Stability balls work to show impact movement has on academic performance

By Gloria Austin
Staff Writer
    SAD 29 in partnership with Healthy Aroostook started a pilot program in January to increase physical activity for students during the school day.
    “The pilot program aims to illustrate the impact movement has on academic performance,” said Martha Bell, Let’s Go! regional program associate with the Youth Healthy Lifestyle Project at EMHS.
    Aroostook County has one of the highest obesity rates in Maine. For this reason, a committee was formed in 2008 to specifically address youth obesity, known as Let’s Go! Aroostook. Let’s Go! Aroostook’s goal is to increase physical activity and healthy eating for children from birth to age 18.
Contributed photograph
STABILITY BALLS — Trisha Winslow’s sixth-grade class at Houlton Southside School is using stability balls in their classroom instead of the traditional student desk chair. The sixth grade is part of the Wittfitt Pilot Project.
    Let’s Go! Aroostook announced that 13 classrooms in seven school districts across Aroostook County would be participating in a Wittfitt Pilot Project, with a grant from United Way of Aroostook. The school districts include Ashland, Presque Isle, Washburn, St. Francis, Fort Fairfield and Houlton.
    When you walk into Trisha Winslow sixth-grade classroom, all the students’ chairs have been replaced with large stability balls.
    “They are supposed to increase core strength, which increases the blood flow, which increases brain productivity,” said Winslow.
    Teachers are asked to keep records on the students’ development through the year.
    “We have beginning and mid-year test scores for comparison, along with handwriting samples,” Winslow explained. “I’ve done a check sheet on posture and other variables. We will do another one again at the end of the school year.”
    Let’s Go Aroostook will assist with data collection that is expected to show that stability ball integration in the classroom not only improves learning results but allows children to move while learning.
    From behavior to penmanship, Winslow has seen a difference.
    “For the most part, my active students are much less active,” she said. “They are more focused during class. But, I do have a few bouncers still, but most need to bounce and they were bouncing in their chairs anyway. Overall, the ones who wiggled are not or they are, but it is more controlled. Student posture is much better. I don’t have students laying on the table falling asleep.”
COMFORTABLE — Daniel McNally is comfortable on his stability ball. The ball replaced his student desk chair, as part of the Wittfitt Pilot Project.
    Winslow, along with other Aroostook County teachers in the pilot program were trained on utilization of Wittfitt balls prior to introducing them to the classroom. Each student  is assigned an individual ball which was sized for them.
    “I like it because it is more comfortable,” said sixth-grader Bryson Bulley of his stability ball. “It makes it easier not to lean back.”
    When Bulley was first introduced to sitting on the ball, he wasn’t quite sure of it. Winslow had discussed and explained how to use the stability balls before replacing the desk chairs.
    “It felt kind of weird,” he said. “Then, I got used to it and now I like it. It makes my writing neater because it keeps my back straighter.”
    When Bulley and his classmates go to other rooms for classes, they have to adjust back to a standard student chair.
    “It feels different when you switch,” he said. “It’s hard to stay focused in a chair. I just lean back.”
    As far as the pilot program goes, it seems to be working.
    Thus far, “it has been pretty positive,” said Winslow. “The stability balls are different so that is always exciting for the students. I think the balls are better than the chairs because students are less likely to daydream and stay focused on what is going on and being on task. Overall, so far, so good.”
    Other teachers involved in the pilot also report many successes so far. The students in all 13 classrooms will continue to use the balls through the remainder of the year and all data that is collected will be compiled over the summer for an overall analysis of the results of the pilot project.