I wish you all had my view at work. The San Francisco bay, the hills in the distance and the city skyline in the background are truly world class. But, it is the foreground that delights me daily.
I watch PE class and find that it is impossible to do so without smiling. There is something totally irresistible about 1st grade jumping jacks. They are not high quality strictly speaking. The form is off in almost every measurable way. But, the reckless abandon of the flailing limbs has to be burning more calories than the well formed jack. And, the rate at which they jump is double, possibly triple that of the more adult, say 7th grade jack. They laugh and smile as they exercise and remind me of the joy of the working human body.
The warm up laps, traditional in PE classes worldwide, are a fascinating study in age group differences. All grades come flying out the door as if shot from a cannon. You can feel the relief from afar. Released from their desks and the rigors of listening and sitting still. Littles continue the manic pace all the way around the course, often holding hands. I realize, I do not do nearly enough running while holding the hand of my pals.
The upper grades are a little less enthusiastic. After the initial explosion out the door, they slow their pace. Often going from a sprint to a jog to a walk to a saunter. Mr. T draws the line at a saunter. They will get a whistle of encouragement to “Pick it UP!” and the middle school shuffle will begin. The shoes you are constantly replacing? That is a result of the foot dragging compromise. Not running, not walking. Something in between that involves a scraping of shoe against blacktop and a lackluster arm swing. But, even in their slightly rebellious non compliance, there is a joy. And, a pal nearby laughing.
The perceptual motor skills that come from running and jumping and playing are essential to learning. All the motor based abilities rely on brain pathway development crossing the left and right hemispheres, including reading and writing. P.E. is a great way to break up the day, for those out there. And for me, in here. And, if you ever have a chance to watch 1st graders do burpies, please treat yourself!