Written
by: Fung Ji Hei, Game Therapist
I just participated in a professional development exchange activity for teachers in Taiwan, and witnessed how Taiwan’s education system emphasizes using exercise to cultivate children’s growth. This has given me new inspiration, and I hope to share it with all parents. One of the schools we visited for the exchange could be called a “mini sports university” – “Tiger Forest Elementary School”. As soon as I stepped into the school, the students greeted us with the government-promoted fitness exercises. They followed the rhythm to raise their hands and move their bodies, doing all kinds of warm-up movements. It made me feel like they were as lively as little tigers, and I felt like I had entered a forest full of little tigers.
Exercise Can Strengthen Children’s Learning Ability
Principal Liu of Tiger Forest Elementary School said that the school is a key government school focused on the physical development of the students, and believes that exercise can strengthen their learning ability. They are based on the research of John J. Ratey, MD, an assistant professor of clinical psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, and advocate the “Anytime Exercise” program. This program encourages students to exercise at any time. During breaks, students run to any part of the playground to exercise, some play dodgeball, some climb on the jungle gym, and some play badminton. All the students enjoy every moment of exercise.
The Benefits of
Exercise – Strengthening Brain Function
It is well known
that exercise has the effect of strengthening the body and health. In Ratey’s
research, he points out more about the benefits of exercise for the brain. He
describes the brain as an information processing center, where information is
transmitted through different pathways using different messengers (chemicals).
During exercise, the brain can effectively produce more messengers and
strengthen the pathways, making the transmission of information faster and more
accurate.
When applying this
theory to learning, students can strengthen their brain function through
exercise, thereby enhancing their learning effectiveness. Research has proven
that exercise can improve students’ concentration and memory, which are
essential conditions for successful learning. In addition, exercise can cause
the brain to produce Dopamine (a chemical that creates a sense of happiness),
allowing students to learn happily, and naturally achieving better results.
How to get children to love exercise?
To let children enjoy the time and benefits of exercise, parents need to help children love exercise. Here are three suggestions:
1. Anytime Exercise
Provide more opportunities for children to exercise, such as giving them appropriate time, tools, and venues, while parents should also pay attention to the safety of the environment.
2. Healthy Exercise
Teach children to exercise for the sake of health, and emphasize the benefits of exercise to health.
3. Exercise Together
Exercise with
children more often, enjoy the moments of exercise, and cherish the quality
time between parents and children.
Parents Daily 為全港父母提供關於親子育兒、升學的豐富短片和內容，專輯內容包括「有星有Say」、「校長有話兒」等節目。我們以輕鬆活潑的方式為父母們提供培養孩子的資訊，更會邀請幼小校長、名人、資深教育工作者等分享教學、親子心得和實戰經驗，讓父母可以在這裡得到實用資訊之餘，更可認識更多互相分享、互相扶持的同行者。
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