207 students and their family members — a new attendance record — set out for a night of math and movement at the Kenneth L. Rutherford Elementary School’s Math Night on Tuesday, March 12. The annual event brings educators, students and families together to explore the Math & Movement program – a multi-sensory approach to teaching math and reading that incorporates physical activity with visual stimuli created to make learning fun, active and memorable.
The KLR gymnasium was filled with specially-designed floor mats and banners that enabled students to hop, walk, crawl or dance their way through mastering math and reading concepts. Out in the hallway, students played card games, solved riddles, rode scooters and participated in relay races that incorporated math skills.
According to the Math & Movement program, eight out of ten children are kinesthetic learners (learn best through movement.) The program harnesses children’s natural kinesthetic learning styles to foster positive feelings towards learning. The program is based on research that shows that moving during learning facilitates muscle memory, an important factor with younger children whose abstract thinking skills are not fully developed. Studies show this type of activity allows teachers and students to feel more energized, focused, and prepared to learn.
In addition to the academic benefits, the event brought families into the school, interacting with their children’s teachers and school staff. Parents had the opportunity to learn more about how math is taught at the district, and build the skill set to help reinforce lessons at home. Family engagement is linked to improved academic achievement, positive school culture, and a stronger sense of community – all factors that help support student success.
