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Feb. 4, 2005 the value of moving! Hillel Weintraub, Future University - Hakodate

It's long been an important part of my teaching and learning philosophy and design, that having students use their bodies and all their senses made learning more real, fun, and engaging. Recently one of my senior students, Ichiro Nishi, told me of an interesting book he read Kaigi Kakumei, A revolution of meetings, Takashi Saito, PHP Kenkyu-jyo, 2002 (available only in Japanese) in which the author writes about the importance of moving our bodies during meetings. My student said it reminded him of things I had done in my classes - like sending students out of the class for "walk and talk" or sometimes sitting on the floor together. I was glad to know that other educators and designers were aware of the value of movement and flow in such environments. In the United States, at least, I think such awareness is lacking in education circles in general. Nowadays, there are many children in schools who have trouble keeping still during lessons and can't concentrate for a long time on one thing. They are labeled "hyperactive" and are given strong medication to help them with this condition which has been labeled "ADHD" (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According to an article in Education World, one professional group estimates that 3-5% of American schoolchildren are "affected with ADHD" and another estimates 4-12%. I remember personally having a lot of trouble concentrating and sitting quietly in my school days, but this was in the 1950's before this disorder was "discovered" and given a name in 1980. So I was just considered a naughty student, a trouble-maker who couldn't sit still in class. Well, I often wonder why children are blamed for not being able to sit still in school? Why should they be asked to sit quietly for very long periods of time? Isn't this a rather unnatural state for children (and adults too!!!)? Personally, I think there is great value in getting people to move around. Where did the idea come from that people learning or even working should be sitting down behind desks? Why doesn't anyone challenge that idea? I DO! I challenge all people who are learning something or working on something - whether it's children in primary school or teenagers in junior, senior high school and in college too - and even in offices - to try to find ways to move around, to think on your feet or even with your feet! A colleague and I were talking about how to create new meeting styles, a theme that I have long been thinking about. Whenever I am invited to give a presentation or organize a meeting, I always try to be playfully inventive in getting people to move and engage with others, like cogs in gears. Even brainstorming for a short time a number of crazy, but fun ideas came up, such as having meetings in elevators, and the meetings could only last as long as the elevator ride. So some meetings would be seconds; others could be minutes, depending on the size of the building. Sometimes new meetings would have to be arranged if business couldn't be finished within one ride. Maybe emergency stairs would have to be used; maybe escalators would be handy. Each design had constraints and challenges, but at least we were thinking about how to get people moving. Another idea was to set people on a walking course of various lengths, a bit like a miniature golf course, and tell them to discuss a certain topic during their walks; then at the end of the walk, send a message through their cellular phone - or come back to a central location - and finally discuss the ideas of each group... Just think if educators also thought about how to get students away from their desks and walking and talking and learning together in motion. Perhaps learning in motion might help us to honor our e-motions, something which is given too little attention in most educational environments. This might help children with attention deficit disorders in a way with less negative side effects that the drugs now being used! Let's Talk!

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