BASIS Independent Brooklyn (Mathletics)

Annie: "In June 2025, I finished the last two kinesthetic Mindful Mathletes lessons at my school, BASIS Independent Brooklyn. It was intriguing to see the difference between teaching the group of 5th graders at the cafeteria versus teaching the 4th graders in their math classroom with their math teachers present. The 5th graders were a lot more engaged in the ‘math movements,’ actively coming to the front and showing different ways of jumping (patterns of thinking) in front of their peers. Although the 4th graders were just as intellectually engaged, they weren’t nearly as interested in moving as the 5th graders were, remaining in their classroom seats for most of the time.

This contrast prompted me to think about the difference between formal and informal learning environments and how the latter can best support kinesthetic/multisensory teaching. It also highlighted the challenge of integrating movement-based teaching into formal math classroom settings, where students are habituated to a sedentary and sometimes passive learning style.

I think for a smoother adoption of kinesthetic teaching approaches, teachers can redefine the classroom culture by encouraging students to activate their bodies; they can also switch to informal learning environments like school gyms and outdoor areas where interested learners can feel much more comfortable getting their bodies moving!"