popular at workshops. Students must visualize a map and move their hands around to show the placement of different countries on the map. Then the invisible map is moved to the floor and they have to move and stand where they envision each country is located. As they move, key facts about all of the countries of South America are learned in only 10 minutes. - English
Daily Oral Language prompts are cut and placed in film canisters in the center of the room. Students work in pairs. One student will go get a canister and return to their partner. Together, they solve the prompt and return the canister to get another one. It is a race against the clock for all of the class to solve all of the prompts!
