Movement-based
Mathematics: Enjoyment and Engagement without Compromising Learning through the
EASY Minds Program by Nicholas
Riley et al
Summary
The
article addresses the concerning decline in mathematics performance among
students in Australia. In response, researchers conducted a study involving an
intervention for grades 5-6 to understand students' and teachers' perceptions using
the Easy Mind program. This study included focus groups with 66 students and 4
teachers, utilizing the NSW Quality Teaching Model as a framework to assess the
teaching strategies implemented. The key findings are as follows:
-
Nearly all participating students expressed an increased interest in
mathematics, finding the program highly engaging. They particularly valued the
opportunity to learn outside the traditional classroom, allowing hands-on
experiences in a more open environment.
- The program effectively captivated both
high-achieving and struggling students, indicating that it provided benefits
across the board, regardless of individual student capabilities.
- Students reported a deeper understanding of
mathematical concepts, as the integration of physical movement enhanced their
learning experience without sacrificing academic rigour.
- Teachers expressed high satisfaction with
this teaching approach, noting that it was intuitive and resulted in relatively
low discipline among students.
In
conclusion, the authors affirm that integrating movement into the primary
mathematics curriculum is both feasible and highly effective. Such an approach
can significantly boost student engagement and foster exploration through
physical activity, all while maintaining academic quality. This underscores the
potential of innovative pedagogical methods to transform traditional learning
environments that students often find unengaging.
Stop
1
Quote:
“Quite a few
students commented on “multi-tasking” (doing mathematical and physical activities),
noting that being presented with an additional challenge aided in their
learning. Students used different ways to explain these benefits;
"the exercise makes the brain work clearer"; "because your mind
has been doing exercise, it kind of gets it ready for mathematics”. Page 1665
Explanation: This emphasizes how
students see a link between physical activity and better math thinking. It has
been proven that physical exercises help improve brain function. When they
mention that exercise helps clear their minds and gets them ready for math, it
challenges the idea that math should only be learned while sitting still in a
classroom. This finding is particularly exciting because it offers a solution
to the ongoing issues with declining math performance. By incorporating outdoor
activities and sports into math lessons, students can connect what they enjoy
with what they need to learn, making math feel less intimidating and more
engaging. This inspires a more holistic approach to teaching, highlighting the
need to involve both the body and mind.
Stop
2
Quote:” Before EASY minds, most students
reported mainly doing paper- and worksheet-based activities as part of their Maths
lessons. Not being able to move around, being inside and simply being
exposed to didactic teaching methods were perceived as dull, boring,
repetitive, and uninteresting.
Explanation: This quotation strongly
resonates with some classroom experiences I witnessed in Nigeria, where I often
observed students placing their heads on their desks during classes with teacher-centred
instruction. Watching students disengage made me question whether traditional
approaches truly support meaningful learning, especially for children who are
naturally energetic and curious.
What
excites me about this quote is the deliberate effort being made to move away
from dull and repetitive teaching practices toward more engaging and embodied
ways of learning mathematics. I recall my own experience as an adult learner
when Susan took us outside to explore quadratic equations and parabolas through
movement. That lesson transformed my understanding of the concept, as the
physical movements helped me visualize and feel the shape of the parabola
rather than merely memorize it. I became deeply interested in how our bodies
could generate mathematical meaning.
This
reflection leads me to imagine how much more powerful such an approach would be
for younger students, whose energy and need for movement are even greater.
Providing children with opportunities to move, explore, and physically
experience mathematics could change their relationship with the subject from
one of boredom to one of curiosity and excitement.
Question: If the Ministry sets the
curriculum and time for each topic, are these truly the barriers to embodied
mathematics learning, or is it our fixed image of what a mathematics lesson
should look like? What might change, for better or worse, if teachers began to
teach differently?
Hi Clementina, thanks for your thought-provoking question! In my teaching experience, there are many lessons where a large portion of class time is devoted to desk work. In fact, some of my university lesson-planning experiences even mandated that pre-service teachers provide time at the end of class for students to complete work—often amounting to “busy work.”
ReplyDeleteI also think that some more experienced teachers may be deeply accustomed to certain pedagogical approaches and therefore resistant to change. While this reaction is understandable and valid, it can unintentionally discourage newer teachers from experimenting with alternative ways of teaching. Often, we fall back on teaching the way we were taught; even after reading countless papers, theories, and frameworks, traditional practices can reassert themselves. Meaningfully shifting one’s pedagogy takes time, energy, and sustained reflexivity, as well as the courage to try something new.
That said, I do think movement can be incorporated in relatively accessible ways. As Susan cautioned, I am also trying not to think about these issues too binarily. Movement does not have to be an “add-on” or a radical departure from existing practice. As you noted in your reflection, movement is natural for many of us, and when approached intentionally, it can be woven into classroom activity in ways that feel organic rather than forced.
Hi Clementina,
ReplyDeleteYour first stop about students "multi-tasking" with physical and mental challenges really caught my eye. In my own classroom, I have often worried that adding movement might take students too much time. The quotes you highlighted show that for many kids, the physical challenge actually acts as a catalyst for clearer thinking. It seems that for many learners, being "ready for mathematics" requires a body that is awake, not just a brain that is focused.
When you compared the "heads on desks" in Nigeria to the worksheet-heavy classrooms in Australia, it shows that student disengagement is a global issue tied to this specific "didactic" style. Your mention of our outdoor parabola lesson with Susan is a perfect example of how a concept moves from a flat drawing to a felt experience. When we walked that curve, the math wasn't just on the pavement and it was in our legs. It makes me think about how much more successful our secondary students would be if we let them "feel" the rate of change or the steepness of a slope through their own movement.
Anna’s comment about the "fear of the unknown" and the pressure to provide "busy work" is so true. If we can't imagine math without desks, we will never truly be able to implement these programs.