The Walking Classroom has been an amazing program for my students. Initially, when I received my devices, I set up a special area in my classroom to house them. With the help of the printed materials that I received, I was then able to establish some ground rules. These ground rules helped to set the expectations and keep my students safe.
The first step was to teach students which buttons to use and some safety guidelines for when we are using the program. For instance, when I would hold up my hand and stop walking, students were to pause the podcast. They were then expected to stop and look at me for further direction.
My students were excited to begin the program and helped to take good care of the materials. We used the program at least three times a week. My students loved walking and learning, and they would beg to take walks with the Walking Classroom.
My school is located next to a woods with walking paths and a river. We were able to take many walks this past year through the woods, down by the river, and around the baseball and soccer fields. It’s great to know that my students are getting fresh air, burning off some extra energy, and learning all in the same half an hour. The Walking Classroom is an exceptional program that accomplishes so very much.
Throughout the year, I would frequently hear my students say, “Remember, we learned that in the Walking Classroom!” To hear about their learning and see the application within other lessons made me excited and emphasized the quality of The Walking Classroom!
One of the most memorable lessons was about the water cycle. My students loved the tie-in to science. They talked about this lessons for days. Many students took their learning and applied it to the lessons that we had in class. For instance, students had to create a play on the water cycle. They re-listened to the Walking Classroom podcast and applied the learning from it to the assignment.
My students and I thoroughly enjoyed the Walking Classroom. I look forward to many more years of utilizing the program. Thank you for this amazing program!
Laycie Bushey
Fifth Grade Teacher
Sanborn Elementary
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