Healthy Kids News
A Newsletter From Healthy Kids Club, Poudre Valley Health System
November 2000
WittFitt Encourages Health in The Classroom Spotlight: "WittFitt" Encourages Health In The Classroom

Lisa Witt, a 6th grade teacher at Tavelli Elementary School, agrees with the Center of Disease Control (CDC) that kids need a minimum of 30 minutes of physical activity every day. Given that elementary age kids in Poudre School District only have physical education for one week per month, she decided to come up with a strategy to get her class moving!

'WittFitt' is a program that Lisa designed to encourage kids to lead healthy lifestyles through being active, eating nutritiously and taking care of their bodies and minds. During the school day (on non-PE days), Lisa and her class of 26 students spend 30 minutes participating in one or more of the following: walking, jogging, running, jumping rope, stretching, active games, team building activities and much more. According to Lisa, "the goal is to expose kids to lifestyle activities that will help them live at a higher level of health and wellness."


'WittFitt' also relates to many academic areas. For example, the kids make charts and graphs of their progress; they learn about the muscles in their body as they are stretching- which ties to the science curriculum; and they read and write about topics such as: fitness, nutrition, and wellness.


Further, the kids learn fractions, decimals and percents in order to figure out how far they walked or jogged that day. Their goal is to reach 26.2 miles (marathon distance) during the course of the year. Once they reach that mileage, they are a member of the "26.2 mile club." Many of the kids also plan to get in shape during WittFitt to be able to run in some of the local races, such as the Thanksgiving Day Run.


Lisa firmly believes that the time her class devotes to exercise and health is time well spent. As a competitive triathlete, Lisa is personally committed to what she is promoting, and is living proof that exercise has mental, physical and academic benefits. "The ultimate mission of 'WittFitt' is to promote and encourage kids to develop healthy, active lifestyles and to realize the value it has on the rest of their lives."

Quotes from WittFitt participants:

"WittFitt is fun!!! We set goals and encourage each other. I get a better relationship with my classmates. Whenever I do WittFitt I feel good about myself."
~ Lindsay S.

"I think WittFitt is a great way to raise your self-esteem. It helps us physically and academically. It may be tiring, but it's all around fun."
~ James R.

"I think it is entertaining and fun. It helps keep you healthy and builds endurance. I love it. Cool."
~ Jessica M.

"I think WittFitt is fun because you get in shape. You also get healthier and feel good about yourself. The only bad thing is that it's tiring, but it is worth it."
~ Brett B.

"WittFitt helps me feel good about myself and watch how quickly I can improve. It encourages me to run on weekends. I can have fun and exercise at the same time."
~ Sara C.

 

 

 


 

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WittFitt
P.O. Box 821
Hudson, WI 54016
515.720.4153
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WittFitt is a consulting company who promotes the integration of the stability ball into the classroom environment to enhance learning, in combination with offering an ­­­­effective tool for the physical education setting.  The mission of WittFitt is to educate children and adults about the importance of proper posture, active sitting and the strengthening of muscles while fostering a wellness climate in each classroom.  Our comprehensive program leads schools/districts through the preparatory stages and effective implementation, with lifetime support/consultation.  Teachers are educated on how to safely and effectively implement the use of stability balls through our customized training designed to fit each unique classroom environment, meet student needs and link with district/state standards.  Teachers receive our WittFitt “Having a Ball” Manual [and/or PE Reference Guide] with lessons to prepare students to sit on the ball as a chair. 

WittFitt promotes the use of the stability ball as a sitting device to enhance the learning environment and provide ergonomic seating.  Benefits of sitting on the ball: promotes learning through movement, allows 'active sitting,' enhances attention and concentration, assists in improving posture, improves blood flow to all parts of the body [especially the brain], strengthens core [postural] muscles and back muscles, improves balance and coordination, and adjusts for customized fit.  As a comprehensive program, we train teachers and provide all of the related materials for both teachers and students.  The program is customized to fit the needs of any classroom.  The WittFitt Teacher Guide is a teacher-ready guide to prepare students to sit on the stability ball and safely integrate balls into the classroom.  The guide also outlines movements and stretches on the ball as part of the daily routine.  The WittFitt Teacher Training is a half-day session outlining the components of the teacher guide, modeling lessons and practicing stability ball movement and stretches.  Training is provided on-site or via phone.  Our stability balls are burst-resistant, latex-free exercise balls with legs for added stability and easy storage.  A variety of balls are available to fit all ages and sizes.  WittFitt consultants maintain on-going contact with principals, teachers and other staff throughout the school year to provide support.