THE BRIDGE ISSUE 20 - NOVEMber 16, 2025
When I first transitioned out of the classroom and into my role as a Teacher on Special Assignment (TOSA), I spent way more time at a desk than I ever had before.
That’s when I discovered a Chrome extension called Move It. Every so often, it would ping me with a reminder to stand up, stretch, or walk around.
Honestly, I didn’t realize how stagnant my brain had become until my body slowed down.
Once I started moving regularly, the difference in my focus, energy, and mood was undeniable.
That simple reminder became my wake-up call: if movement mattered this much for me as an adult, what was happening to my students when they sat still all day?
Movement = Brain Fuel
We often think of exercise as something we do for physical health, but it’s also brain fuel.
When students move, even in small bursts, their brains get a surge of oxygen and blood flow.
That’s like delivering fresh batteries to the parts of the brain that control memory, focus, and problem-solving.
Here’s the best part: it doesn’t take a marathon or a full PE period to make this happen. A few minutes of movement can “reboot” a student’s brain and help them re-engage with the lesson in front of them.
Immediate Benefits You Can See
Teachers don’t need research articles to prove that kids focus better after a stretch break—we see it every day.
But here’s why it happens: movement helps students regulate stress hormones and increases feel-good chemicals like dopamine and endorphins.
That means less fidgeting, fewer glazed-over stares, and more readiness to learn.
Think about activities like:
- Stand-and-stretch breaks between transitions.
- Walk-and-talks where students discuss a question while moving around the room.
- Brain breaks with music, like freeze dance or a 2-minute cardio burst.
These aren’t distractions from learning—they’re activators for it.
Long-Term Wins for Students
While the immediate benefits of movement are obvious in the classroom, there’s also a bigger picture.
Building movement into the school day helps students strengthen habits that support long-term brain health.
Regular physical activity has been shown to reduce risks of memory decline and boost lifelong learning capacity.
In other words: when we make movement part of the culture of our classrooms, we’re not just helping kids focus on today’s math lesson. We’re giving them tools for their futures.
Small Moves, Big Impact
One of the biggest myths is that movement requires big chunks of time or complicated routines.
It doesn’t. In fact, some of the most effective strategies are the simplest:
- Transition walks: instead of lining up and waiting, have students march, tiptoe, or hop to their next spot.
- Gesture learning: tie hand motions or body movements to vocabulary, math facts, or historical events.
- Movement stations: set up learning centers around the room so students are naturally up and moving as they rotate.
- Stretch-and-breathe moments: a 60-second reset in the middle of a long block can bring energy levels back up.
These strategies don’t just keep bodies busy—they keep brains alert.
Bringing It Back to You
That little Chrome extension taught me something powerful: my brain thrives when I move.
The same is true for students, whether they’re in kindergarten or high school.
Movement isn’t an “extra” to squeeze in if there’s time. It’s part of how we help kids learn.
So here’s your challenge:
What’s one way you can bring more movement into your lessons this week?
Pick something small and try it out.
Watch what happens.
Chances are, you’ll see students a little more energized, a little more focused, and a lot more ready to learn.
