Ed Week, February 23, 2011

This tidbit is a part of the Research Roundup:  "Exercise and Math Skills".  In a study published in Health Psychology researchers  divided 171 overweight children ages 7 to 11 into three groups.  One group of kids got 20 minutes of aerobic activity in an after school program.  The second group got 40 minutes.  The third group got no exercise.  The study revealed that the more exercise the children got the greater the brain activity in the prefrontal cortex.  This is the part of the brain used for complex cognitive processes, moderating social behavior, and making decisions.  Apparently a regular exercise program can help overweight children do better in math and goal-oriented tasks.  Researchers at the Georgia Prevention Institute at Georgia Health Sciences University will be looking at this in greater depth, by extending this study from this initial 3 month project to a full year.  This study makes me really question the wisdom of reducing or taking away recess time or P.E.  I do not think that only overweight children reap the cognitive benefits from moving their bodies.   I have seen recess and P.E. taken away as a "consequence" and because of budget cuts.  I have also noticed that if I allow my own children time after school to hang out on the playground, play tag, or go for a walk, when they come home and sit down to do their homework they get it done much faster!   On the days we go straight home and the kids try to get their homework done,  they struggle and it seems to take much longer.  Viva la Recess!  Viva la bike rides! Viva la P.E.!