Classroom stationary bikes encourage kids to blow off steam while learning
Education circles and school boards from Vancouver to Toronto to Halifax, are all adopting parts of a self-regulation mantra that includes stationary bikes in classrooms. The initiative is to help give kids the tools to understand and negotiate their emotions.
Proponents of the bike movement say bikes in classrooms calm students and improve their concentration and memory levels. The bikes are also useful in addressing kids who are fidgety or anxious. Proponents argue pedalling on bikes lets kids work off some of their energy.
Teachers who have already implemented stationary bikes in the classroom have seen an increase in students' attention span with more engagement in the learning process, resulting in a significant improvement in academic achievement.
Guests in this segment:
- Nicole Mount, grade 2-3 teacher in Dartmouth, N.S.
- Luke MacDonald, ambassador for the Sparks Fly classroom bike program
- Deborah Butler, professor in the department of educational and counselling psychology at the University of British Columbia.
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This segment was produced Catherine Kalbfleisch, Shanifa Nasser and Julia Pagel.