NJspin
10-29-2007, 09:06 AM
Some classrooms replace chairs with rubber exercise balls.
Minnesota's Minneapolis Star-Tribune (http://links.mkt740.com/ctt?kn=30&m=586721&r=MTM4MTAzMDIzNQS2&b=0&j=Mzk1MjAyODES1&mt=2&rj=Mzk1MjAyODES1) (10/28, Estrada) reported, "Students at Zion Lutheran School in Mayer [Minn.] thought Principal Deb Kelzer was kidding when she proposed that they give up their classroom chairs and instead sit on large rubber exercise balls." But administrators at the school did replace chairs in some classrooms with the balls, and teachers have found that that "[t]he colorful balls help students concentrate, burn off excess energy and get more physically fit." The balls are used in some classrooms "in Europe, Canada and around the United States." Researchers from the Mayo Clinic, studying "the classroom of the future," found that the balls "produced considerable benefits" to the classroom environment. "With the balls, fidgety students or those with attention deficit disorder have an outlet for their excess energy," concentration improves "because of the noise reduction," and constant small movements needed to stay on top of the ball help the children stay fit. Teacher Jenny Borovsky, who sits on a ball herself while teaching, says "They don't get in the way of teaching. So why not make learning fun?"
Minnesota's Minneapolis Star-Tribune (http://links.mkt740.com/ctt?kn=30&m=586721&r=MTM4MTAzMDIzNQS2&b=0&j=Mzk1MjAyODES1&mt=2&rj=Mzk1MjAyODES1) (10/28, Estrada) reported, "Students at Zion Lutheran School in Mayer [Minn.] thought Principal Deb Kelzer was kidding when she proposed that they give up their classroom chairs and instead sit on large rubber exercise balls." But administrators at the school did replace chairs in some classrooms with the balls, and teachers have found that that "[t]he colorful balls help students concentrate, burn off excess energy and get more physically fit." The balls are used in some classrooms "in Europe, Canada and around the United States." Researchers from the Mayo Clinic, studying "the classroom of the future," found that the balls "produced considerable benefits" to the classroom environment. "With the balls, fidgety students or those with attention deficit disorder have an outlet for their excess energy," concentration improves "because of the noise reduction," and constant small movements needed to stay on top of the ball help the children stay fit. Teacher Jenny Borovsky, who sits on a ball herself while teaching, says "They don't get in the way of teaching. So why not make learning fun?"