Ashland starts each day with a quick workout
Author: Tammy Lane • First Posted: Monday, January 10, 2011
The 'mad math minute' ensures that everyone starts the day with a bit of exercise. (Photo: Tammy L. Lane)
At Ashland Elementary, a “mad math minute” and daily exercise ensure that blood is flowing freely to the brain and the rest of the body, too.
“It’s just something active in the mornings to wake the kids up,” said dance teacher Ashley Oldham, who added the fitness segment to the morning news shows. “It’s also good to show everyone that active lifestyles are very important.”
The Ashland News Crew, which consists of fifth-graders rotating duties, opens the five-minute show with the Pledge of Allegiance, the Eagle chant, school announcements and a weather report.
Then comes the math problem, which is usually related to the day of the month. For instance, on Nov. 8, the equation was 8x3=24. So everybody did 24 jumping jacks.
Another time it might be squat thrusts, push-ups or arm reaches.
“We usually let the pledge leaders come up with something,” said 10-year-old Jordan Lewis, who served as a news anchor that particular day.
The pledge leaders, who are pulled from a different homeroom for each show, demonstrate the exercise live on camera as students throughout the building join in.
“You can hear the whole school shake and move. It’s nice and loud when they’re all counting,” said Oldham, who noted that the morning routine sets a strong example.
“Just seeing their teachers do it and knowing it’s going to be every day is a nice reminder and reinforcer that ‘Hey, I need to be active every day – not just when I have football practice or not just when I’m going to dance class.’”
Eleven-year-old Brianna Scott also realizes the impact of the quick workout, adding, “Maybe it’ll get people to do it not only on a school day but also on the weekends.”
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