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Small Business Training & Consulting
“When I told my mother I was going to run away and join the circus... she thought it was a good idea!" --Andrew
"One never knows what to expect when improvising with audience members on stage!" --Andrew
OK ... so now how about Watching Andrew Juggle |
Juggling in the Classroom! Juggling can improve eye-hand coordination, physical fitness, balance, rhythm, and reflexes. For these reasons, many schools include juggling in their physical education curriculum. And as an ongoing classroom-based activity, juggling has many benefits that reach beyond the physical education realm.
Larry Graves, a fifth grade teacher at Hazel Dell School in Vancouver, WA, started using juggling in his classroom and was thrilled with the results. Gradually, juggling spread throughout the school with the help of instructional tools. The documentary video “Juggling for Success” describes what happened as a result. In short, the program had a profoundly positive impact on school culture, discipline, and academics. Hazel Dell School is not the only school with an ongoing classroom based juggling program. Teachers throughout the country are using juggling in their classrooms. Why? Juggling is a fun physical activity with many connections to academics… A Great Break in Routine!
A Model for Step-by-step Learning!
Learning to juggle is a
series of challenges. Whether participants are balancing, juggling, or
passing objects, the process of learning those skills teaches them how to
set goals and attain them through a progression of steps. Participants can
apply this model to learning in other contexts. Enhance Learning Skills! In order to learn how to juggle, participants need to pay attention, observe carefully, plan a learning strategy, go step-by-step, focus on task, and learn from their mistakes. The process of learning to juggle develops patience, persistence, and self-discipline. Reinforce the Open-Ended Nature of Learning As with academic subjects, juggling provides endless opportunities for exploration and growth. If you can juggle scarves, you can learn to juggle other objects. If you have three objects under control, you can begin to play with variations found in books and in your imagination. In addition to three object juggling, there are many other forms of juggling to explore. Boost Self-Esteem and Self-Confidence Self-esteem and self-confidence can dramatically increase through non-competitive play and successfully completing movement goals. In juggling, each new accomplishment provides the participant with instant, personal, internal reinforcement. Juggling achievement charts on a wall in the school provide external reinforcement as well.
Improve Interpersonal Skills Juggling with one or more partners requires cooperative problem solving, and helps participants learn to work smoothly with others. Schools with ongoing juggling programs find that a lot of peer teaching takes place automatically as participants encourage one another to succeed. Also, participants learn through experience that the key to success in juggling is practice, and will appreciate on another’s achievements as a result. Connecting Juggling & Academics Studies has shown that juggling develops tracking, crossing the midline, and fine motor schools, and can help improve reading and handwriting. (The May 1996 issue of Teaching Elementary Physical Education features a fascinating article on this phenomenon.) Learning to juggle also improves sequencing skills used in math and science. Research in these areas reinforces the work of Maria Montessori and Jean Piaget who hypothesized that motor movements and tactile sensation increase cognitive learning. Therapeutic for Learning Disabilities Juggling has therapeutic value for children with certain disabilities including attention deficit disorder and hyperactivity. Parents of children with these disabilities have claimed that their children’s behavior improved as a result of learning to juggle. There is substantial evidence to support these claims. In his book Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Russel A. Barkeley, PhD, states: Changes to classroom structure and curriculum that are likely to prove beneficial to the management of ADHD children include:
Appealing to Different “Intelligences”
Improve Student Behavior Schools with ongoing juggling programs report improved student behavior. “Juggling Breaks” provide a creative outlet as well as an incentive for students to behave. This is especially true for students with look forward to them, and these students are often the ones with whom teachers have the most difficulty. Plus … Juggling is FUN! In addition to helping students achieve success, Andrew has been called by Principals and Human Resources Directors of corporate and non-profit organizations to teach juggling and present his “Healing Humor: Know Laughing Matters” seminar. Learn more about Andrew’s Humor Consulting Services for teachers and other professionals, contact Andrew Barden at 1-866-339-4619 or email andrew@andrewbarden.com. Click here for testimonials for Juggling “Playshops”
& Humor Presentations
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