A recent article in our local newspaper had this headline, “Strong body, strong mind. Kids who exercise do better in school.” That is the Ratey’s point this week as he says, “When we exercise, we’re also exercising the areas of the brain involved in the full suite of cognitive functions.” Ratey points out that our brain is less hard-wired and more flexible than scientist had originally thought. Exercise increases the plasticity of the brain as well as increasing the rate of learning.
Ratey also points out that exercise activates the same neurotransmitters that Ritalin and Prozac do. This is exciting news for parents of ADD children. Exercise has the potential for reducing the number of children requiring medication. Let’s continue to encourage our kids to enjoy recess outdoors as they will unknowingly be improving their potential for school achievement.
Next week we’ll tackle the whole issue of where Nurture fits into the whole equation of children’s school success.