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Opening Stretch

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Strategy Rationale

----When students first come into class, they are bringing with them all kinds of "baggage," from thoughts about their previous class to how their sick child is doing at at the sitter's.  A transition time can help them focus on the current class.  Movement is also beneficial to brain processing.
--Recognition for taking a risk is given in the form of applause for a job well done.
--The gradual transition from my leadership to student leadership strengthens the sense of community among the students.

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Materials

Recorded music Click here for recommendations for various types of music appropriate for this activity.

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Process

1. Starting about 5 minutes before class, I have some light classical music playing as the students enter the class.  This establishes a relaxed atmosphere.  When it's time for class to start, I stop the music.  Students soon learn to recognize that this is a cue for the start of class.

2. During the first four weeks of the semester, I lead the opening stretch.  When I stop the opening music, I ask all the students to stand and I start playing some lively music.  Then I ask them to follow my lead as I begin deep breathing while slowly raising my arms over my head.  At first, they may seem a bit reluctant and surprised, but they join in as I continue to urge them to do so.  I continue doing gentle stretches and deep breathing with the class for about 1 minute.  Then I stop the music, have them gives themselves an applause for a job well done and sit down.  After we do this the first time, I explain why we do this (see rational 1 above).

3. During the second four weeks, I begin a gradual transition of leadership of the opening stretch to the students.  Since the class is divided into teams, each day, the team selects one of their members to lead the stretch for their team.   Leading the opening stretch for a team of 4 students is much less threatening than leading it for the entire class.  The teams applaud the leader at the end of the stretch.

4. During the third four weeks, the students names are put in a box.  At the beginning of each class, one student's name is drawn to lead the entire class in the opening stretch.  Again, the students applaud the leader, and we see the leaders beginning to be more creative in the stretching activities.

5. During the final four weeks, the students volunteer to lead the class in the opening stretch.  By now, they are used to the activity and actually look forward to it.  Even ones who would never have considered volunteering to stand in front of the class at the beginning of the semester are now willing to do so.  Every one looks forward to how the other class members will lead the stretch.

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Dialogue!

The design of this strategy was guided by careful consideration of
-- the environment, and more specifically, the emotional and social environment of the class.   Although the activity takes only a minute at the beginning of each class, it is a minute well spent in establishing a supportive learning centered environment.

 

 

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