Families in the Andover School District will be participating tonight in a unique family event to bring movement and fun to learning math and reading. The nationally acclaimed Math & Movement™ program is a kinesthetic, multi-sensory approach to teaching math and reading that incorporates physical activity with visual stimuli created to make learning fun, active, and memorable.
The program utilizes specially designed floor mats and
banners that enable students to hop, walk, crawl, or dance their way to
mastering math and reading concepts. During the Family Fun Night, parents and
children will move from station to station, learning the math activities while
completing a Math & Movement activity guide. Older students, who will man
the stations, will improve their own math skills through helping younger
students. Eight out of ten children are kinesthetic learners (learn best
through movement.) The program harnesses children’s natural kinesthetic
learning style to foster positive feelings towards learning. The program is
based on research that shows that moving during learning facilitates muscle memory,
an important factor with younger children whose abstract thinking skills are
not fully developed. Studies show this type of activity allows teachers and
students to feel more energized, focused, and prepared to learn. At a time when
there are 12 million obese children, physical fitness has become a matter of
national urgency. As U.S. Senator Chris Dobb has said, “All of us—parents,
schools, government, employers—need to see the rising childhood obesity rates
for what they are: a medical emergency.” Math & Movement promotes physical
activity while simultaneously increasing learning. The end result: physically
fit children and increased test scores.
