Written by Kathy Wright*

One of my first memories was hearing the words, “Kathy, sit still!” and my mother pinching me as I tried to sit through a church service. I preferred playing outdoors and was constantly moving. My favorite activity was swinging because I was in constant motion. If I was sitting, my legs were moving.

Then, I started school and somehow survived first grade. We seemed to be up and about pretty frequently AND my innovative teacher let us go to the restroom whenever we needed to, without asking for permission! I know this saved me, but it was also in first grade that I learned that chattering kept my mind off the need to move. Now I had two problems!

In second grade, I remember being put out into the hallway, OFTEN. It was usually the same time every day, which I now understand. During third grade, I clearly remember being told to sit “down” – I was in my seat, but sitting on my knees. In fourth grade, I was repeatedly sent to the principal’s office and, in fifth grade, I was sent to the book room, or outside.

Let me add here that when I entered first grade, I was under weight. By fourth grade I was fat! I don’t know how much I weighed, but I was embarrassingly fat! Now I had a third problem! The bottom line is that, throughout elementary school, I was embarrassed and humiliated by being singled out in front of, and removed from, my peers. Why? Because I could not sit still, which led to my losing focus and subsequent talking. Did this make me a fat person? I don’t know, but being fat dealt another huge blow to my ego!

Movement in the ClassroomNo one knew how my self esteem suffered, however, because I became the class clown. In junior high and high school, I developed amazing social skills! I was involved in activities that kept me out of the classroom. Teachers accepted me as a mediocre student and frequently told my mother, “There’s just something about Kathy you can’t help but like.” No one ever encouraged me academically. What appeared to be my lack of interest and focus was attributed to my hyperactivity and my being so loquacious (A word I learned at a very young age). I decided to go to college because, “Why not?” College class schedules work well for people like me, if we go to class. Unfortunately, I didn’t go much in the beginning, but somehow managed to graduate in four and a half years.

As an adult, my leg movement has become much worse and affects my sleep. Once, I went five days and nights without a moment of sleep. Finally, a name was given to this horrible condition: Restless Leg Syndrome. Many people who suffer from RLS, also suffer from Perodic Limb Movement. PLM usually occurs while a person is sleeping, and the person is unaware of it. My PLM occurs while I’m awake, any time day or night. My arms are also affected. As an adult, I’ve developed coping skills. I’ve learned to stand at the back of the room during meetings, at the exit during movies, and I medicate myself before getting on a plane or into a car for road trips. My truest friends understand and accommodate for me.

Also, I now understand that I’m a kinesthetic learner. My interpersonal and intrapersonal skills are my strengths. Let me lead a group or teach, and I excel. Had my teachers recognized my need to move, many problems could have been avoided. Simply standing up would have made a huge difference. I do much better when working with manipulatives. I write constantly when a person is lecturing, even if I later throw away the notes. Group projects tend toward more movement, as do skits, oral presentations, and art projects.

Every day, in classrooms all over the country, students are expected to sit, for long periods of time, yet many are simply not able to do so! Most teachers have received training on learning styles and multiple intelligences, and yet, many continue to teach exactly how they were taught. They prefer to do the talking. They like desks in straight rows, and they do not want kids milling around in their classrooms. Unintentionally, these teachers are harming the self esteem of their students and making it difficult, or sometimes impossible, for those students to learn. It’s time time, to take the time, to recognize your students learning styles and accommodate them appropriately!

I also see great things. My grandson’s first year teacher, for instance, quickly recognized his need to move. She has given him a stopwatch and shows him how long a task should take. Now that he knows how long he has to stay seated and on task, life is good. He is also the teacher’s helper, which allows him to move about frequently.

Let me close by stating clearly and loudly; sitting in a hallway, book room, the principal’s office, or anywhere else outside the classroom never stopped my need to move, but I learned NOTHING while away from the instruction and educational activities I should never have been excluded from. Teachers, pay attention to your students’ patterns of behavior and take the time to identify the reasons for those behaviors. Then use good teaching techniques to differentiate and accommodate your instruction, where appropriate, rather than simply excluding those who must move from their peers, the environment of learning, and benefit of your teaching.

*Kathy Wright is a retired special education teacher of 30+ years who now consults with schools and districts on special education compliance and instructional strategies.  Kathy is the owner of Wright’s Solutions for Special Education. She can be reached at kewright@sbcglobal.net.