The Walking Classroom

Walk, Listen, and Learn

A program of Alliance for a Healthier Generation
  • Sample educational podcasts!
  • Teacher Resources
  • Buy
  • Apply
  • Our
    Program
    • Program Overview
    • Implementation
    • Why It Works
    • ESSER Alignment
    • Research Studies
    • Videos
    • Our Mobile App
    • Sample Podcasts!
    • Testimonials
    • Our Ambassadors
    • Science Career Podcast Series
  • What’s
    Happening
    • Latest News
    • Resources
    • Stories from educators
    • Posts about our app
    • For families and homeschool
  • FAQs
  • About
    Us
    • About The Walking Classroom
    • Awards
    • The Walking Classroom Press Kit
    • Contact Us
  • Informational Webinars

Blog

Walk this Way: On The Trail with Mrs. Yonemura’s Class

11.30.18
posted by Kathie Yonemura

This post is part of our Walk This Way series, designed to share The Walking Classroom experiences of teachers and students across the United States. This post provides a glimpse into Kathie Yonemura’s class.

Click here to read all of Kathie’s articles.

The school year always begins with my new fourth graders eagerly asking, “When are we going to get to walk with the WalkKits?” They’ve watched my former students briskly walk by their third-grade classrooms a couple of times a week, all year long: Walk Kits hanging around their necks, headphones on or earbuds in. This is my fourth year using The Walking Classroom program. I will never go back to teaching indoors all day again!

Introducing the Program

The Walking Classroom provides wonderful teacher support materials, including a PowerPoint for the first few days. These lessons introduce the importance of physical exercise and its effect on the brain. Students learn about their heart rate, as well as the basic safety rules, and also get to familiarize themselves with the Walk Kits.

Fitting It In

Trying to fit one more thing into our already seemingly short school day was one of the biggest challenges. However, The Walking Classroom counts toward our 100 required minutes of PE per week. The range of topics allows me to choose podcasts that fit into my curriculum. As one of my students acknowledged, “We’re walking, we’re outside, and we’re learning. You can’t get better than that!”

Managing the Materials

In order to use our time effectively, I’ve developed a management system. I label each WalkKit with a student number. Not only can we spot which WalkKit belongs to whom, it also eliminates having to write new student names each year.

Students practice turning their WalkKits on and off, as well as how to wrap the lanyard around the WalkKit to store. Wrapped WalkKits are stored in numbered slots in a plastic case. It is easy to check and see if all the devices are returned.

Students who use earbuds while walking keep them in a baggie in their pencil pouches. Students with headphones keep them (cords wrapped) in a class bin. This makes for easy set up and clean up!

Happy, Healthy and Knowledgeable!

Aligned with the Common Core State Standards, the podcasts elicit wonderful class discussions. My students and families are so enthusiastic about The Walking Classroom that my principal tells all the other district principals about the program!

Walking and learning can fit into any 20-minute time slot during the school day. The results? Happy, healthy, and knowledgeable kids and a happy and healthy teacher too!

Kathie Yonemura
Fourth Grade Teacher
Hesby Oaks Leadership Charter School

Follow Mrs. Yonemura and her fourth grade students as they walk, listen, and learn through the school year. Look for her posts the last Friday of every month!

And, be sure to check out how the program is being implemented by three other teachers on subsequent Fridays!

Share This!
previous
next

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related

Walk This Way: Health Lessons and Literacy Too!
March 10, 2023
Tags: health lesson, Lisa McDowell, STEM, walk this way
Toni Lehman
Walk this Way: Health Benefits Galore!
March 3, 2023
Tags: exercise, health benefits, Toni Lehman, US Preamble and Constitution, walk this way
Walk This Way: Help with a Winter SOS
February 17, 2023
Tags: behavior, Jane Keen, movement, walk this way, winter

Blog Topics

  • Blog
  • Family Resources
  • News
  • Resources
  • The Walking Classroom App
  • Your Stories

GET OUR BLOG POSTS IN YOUR EMAIL

Share Your Story

share-your-storyAre you a Walking Classroom adopter? We want to hear your story and share it with others in our community.

Share your Walking Classroom story!

Videos

video-iconSee The Walking Classroom in action and hear from some of the teachers using it.

Watch our videos!

Join Our Newsletter

Site Map

A program of    Alliance for a Healthier Generation

Follow us!

Alliance for a Healthier Generation
dba/The Walking Classroom
1028 SE Water Ave, Suite 215
Portland, OR 97214
(919) 240-7877
info@thewalkingclassroom.org

Privacy Policy (Web)

Privacy Policy (Mobile App)

© Copyright 2023, Alliance for a Healthier Generation dba The Walking Classroom. All rights reserved.