By

Alison Crockett,   Good El

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Physical Activity Participation

My students work towards a goal of running for 30 minutes straight, without stopping or walking. They start at out the beginning of the year with a 5 minute run, then 10 minutes, then 15 and eventually work their way up to 30 minutes.

How did you accomplish your goals?

By starting off with 5 minutes, it is attainable for the kids, so that they don’t get discouraged. I explain to them that they may need to build up to each 5 minute increment. We practice running every day in gym and do our run challenges about once a month.

How do you plan to make this Play last during the school year and beyond?

I encourage them to exercise daily and to get 60 minutes of play a day. I only see my kids on a 4 day rotation, so some I only see once a week. I tell them that it’s their responsibility to get those extra minutes of play those other days. They know that if they don’t run or exercise during the weekend or breaks, that it will be harder for them when they come back. I encourage them to make physical activity a lifestyle and hopefully it rubs off on the whole family.

What challenges did you face and how did you overcome them?

Most kids don’t think that they can do it, and they are doomed from the start. I tell them that they have to be mentally strong in order to be physically strong. During their run, I tell them things like “I believe in you!” or “Tell yourself you can do it!” A lot of them have no motivation if they think they can’t do it. It’s cool to see them set goals for themselves and reach to pass those goals!