A teacher from North Carolina found a unique way to ensure that her students stayed focused during the Maths lesson: cycling!
Bethany Lambeth who is a Wake County teacher installed cycling machines under the desks of her eighth-grade students. She found her students to be more focused and less fidgety while the quality of their work improved dramatically.
“Before, they were drumming on their desks, they were touching other people, they don’t do that anymore. Their feet are getting the movement out. There has been a huge increase in the quality of our student’s work and a decrease in the amount of missing work. [The kids] are not picking on each other, they are not needing to walk around, they are not needing to go explore, they are able to get their activity out and get their work done. I think the world is changing a lot and the kids need to be able to do something different. What we’ve been doing is not necessarily working.”
The cycling machines were installed last year. The project was funded by donations as well as a grant received from the 4-C fund. Each cycling machine installation cost $150.
The success of Lambeth’s experiment has prompted the educators to investigate the effectiveness of the cycling machines for educating the children with special needs.
One of the Lambeth’s students, Sofia Fedele said the cycling machines have improved her concentration:
“I usually tap my feet and stuff…just because it keeps me focused. [Pedalling] keeps me exercising and focused.”
Another student Quinn Spear is just proud that he burns 133 calories, all before 10 a.m.! What do you think of this idea? Let us know in comments!