Hooping = Brain Gym

I remember in my first few years as a primary school teacher in Australia a very powerful program called Brain Gym was a favorite flavor of many teachers. Known as educational kinesiology, it was a wonderful way to switch on student awareness as well as bring some of the high flyers down to a calm and more focused level. After finishing my Hooping class this afternoon with a multi-age, diverse group of elementary school students I couldn't help but think about the correlation between the brain gym program and hooping.

A powerful reminder of the ability of the hoop to calm even the most easily excited kiddies came on Monday morning. There was a twinge of anxiousness when I found out that Lindsey and I would have to choreograph and train 80 students to hoop dance for the school community on Sports Day (May 30). However I had full faith in the power of the hoop. When it came time to settle the students down, help them find their positions in the big dance scheme and show them the beginning dance moves, all done in their third language English, I felt total bliss as I looked out over a sea of little people sitting, transfixed as we gave instructions and showed off some off the hoop moves.

The power of the hoop sounds itself strongly each and every recess and lunch time when I have droves of happy hoopers lining up to grab their hoops and find their space in the rotation. It truly is a revolution that has taken hold in a very positive way. Calming, challenging and focusing their little brains.

And now something to excite adult minds...
Anah the Hoopalicious one