Provide trainings through SchoolsAlive!
A story from North Dakota and Minnesota
Born out of the national movement created by Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs (CSPAP) and Active Schools (formerly Let’s Move! Active Schools), SchoolsAlive! seeks to bring this momentum to the local level in North Dakota and Minnesota by providing trainings to teachers on active classrooms, active recess, and active PE and providing support to schools through their Adopt-a-School Program.
We spoke to Dr. Kristen Ford from Concordia College in Moorhead Minnesota and Dr. Jenny Linker from North Dakota State University to learn more about their approach to trainings through SchoolsAlive!
Key Takeaways
Take a holistic approach. Dr. Ford and Dr. Linker both described their approach as “holistic.” For them, this means that SchoolsAlive! offers trainings that address the components of CSPAP and describe how the components fit together and support one another. In practice, this means that even if a school is only interested or ready to address one CSPAP component, SchoolsAlive! always encourages schools to build on the trainings they attend and try to address as many components as they can.
“If we can get people to buy into one physical activity component…sometimes we can get them on board to consider infusing physical activity into other parts of the school day.”
Dr. Jenny Linker
Focus on practical skills. Dr. Linker commented on the practical approach that SchoolsAlive! takes in its trainings:
“One of the biggest contributors to our success is that we are super practical. Participants walk away with strategies they can put in place tomorrow in their schools or classrooms. The trainings include lots of practice and the opportunities to model and see these activities in action.”
One example of a practical strategy is examining a daily classroom schedule and moving reading and math after a bout of physical activity (i.e., physical education or recess) as a way to reap the benefits of physical activity on academic outcomes.
Be flexible and offer options. SchoolsAlive! offers a menu of trainings for schools and districts. According to Dr. Ford, by providing options, “Schools can look at the menu or tell us what they already have in place. Then we decide, based on conversations with them, what their needs are.” She also noted their flexibility in meeting a school’s need in the time available to them: “If a school comes to us and says, ‘We only have 2 hours or 4 hours,’ we go through and revamp what we have to make the training fit their time frame.”
Find a champion. Dr. Ford shared that the greatest successes come from finding a champion at the school-level. Champions can be anyone: principals, teachers, recess supervisors, parents, or paraprofessionals. When a champion (i.e., “someone who takes physical activity as their mission”) is identified, uptake with classroom teachers and principals is more successful.