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Mind Over Movement at Tucker Elementary

Mind Over Movement at Tucker Elementary

Inside Alexandria City Public School Samuel Tucker Elementary is a very special room. In it are cozy areas for building social skills and awareness, tactile learning and even tinkering in the tinker zone. Students can curl up and calm down if they need to in the “Safe Space” tent.

In addition to these stations, the room includes a stationary bike, mini trampoline and balance balls. This is where kids go to get in brain boosting movement that fires the neurons that grow new brain cells. Yes, NEUROGENESIS!

Movement + social and emotional learning

Social and emotional learning are core to the purpose of the room. Heather Dugan Kolovos, an inclusive kindergarten teacher at Tucker, created the space where students can reset and refresh.

“These days, our kiddos can be a bit off the charts behaviorally and socially,” Ms. Kolovos said. “My kindergarteners were three and four years old during the isolation of the pandemic. So, coming from that situation to full-time school can be overwhelming. 

“That’s what this room is all about – to help them identify their feelings, work off extra steam and energy and prepare for academics.”

As she was building out her calming room with the various work stations, Ms. Kolovos reached out to M2L for some active seating ideas. M2L’s Program Director Jen Wiser picked out a small stationary bike, which was the perfect addition to the already spectacular room. 

According to Ms. Kolovos, the bike is the cornerstone of the room. “My students love to hop on the bike for a few minutes. When they’re done, they’re calm and ready.” 

Working throughout ACPS

M2L works within all of Alexandria’s public schools to implement M2L programming, including active seating, SEAL lessons and before-, during- and after-school time activities.

“I met Ms. Kolovos and her students last year when I taught two Social, Emotional and Academic Learning lessons to her class,” Ms. Wiser said. “She truly believes in the power of movement and the benefit it can have on her students’ social-emotional health and learning.

“Giving all students – regardless of their age or grade – the opportunity to move when their emotions get in the way of them doing their best at school is essential. So they can pedal, bounce or jump to reset and get back to work.”

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Brooke Sydnor Curran, president and CEO of Move2Learn and the former “runner” of RunningBrooke, shares the story behind our new name and look.

Hecho de la diversión

Tararea tres notas de la mayoría de las canciones de rock/pop en la radio entre 1965 y 1983 y ¡lo nombraré!

Brooke Sydnor Curran

Presidenta y CEO

Empecé a correr cuando era padre de tres niños pequeños para pasar un tiempo a solas. Todavía corro porque es una buena carrera y es una excelente manera de comenzar mi día: pienso mucho durante esas primeras horas de la mañana. Cuando termino, me siento concentrado y listo para enfrentar el mundo.

Hoy en día, la ciencia respalda la evidencia de que correr y el ejercicio en general mejoran no solo la salud emocional, sino también el flujo de sangre al cerebro, lo que facilita concentrarse en la tarea y aprender mejor. Esto es especialmente cierto para los niños en edad escolar, que pasan gran parte de su tiempo en las aulas y se espera que presten atención y hagan su trabajo.

Sin una salida para dirigir positivamente la energía y aumentar el flujo sanguíneo para apoyar la función cerebral, la concentración se resiente, lo que puede ser desastroso para muchos niños.

Mis años de primaria y secundaria

Sé lo que es ser el estudiante que no puede quedarse quieto, tiene dificultades para concentrarse y escuchar al maestro. Ese era yo de niño. Siempre me llamaban por interrumpir el salón de clases. No fue hasta que fui adulto que entendí la relación positiva entre el movimiento y el aprendizaje.

Miro hacia atrás a esos años y los efectos persistentes con empatía por esa niña, pero sé que no estaba, y no está, sola.