Yoga Balls?

At my school this year, some innovating teachers decided to go out and hit Donors Chose and get YOGA balls for their classroom. Seriously? YOGA balls? I immediately thought , no way, kids will be kicking and bouncing balls everywhere...crazy intermediate teachers!

I had to investigate this! I walked into this 5th grade classroom, here they are doing Math.

Maybe it is my own attention deficit, but I was floored over the fact they write on their DESKS! Say what? Yoga Smoga, tell me about this strategy of writing on your desks? My Fifth grade cohort said, "You can't do math on scrap paper anymore, that is so 2000!"

 

 All the while I am taking notes on how to erase and clean the desks the kids are bouncing and doing math. when I say bouncing, I don't mean bouncing high or crazy, just a soft steady bounce.

Remember I teach Second Grade, I have only been in the Primary grades, here these kids are doing long division, a process that I haven't done in forever. (Well except for crying over it at homework time with my Sweet Boy)

So here I am walking around this classroom in awe of their work, in awe of their concentration and BAM...they get up and teach me a new dance move! Ok it wasn't a dance move but you be the judge!



"Divide" /

"Multiply" X

"Subtract" -

"Bring it down".....

Their teacher says "This group ends it with "oh yeah" they are SO CUTE!!!"

I was so impressed with these kids! So impressed with their teacher, kinesthetic, fun and educational...I want to bounce around in here!
I even got the chance to sit on a Yoga Ball...oh my I think I need one of these for my desk...do you think she'll notice if I grab just one?

Next stop...Third Grade!
When I walked in, they were doing Reading Enrichment, so it wasn't her regular class, a few were my Sweet Bees from last year. I was excited to see them interact with the Yoga Balls.

 A little shorter, means a little less air in the balls. This group seemed a little more bouncy than the Fifth Graders, but to be fair it was only their third day on the balls.

I will have to revisit these classrooms at the end of the year and see how the progressed over the year!