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How can the incorporation of Kinesthetic Learning help students to learn and remember a concept? Meredith Mothershead Glen Allen High School

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Abstract There are many speculations about the best way to teach for remembering the content. In doing research and in my experiences in the classroom because of my ambition to be a teacher, kinesthetic learning, or learning through movement, is proving to be the most successful. Because of the ability to move your body to learn content, it has been found through multiple experiments and studies that this improves learning and memory. According to Gardners theory of Multiple Intelligences, there are those that have trouble learning in other ways except through moving the body and being active. For these students, incorporating movement into lessons into the classroom is absolutely necessary for success. Because of my interest in dance and education, I was determined to prove that dance and performing can greatly benefit students in learning content. I also looked into a program called Minds in Motion that proves this theory and puts it into practice. In researching this amazing program, I found that teaching through dance is possible and has proved successful in elementary school students.

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Introduction Kinesthetic education, or the process of teaching using movement instead of lectures, is a fairly new method of teaching. Teachers of all subjects are starting to incorporate dance, games, and other movement in order to teach and help their students remember the content. A program that exemplifies this well is Minds in Motion. This is a program run through the Richmond Ballet that, teaches fourth-grade students discipline, dedication and self-awareness by leading them through a series of choreographic movements which must be memorized and expanded upon in each class session. The use of dance in teaching in this setting has been found to have great success in the students understanding of the history and science concepts that are used in the Minds in Motion Program. Teaching through movement, especially dance, benefits learning and memory because of the action aspect and the psychology of the brain, which can be seen through the Minds in Motion program.

Kinesthetic Education As an aspiring teacher, and having conducted research on the topic of teaching through dance, kinesthetic learning is a highly underestimated tool for the classroom. Students crave being able to get up from their seat and do something active during a lesson. It wakes them up and stimulates their brain, thus making them better prepared for learning. The main point of my project is the benefits of Kinesthetic education. Most of my research cited examples of the use of dance to teach mathematics. It was said that, There are at least four aspects of mathematics that can be related to dance: spatial

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exploration, rhythm, structure, and symbolisation. (Watson, 2005) Many of the sources talk about the importance of three-dimensional learning and how shapes can be learned best by physically interacting with them. The way that we know things is inextricably connected to our interactions with the physical world. (Watson, 2005). Because of this, my using movement to teach math, the students are able to connect with the shapes, patterns, and structure of the topic. This can also be used with Special Education students as well. The use of visual, motor and kinesthetic approaches to teach and encourage the creative development of children with cognitive disabilities. (Skoning, 2008). In one classroom of 27, 9 of whom had disabilities, the teacher added creative movement first to her literature lessons. She said that, Students who had Attention Deficit Disorder became classroom leaders and head Choreographers. (Skoning, 2008) This obviously shows that kinesthetic education is beneficial to all students, including ones with Special needs.

Gardners Theory of Multiple Intelligences Psychologist Howard Gardner determined that there are seven distinct intelligences. His theory goes off of the fact that people learn and think in different ways. He also describes these intelligences as categories that document the extent to which students possess different kinds of minds and therefore learn, remember, perform, and understand in different ways. (Gardner 1991) He also says that:

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we are all able to know the world through language, logical-mathematical analysis, spatial representation, musical thinking, the use of the body to solve problems or to make things, an understanding of other individuals, and an understanding of ourselves. Where individuals differ is in the strength of these intelligences - the so-called profile of intelligences -and in the ways in which such intelligences are invoked and combined to carry out different tasks, solve diverse problems, and progress in various domains. The seven learning styles are Visual- Spatial, Bodily- Kinesthetic, Musical, Interpersonal, Intrapersonal, Linguistic, and Logical-Mathematical. The learning intelligences of Gardners that are stimulated by learning through dance are Bodily- Kinesthetic, Musical, and Interpersonal. I believe that this is proof enough that this is a concept that we should incorporate into classrooms because it helps three of the seven learners. BodilyKinesthetic Intelligence is characterized by using the body effectively and movement. This is the basis on which Kinesthetic education is built upon. These learners brains are directly stimulated by teaching through dance and movement because they are not simply sitting and listening to a lecture, they are up and actively participating in their learning. Musical Intelligence is characterized by students who show sensitivity to rhythm and sound. This learning style is stimulated through the music that is used to dance to in the lesson. For example, during my internship, I am teaching a lesson on Ancient Egypt and China. I am communicating the content through the use of a song. The words of the song highlight the major SOLs that the students need to know about each of these countries. My hope is that the students who enjoy music and remember lyrics easily, will remember

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these concepts for their assessment at the end of the school year. Lastly, Interpersonal Intelligence is categorized by understanding and interacting with others. This is stimulated by teaching through dance by working with classmates and teachers to learn the choreography and to perform it, thus learning the material. (Lane)

Minds in Motion A program that implements the kinesthetic learning method the most effectively in my opinion is Minds in Motion. This teaches fourth-grade students discipline, dedication and self-awareness by leading them through a series of choreographic movements which must be memorized and expanded upon in each class session. (Studdard). I experienced this a few years ago when I went to a performance. I have also talked to multiple children who went through the program and learned a lot from the program. They said that they remembered the concepts of Jamestown, Cell division, and the other concepts that they learned. The Minds in Motion programs major goals are to stimulate a childs visual processing, auditory processing, as well as their motor skills. They claim that, the outcome is a better integrated and balanced child who will perform better in school and at home. In my experience with the type of children who have gone through the program, their claim is true as well as the fact that the students gain self-confidence and valuable knowledge that they acquired in an exciting way that makes them love learning. In our technology and stimulation-heavy generation, it is not plausible anymore to teach in the way that we have in the past. With students attention always being split

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between social media, television, and cell phones, education must follow suit and become competitive to capture students interest. I feel that this can be done by teaching through dance and movement because it forces the student to use energy and to think about the concept while they are moving and participating actively in the class.

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Works Cited Watson, A. (2005). Dance and mathematics: engaging senses in learning. Australian senior mathematics journal, 19(1), 16-23. Retrieved February 16, 2014, from ERIC (EJ717786). http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ717786.pdf

Skoning, S. N. (2008, July). Movement and dance in the inclusive classroom. Teaching Exceptional Journal Plus, 4(6), 1-11. Retrieved February 16, 2014, from ERIC (EJ967723). http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ967723.pdf

Hudson, W. (Choreographer). (2010). Minds in motion 2010 death in chesapeake. YouTube. Retrieved February 16, 2014, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USGvlX46fBg&edufilter=Db24N54Eu_vpe4P65Iz5F a&safe=active

Wood, K. (2008). Mathematics through movement: An investigation of the links between kinaesthetic and conseptual learning.Australian primary mathematics classroom, 13(1), 18-22. Retrieved February 18, 2014, from ERIC (EJ793993). http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ793993.pdf

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Brackett, G. (2006, May). Identifying and reaching the hands-on learner. Retrieved February 18, 2014, from ERIC (ED495231). http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED495231.pdf

Kinesthetic learning in the classroom. (n.d.). In Bucknell University. Retrieved February 23, 2014, from http://www.facstaff.bucknell.edu/jvt002/Docs/ASEE2008b.pdf http://www.facstaff.bucknell.edu/jvt002/Docs/ASEE-2008b.pdf