Why Teachers Who Exercise with Students Succeed More Than Those Who Don't
You don't have to be a gym teacher to teach kids about the importance of fitness. An active lifestyle helps children by nurturing their brains and keeping them fit. As a teacher, you should do your best to exercise with your students.
Fitness is Key to Development
Kids need exercise in order for them to be agile, strong, and mentally sound. If someone isn't active in their childhood, it can be hard for them to catch up as they get older. Parenting Science explains in this article, “the effects of fitness can be seen very quickly in children, as those who exercise regularly are more energized and mentally sharper.” Exercise at a young age can create a lasting habit that gives them success all the way through their schooling career and into their professional lives.
Why Together?
Even if you agree that kids need exercise, you might wonder about the benefits of doing so with them. You need to be able to get through to your students, and exercising with them can help to create order as you teach them to follow instructions and work in a group. Middle schoolers often find that exercising with their teacher helps them channel their boundless energy into a constructive means. In this list from Bags in Bulk, middle schoolers encounter more than academic issues including emotional development, managing fun vs work, focus, etc. They'll hopefully take to exercising on their own, thanks to your influence.
Set a Good Example
Being a teacher means serving as a role model for your students. Cayenne Consulting gives several traits of a good role model. One of the most helpful in this situation is showing respect to everyone. One of the best ways to show respect is to do things with people, a leader who doesn’t respect those they lead won’t work alongside them. You can tell them to do certain things, but it won't be worth much without a clear idea of something to emulate. By exercising with your students, you can set a good example for them by demonstrating virtues of patience, effort, and self-confidence. You can also give your students something to look forward to by making your daily exercise routine as fun as possible. You can incorporate exercise into games like Simon Says or Red Rover. Exercising with your students doesn't just help them be healthier, it also helps your relationship with them. You can get your students to learn how to cooperate with you and each other better. It doesn't have to be particularly intense exercise, either. A few minutes of light aerobics can make a great difference when it comes to your students getting in shape and stimulating their brains in the process.
Here are a couple articles talking about being a good example, and fun, physical activities that families can do together.
