Program urges children to be more active
In an age where children spend an increasing amount of time in front of television, computers and cellphone screens, state education officials are making another push to get kids up from their desks and moving throughout the school day.
The state Department of Education’s Office of Healthy Schools is in the midst of finalizing an agreement with Playworks to start a pilot program to train teachers and other education personnel in eight elementary schools across the state.
“We’re trying to give a method of structured environment that’s conducive to play,” said Office of Healthy Schools Coordinator Mary Weikle.
Playworks is an Oakland, Calif., based nonprofit that specializes in such training, as well as working directly with students to help children interact and play in a more positive manner.
The training, which will cost about $22,000 and will be paid for by a Community Transformation Grant, will begin this fall in the pilot schools. Trainees will be taught how to incorporate physical activity in the classroom, particularly on days without physical education class. They’ll also learn how to get kids moving during recess.
“We’re going to get closer to . . . 60 minutes of active play,” Weikle said, noting that 60 minutes of physical activity is only the minimum recommended by the federal government for elementary-age children.
After the next school year, the pilot schools will be compared against five non-pilot schools, which serve as a baseline. Groups of instructors at non-pilot schools will only receive basic guidance, versus some instructors at pilot schools, which will have full face-to-face Playworks training.
While the need to show children how to play in a healthy way might appear to be a bizarre concept to adults, Weikle said that today’s children interact and are entertained much differently than children in the past.
“Twenty-first Century children are different,” she said. “Their needs are different.”
Weikle said that’s because today, so much communication among the youngest generation is done electronically, versus face-to-face. Instead of going home and playing outside, kids are turning to television and video games.
Losing that personal interaction and development makes it more difficult for children to deal with issues and problems on the playground.
“Their social/emotional [skills] are not completely intact,” Weikle said.
Cindy Wilson, communications director for Playworks, said the organization has seen a significant decrease in bullying and an increase in classroom attentiveness after the implementation of Playworks in a school.
“We have a really tremendous track record of reducing bullying and increasing physical activity,” she said. “The goal is for every school to have a safe and inclusive recess.”
Wilson said that part of Playworks is designed to show teachers and others how to get all students involved on the playground while remaining minimally involved. Part of the goal is to get students to resolve conflicts on their own, instead of needing a teacher to take care of the conflict.
“I want all children to find something that they find fun,” Weikle said.
The Playworks initiative by the Office of Healthy Schools is not the only method the office is using to get more students active. In fact, Playworks is just one component of the larger “Let’s Move WV” campaign, which the office began last year.
So far, “Let’s Move” has included initiatives like “Adventure to Fitness,” a video-based curriculum that combines physical movement and academic learning; purchasing Xbox gaming consoles for schools to be used for physical activity games; and identifying a program that provides free jump ropes and exercise plans for all elementary and middle school students in any interested school through Woodmen of America.
Most of these programs are covered by the same grant that is paying for Playworks.
“It’s really going great,” Weikle said. “All the parts are falling into place.”
Because the grant allows flexibility, Weikle’s office is able to try different methods to keep West Virginia’s students moving and healthy. Despite Playworks’ strong track record nationally, should the program not work in West Virginia, the state is under no obligation to continue it in future years.
If the Playworks program does work, teachers, wellness specialists, Health and Physical Education Leadership Academy directors and after-school personnel who already have training will be able to pass that knowledge on to other interested schools.
No school would be forced to adopt the Playworks model.
“It needs to go back to that local level,” she said.
Pilot schools for Playworks include Crescent Elementary in Raleigh County, Saltrock Elementary in Cabell County, Brookview Elementary in Boone County, Creighton Elementary in Greenbrier County, Sistersville Elementary in Tyler County, Long Drain Elementary in Wetzel County, Watson Elementary in Marion County and T.A. Lowery Elementary in Jefferson County. All eight Regional Education Service Agencies are represented.
Non-pilot schools will be Mercer Elementary in Mercer County, Lakeside Elementary in Putnam County, Burnsville Elementary in Braxton County, George Ward Elementary in Randolph County and Valley View Elementary in Berkley County.
Schools were selected to participate based on the willingness of the school and if the school had a “strong physical education teacher,” Weikle said.
Pilot schools will also receive follow-up training a few months into the school year to monitor progress and answer questions. At the end of the school year, the Office of Healthy Schools will use data reported from schools and teachers to analyze the initiative.
Marcy Michael, who oversees Playworks training on a national level, was optimistic about Playworks’ involvement in West Virginia.
“It’s just going to do so much for the whole state,” she said. “The West Virginia Department of Education has been so forward-thinking. . .it can serve as an example for other states.”
Contact writer Matt Murphy at 304-348-4886 or matt.murphy@dailymail.com. Follow him at www.twitter.com/mrmurphdawg
Article from the Daily Mail.
