ABSTRACT
In 2010, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) claimed that one in 10 American children had attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), representing a 22 percent increase since 2003. Many of these kids are diagnosed based on highly subjective observations of parents, teachers, and guardians, and about two-thirds of those children were put on some form of prescription medication. Imagine students reducing the amount of medication they have to take and students improving their fitness levels simply by being more active. Activities that offer these additional ingredients include yoga, martial arts, dance, as well as sports and motor skills such as dribbling, juggling, balancing, and gymnastic routines. A glowing example of how exercise in the classroom can help students with behavior problems, ADHD, and other issues is a school City Park Collegiate High School. Alison Cameron teaches 8th-grade students, almost all of whom have learning disabilities, behavioral problems, and domestic or personal issues.
