Spark : Book Review

Essential for school governors

Spark by John Ratey: Book Review

Spark: the revolutionary new science of exercise and the brain, by John J. Ratey is a book that analyses the benefits of exercise on various mental capacities.

The author points to evidence that shows that exercise can be used as both treatment and prevention for many mental disorders. These include: stress, anxiety, depression, attention deficit, and addiction. It also highlights the case for exercise for pregnancy and aging as well as the ability to improve cognitive learning.

It would make interesting reading for school governors and teachers in this country as they would see research and case studies that show how exercise has improved academic test scores.

With children no longer walking or cycling any distance to school, getting turfed from bed to car to classroom may explain why they are not receptive to learning.

Physical Education classes are the first casualty of a squeezed curriculum (my 9 year old son had no p.e. in school last week, again).

Worth reading for more information on benefits of exercise.

Read more: recommended books for p.e. teachers.