One suburban Philly teacher leads tai chi classes to help prepare kids for the state standardized exams:
A Centennial teacher is utilizing the ancient martial art of Tai Chi Chuan to help his students get ready for the state's standardized mathematics and reading tests.“I want you to concentrate. Think about what you are doing. Breathe in and breathe out,” Joseph Pisacano, a fifth-grade teacher at Everett A. McDonald Elementary School in Warminster, said Thursday morning as he and the students made smooth, circular motions with their arms and hands.
The class went through the Tai Chi relaxation exercises as calm, soothing music played quietly in the background.
“Think about how wonderful you are going to do on the test and how easy it's going to be. Think about all that you have learned this year. Take all of that, and use it,” the teacher said as the class wrapped up the exercise session by sitting in a meditative position on the floor.
As long as he's making sure to actually teach the material along with some relaxation exercises, I'm all for it. This approach is worlds better than the chicken-little squawks you see from some educators who are so stressed out about testing that they end up stressing out students as well.
Posted by kswygert at March 30, 2006 11:19 AM