Fancy a Plank or Some Wall Sits?

I'm not quite sure whose idea it was, but my students and I started an interesting trend, the last two months of the school year...

One day, after heading back to my classroom, after a millionth trip to the restroom (mandatory handwashing breaks due to COVID), we suddenly started talking about wall sits. 
Teacher friends, doesn't this happen to you as well? You'll be on one topic and then a student's comment will take you down a completely different trail! I think that's how this started.

Suddenly my students wanted to do wall sits. And then it became a challenge. Who could not only do it correctly, but who could do it the longest. Nothing like kids always making it a competition. So for several weeks, my students and I would "wall sit" after a trip to the restroom. Before I knew it, my other students would see us, sitting on the wall, and ask, "Why can't we do wall sits too?" Yup, and that's how it became a "thing."

So after many bathroom breaks, we would wall sit for a minute or two. As a teacher, I also tried to put my own spin on it. The rules were simple.  One, students had to be quiet. If they spoke or even laughed, they were out. Two, they had to have the correct form. If they moved in any way, they were out! I tried to rationalize this. The kids are having fun. We are practicing mindfulness and focus before returning to a lesson. I was okay with it. Some days the kids wanted a prize if they lasted the longest. Truth be told, they begged and pleaded to do this even without an incentive. I realized they were just craving a break from the norm.

On the last day of school, I suggested we do planks and then, as always, it turned into who could do the most push-ups. I'm telling you, kids are always trying to outdo each other! I stuck to my "girl push-ups" which got the kids laughing at me.  

Wall sits and planks are a great way to break up the monotony of the school day. They don't take long, kids get to expend energy and re-focus before a lesson. I loved using them this year, and I plan to keep them in my teacher tool box. This is definitely one of the things to "keep doing," AND it's a proven student favorite.