The Walking Classroom has been an amazing addition to our daily routine! As soon as I take attendance and lunch count, we fill out our walking journals (with the number and title of the day’s podcast) and head out the door for our walk. When we return, students have a few minutes to write down anything they want to remember about the podcast. Then we share and discuss ideas while adding to our journal notes. We often have very meaningful discussions when they make connections to other things we’re learning or to their daily world experiences!
I trade classes with another teacher, so I walk with my homeroom two days a week and her homeroom two other days of the week. Because our walking time falls during our “extension” hour and a few students are gone from my classroom during that time, I have started walking with both classes on Fridays. (I walk twice, so I REALLY get my exercise that day! It’s wonderful!) I used to do stations on Fridays, but I’ve decided that the Walking Classroom is much more meaningful and beneficial to all of us. I love seeing the excited faces of my students when they ask me, “Are we walking today?” and I reply, “Yes!”
I can’t say enough about how much I love this program!
Thanks, Walking Classroom!
Kari Lawson
5th grade teacher
Westwood Elementary
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