About 5 months ago, the School Psychologist and the Physical Education Teacher walked into my 2nd grade classroom carrying two large, inflatable, bouncy red balls.
I never suspected how much two red balls would change the atmosphere of the room – for the better. You would think that having two large, inflatable, bouncy balls would cause chaos and pandemonium.
I should probably explain that the balls were exercise balls (also called fitness balls or stability balls), sized for the second graders, and they they were to be a substitute for chairs.
Shut the front door! you might be thinking. Students..sitting on bouncy balls…instead of chairs…has the world gone mad?
Actually, no madness involved. If you have worked with students with special needs, particularly ones on the spectrum and/or ones that may have sensory issues, you may have seen some students have success with small inflatable discs that act as seat cushions. Sitting on exercise balls is a similar concept, but with wider benefits (in my opinion).
Basically, sitting on an exercise ball provides a certain kind of brain stimulation for the person sitting on it, enabling the person to have the brain power to remain on-task. Kids who need to move constantly can still do it, without disrupting the class. Not to mention the balls provide terrific core-muscle strengthening benefits.
The balls were a bit of an experiment in our school. I knew they were coming to my class – I’d walk into other rooms to find a couple of bobbing heads dutifully doing work at their desks. I knew that management of the balls would be key to successful implementation. Luckily, the School Psychologist and the Gym Teacher made a dual presentation in each class of the proper use of the balls, which helped tremendously, because in my school the school psychologist and the gym teacher are kind of like the rock stars of the building – the kiddos hung on their every word. They also got to try out sitting on the balls, so they would know how it would feel.
In a future post, I’ll describe the 5 ways I managed the exercise balls in the classroom. I’ll explain the rules we had, and how I managed the rotation of getting 18 students onto two balls in the fairest way possible. I’ll also give you ideas as to how to get your hands on some without breaking your budget.
Overall, I can say the exercise balls were a resounding success. I definitely noticed more on-task behavior, particularly when the students were doing independent work at their desks. I noticed more attentiveness during direct instruction. I should point out that the balls benefited EVERY STUDENT IN THE CLASS – not the just ones that “needed” it.
I’m not saying that every student SHOULD have an exercise ball. But I believe that exercise balls should be in a teacher’s toolbox to individualize the learning environment for the students that need it.
I’m off to get one for myself.
