In addition, exercise has been
shown to relieve stress, increase
concentration and help sleep. A recent
study conducted by the University
of Texas at Dallas also found that
aerobic exercise improves memory.
Athletics may help children, not
only by supporting their physical
and mental well-being, but also by
enhancing their performance at
school.
Children are naturally inclined to
move. By addressing this inclination
through sport, kids have the potential
to become more attentive students as
well as more balanced individuals.
Many informed educators find
themselves pairing physical and
mental activity. Dana McGowen,
an English teacher at Talent
Kindergarten and Nursery in Tin
Shui Wai, encourages active learning
in the classroom. “I try to make my
classes as interactive as possible, even
if it’s as simple as asking a student to
walk up and write something on the
board,” Dana says.
Team effort
Childhood is the time when people
lay the groundwork for many different
skill sets, including the ability to work
well with others. Athletics does cut
into studying time, but in exchange,
the right sporting environment may
provide children with the opportunity
to develop the social skills that
are necessary for personal and
professional success. Travis Cardoso,
a teacher in California, feels strongly
that kids need to be interacting with
their peers outside of school. As a
high school student, Travis immersed
himself in student life by playing
baseball, participating in agricultural
programmes and attending pep
rallies. Now an educator himself,
Travis supports student activities
inside and outside of his own
classroom.
He explains, “By being involved
[in extracurricular activities]
students learn teamwork, leadership,
organisation and critical thinking.
The workplace demands these
attributes and the earlier a student
can pick these up, the longer they
have to fine-tune them before entering
the ‘real world’.”
Moriah Evans, a teacher in
Colorado and former basketball
player, also agrees that sports can
contribute to a child’s social well-
being. According to Moriah, sport
helps children establish relationships
with their peers and feel connected to
their schools.
“Sports provide students with
their own little niche and make kids
more excited to go to school,” Moriah
explains. Not only does she see this
outcome in her students, but Moriah
herself remembers feeling a greater
sense of belonging at school as a result
of her extracurricular and athletic
involvement.
An effective way for children
to learn teamwork and cooperation
is by joining a team. Recently, my
nine-year-old student Samuel and his
friend Victor participated in a mini-
triathlon called Team Fear. The event
included a bike ride, foot race and a
2.5-metre water jump. The race also
required the boys to carry a friend
for ten metres – a task that further
emphasised the power of cooperation
and joint effort. I was impressed to
find that teamwork was central to the
boys’ experience.
Samuel says, “We tried to stay
as a team the whole time,” and
that “teamwork” motivated him to
complete the challenge.
Given that our education system
tends to place greater emphasis on
personal achievement, sport may
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