Movement-Based Remote Learning in a Montessori Classroom (Florida)
Profile
Safety Harbor Montessori Academy (SHMA) is a private school in Clearwater, Florida and serves more than 200 students from Pre-K to middle school.
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Richard Napolitano is a Director of Technology and former middle school teacher of 14 years. |
“Allowing students to use Walkabouts from home has been so powerful.”
“With longer term usage, you could tie it to achievement, overall functioning, and social skills.”
“The blend of academic learning and physical movement is enjoyed by our students, and parents are thrilled to see their children having fun, getting exercise, and learning at the same time!”
– Richard Napolitano
Challenge
To implement its distance learning program during COVID-19, SHMA looked for safe online tools that would support continuity of learning while aligning with Montessori philosophy. As director of technology, Richard Napolitano was charged with finding movement-based resources that could be used from home. Napolitano discovered Walkabouts, web-based lessons for Pre-K to 2nd grade students that integrate movement with language arts, math, and reading content.
Solution
Napolitano was impressed with Walkabouts’ intuitive interface and engaging lessons. He recognized the benefits of the Walkabouts platform that does not require direct instruction or teacher guidance for students to play Walkabouts on their own. He immediately set up accounts, created playlists, and added access links to Google Classroom to make logging in and using Walkabouts simple for both teachers and students alike, whether they log in from school or at home.
Additional Outcomes
Within the first few weeks of distance learning, SHMA students began posting pictures of themselves using Walkabouts and excitedly shared how many lessons they completed each day. Teachers with families at home also leveraged Walkabouts to keep their own kids moving. When school resumed in the fall, SHMA planned to continue leveraging Walkabouts to engage students and ignite learning in the classroom.
