The case in summary: Active teaching, where students learn subject matter through physical activity, is becoming increasingly widespread. The students at Helle School in Kragerø experience that they learn as much, if not more, through active teaching as in a traditional classroom. In Telemark county, physically active learning is an area of focus, and the method is used in several subjects. The government has not introduced a requirement for one hour of physical activity every school day. Research into physically active learning shows that children learn just as well or better through this method. The government wants to have its own pilot schools where more emphasis is placed on physical activity and which can be role models for the rest of the country. In Telemark, they think they already know enough. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAI. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. – It’s better than sitting inside the classroom, because you get to move your body more, says Mia Amalie Falck Bentsen, who is in the 6th grade at Helle School in Kragerø. Together with the rest of the class, she has math lessons outside several times a week. The math problems they have to solve are under various posts scattered around the school’s outdoor area. Photo: Hans Philip Hofgaard / news The point is to run back and forth between the various tasks, while the pupils learn maths. – Then we don’t have to sit quietly and be restless all the time. And avoids being disturbed in the classroom, explains the 6th grader who thinks it can often get a bit noisy inside. Less activity the older the pupils get In Telemark county municipality, physically active learning is from 1–10 years. class a focus area. The teaching method is used in several subjects, for example in science and social studies. – The older the rivers become, the less physically active they are. Then we think that the school is a good arena for public health work and more activity, says Guro Høydal, who is head of the “Life and stir” program in Telemark county municipality. Guro Høydal leads the “Life and driving” program in Telemark county municipality. Photo: Lars Tore Endresen / news She does not understand that the government will not introduce requirements for daily physical activity, so that all pupils get it. When it is up to each individual teacher, there are many who do not implement it. Many people do not know the method either. – We have long wanted a requirement from the government for one hour of physical activity at school every day, she says. The offer does not take away time from other subjects and can be solved with simple steps that cost nothing. Will give the teachers freedom The Minister of Education believes that it must be up to the teachers how they want to organize the day. She emphasizes that she wants more physical activity. Preferably also more than an hour, if the teachers want it. – For us, it has been important to show the freedom teachers have to integrate this into their subjects and their methodology. And that we must develop methods that ensure that you reach the competence targets together with the physical activity, explains Kari Nessa Nordtun from the Labor Party. The rivers become problem solvers together. Photo: Hans Philip Hofgaard / news For teacher at Helle School, Tommy Rugseth, it is only positive to be part of the project, he says. He does not experience varying the teaching methods as a straitjacket and says he has learned a lot from being part of the program for the county council. – It is something that the students are very motivated by and we also see that it includes more people in the tasks we have to do. Teacher Tommy Rugseth motivates the students to be active at the same time as he tries to teach arithmetic with negative numbers. Photo: Hans Philip Hofgaard / news The government wants to have its own pilot schools where more emphasis is placed on physical activity and that these schools can be role models for the rest of the country. They will also create idea banks where teachers can share experiences. – Pupils who are physically active become better problem solvers. They get a better memory and better concentration. There is much to be gained from being more active during everyday school life, says the Minister of Education. Researching the method In Telemark, they think they already know enough. That they have carried out the pilot that the Minister of Knowledge wants. At Helle school, the math task ends with finding the correct answer in a rocking ring which ends with a jump. Photo: Hans Philip Hofgaard / news – We know so much about the benefits of physically active learning that we are not going to end the work, explains Høydal. Two researchers have followed the students at Helle School for a long time. They are concerned with developing a method that more teachers can use. Because the effect is indisputable. – Research into physically active learning shows that children learn just as well or better, says Matias Brekke Mandelid. Mathias Brekke Mandelid conducts research on the students at Physically Active Learning. Photo: Lars Tore Endresen / news He is a scholar in physically active learning at the University of Southeast Norway and works as a university lecturer at the University College of Western Norway. Several teachers have already been trained at the Center for Physically Active Learning Will not wait – It’s about how we are going to make it happen in school. And there is little research. So we try to get it together with the teachers, he explains. He emphasizes that there is already a website to spread physically active learning and that several places in the country are testing this. In Telemark, they are therefore impatient. The physically active learning is not an addition to the regular teaching, but part of it, and something that can be introduced already now, explains the head of the program in Telemark. – Physically active learning is a very good supplement to everyday school life. There is no end to ordinary classroom teaching, concludes Høydal. The students say that they think the physically active learning is fun. Photo: Hans Philip Hofgaard / news Published 06.11.2024, at 4:30 p.m
ttn-69
The government is criticized for not investing in physical activity in schools – news Vestfold and Telemark – Local news, TV and radio
