Lower School

January 3, 2019

by Renee Wright, Lower School Director

Editor’s Note: On the first Thursday of each month, you will find a guest blog post here from one of MPA’s division directors. We hope you will enjoy reading their thoughts and reflections about life at MPA.

“It is time to warm up our bodies and brains and get ready for a new week of learning.” These words are spoken every Monday morning at the start of the Lower School Meeting, right before students and teachers participate in the “BrainDance.” Developed by Anne Green Gilbert, an educator and author who founded the Creative Dance Center in Seattle, the BrainDance is a series of exercises and developmental movement patterns that prepare students for learning, promote appropriate behaviors, and develop social skills. This is just one way that MPA teachers promote movement to enhance learning.

What does research tell us about the relationship between movement and the brain? Prior to 1995, researchers believed that the health benefits of exercise were limited to the body. Recent research has shown, however, that regular physical activity and movement benefit more than just the body—they actually augment brain function. Movement supplies brain cells with oxygen, promotes the production of new brain cells, and aids in creating new synapses. In experiments at the University of Illinois, rats that exercised had a greater number of neuron connections than non-exercising rats (Greenough & Anderson, 1991). Movement triggers the release of a brain-derived neurotrophic factor known as BDNF (Kesslak, Patrick, So, Cotman, & Gomez-Pinilla, 1998). This natural substance enhances cognition by boosting a neuron’s ability to communicate with other neurons. Movement also increases energy, reduces stress, and calms the mind and body. Research shows that exercise may stimulate the production of brain chemicals norepinephrine and dopamine, which energize and elevate mood (Chaouloff, 1989). In addition, studies link movement to better memory and reduced likelihood of depression (Kempermann, 2002). Other research studies reveal that exercise improves classroom behavior, academic performance, and social skills (Dwyer, Sallis, Blizzard, Lazarus, & Dean, 2001). As a result of multiple research studies, schools now understand that students learn better, behave better, and are socially more successful when they have physical activity and movement breaks throughout the school day.

November 29, 2018

by Dr. Bill Hudson, Head of School

I recently came across an article shared by Entrepreneur magazine entitled, “The Most Important Skill at the Office Isn’t Being Taught in School.” It caught my attention. What is that important skill? The article argues it is curiosity. Curiosity is named by many behavioral scientists to be among the most valuable attributes in the workplace and yet it is not fostered in many schools. In fact, the way in which schools are structured discourages it. It makes sense because so many schools are driven by standardized testing and measure performance solely on test-based standards. Rest assured that is not the case at MPA, and in fact, is quite the opposite.

At MPA, curiosity is not just encouraged–it is expected. Furthermore, curiosity is valued as a mindset to be cultivated in its own right, not just for the workplace, but for lifelong fulfillment. According to best-selling author Todd Kashdan, “Curiosity—a state of active interest or genuinely wanting to know more about something—creates an openness to unfamiliar experiences, laying the groundwork for greater opportunities to experience discovery, joy, and delight.” Whether in the classroom, the workplace, or in life, curiosity is essential. Read More