IN 1933 VANVES, a tiny suburb of Paris, was the site of an 18 month experiment under the direction of Dr. Latarjet of the faculty of medicine, University of Lyons. Thirty children in the 11 year age who were 
judged to be the physically weakest due to hereditary defects, bad housing, and malnutrition, and thirty of the worst judged by growth retardation and intellectual standards were selected to form one class. Their aim was to:
- Reduce to a minimum the hours devoted to intellectual school subjects, leaving more time for physical exercise with the view to obtaining better physiological development and consequently a better intellectual and teaching efficiency; and
- Compare the children of the experiment class with the pupils of the control class.
They were entrusted to a highly intelligent, active teacher. Daily intellectual study was reduced by 2 hours which were used for physical activities.
Dr. Latarjet stated that:
“a child needs nine, ten, or eleven hours of sleep; two hours for play and properly conducted physical education, two hours for meals and one hour daily for hygiene. In addition he needs recreation outside of organized physical education for the purpose of thoughts and intellectual relaxation.”
The result was considerable improvement in overall physique, posture improvement, lessening of minor disease, better psychological and emotional balance, and finally, on the intellectual level, examination successes were no less numerous than for those in the control group.
WAKE UP AMERICA. Since that 1933 study there have been endless other studies showing the efficacy and importance of sleep, food, and movement to boost classroom focus, retention, and therefore grades.
So why is there any question about what we should be doing?
Why do WE spend money and time to go to the gym but expect our kids to sit in a classroom for six hours a day without physical outlets to get rid of the accumulated tensions of the day?
WAKE UP AMERICA. Wake up teacher training institutions. Include and emphasize courses on nutrition and exercise. It used to be that students led “setting up exercises” in the classroom during the 1920s.
WAKE UP AMERICA. Whatever you think, or don’t think of the Democratic Convention, whoever orchestrated it was genius to have inserted, dotted, blended, or whatever other word you want to use, music throughout the four days. It forced participants to get up and get moving. Very few people can sit still when they hear a good beat. And moving is the fastest way to get rid of tension before it has time to accumulate in the muscles so that focus becomes much easier. Music also is joyful and lifts the spirit.
WAKE UP AMERICA. TURN ON THE MUSIC AND GET MOVING
AND DON’T FORGET THE KIDS WHO, IN THIS DAY AND AGE,
NEED IT MORE THAN EVER.
Classroom Exercise the Bonnie Prudden Way
Click the image above to be taken to the video.
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If you have questions or need help, email me at enid@bonnieprudden.com.
For more information about Bonnie Prudden®, Bonnie Prudden Myotherapy®, workshops, books, self-help tools, DVDs, educational videos, and blogs, visit www.bonnieprudden.com. Or call 520-299-8064 if you have questions or need help. Enid Whittaker, Managing Director, Bonnie Prudden Myotherapy®