How has installing an Action Based Learning Lab impacted MacArthur Elementary School in Liberal, Kansas?

21 March, 2023 ABL Team and Summer Stafford

School Spotlight: MacArthur Elementary School

"MacArthur Elementary,
where movement and learning go hand-in-hand!"

In an interview with PE teacher and ABL Coordinator, Summer Stafford, the Action Based Learning team discussed ABL and its impact on students at MacArthur Elementary School in the USD 480 Liberal School District.

Summer Stafford is the PE teacher and ABL Coordinator at MacArthur Elementary School. Stafford's program serves 390+ students annually at the USD 480 Liberal District School, encompassing Pre-K through 5th grade, as well as offering an ABL Lab. MacArthur implemented an ABL Lab in Summertime of 2022 for the 22-23 school year, and it has already been a success with the students and staff!

MacArthur Elementary PE Coaches, Summer Stafford and Coach Haskell

Summer Stafford, MacArthur Elementary School - I graduated with my bachelors of Science in Health, Physical Education and Recreation in 2011 from Oklahoma Panhandle State University. Thereafter, I started my first teaching assignment in Liberal, Kansas at Garfield Elementary School where I taught 1-3 grade students for five years. After that time our district passed a bond to build new campuses and I decided to take a break from teaching, I did that for two years while running and owning my own small business. After two years I decided I wanted to go back to teaching and was re-hired at USD 480 for a traveling "Wheel" position to teach health at five different elementary locations. I did that for two years and then took another regular P.E. position in the district and have been here at MacArthur Elementary for going on three years. To say I am passionate about movement and physical learning is an understatement. In my fifth year of teaching I was named our districts Elementary Teacher of the Year for implementing many new practices including a yoga program and serving as our District Wellness Committee Chair, which I currently still do. I have long been invested in the research involving the brain and movement and I had heard about Action Based Learning and other similar practices. In the Spring semester of 2022 it was brought to our attention as staff that we would be given the opportunity to use funding for ABL-related use and when the rest of our district said they didn't have the time/resources/space for Action Based Learning, our school was allotted the total amount which allowed us to install three fully immersed ABL labs in our K-5 building and giving us the ability to create a full school-wide Action Based Learning program, also making us the first and only ABL school currently in Kansas.

During my time teaching I have tried to help create a sense of understanding and urgency for including movement in the learning process for our students. I have had the opportunity to teach Brain Boosts during district-wide professional development and in service days. I have also served many years on the District Wellness Committee as our Chair, which has given me the opportunity to reach more of our staff, students, and families about all things health, nutrition, and movement based. Due to my area of content and my platform of brain/body learning, I was asked by administration to be our ABL Coordinator and have continued trying to create the best movement inspired learning environment possible for our students.

What are you most proud of when it comes to your ABL journey?

I am honestly most proud of our amazing staff! During a time when it's so easy to simply say "I just don't have time for one more thing" they have truly stepped up to the plate and done the work! They helped build ABL time into our weekly schedules, no questions asked, and have been instrumental in creating a well-rounded program through their feedback and implementation of the program. Teachers do an incredibly demanding job for little recognition and they are being asked to do more and more all the time making it so easy to want to say "NO" to the next thing, but when they are still willing to say "Yes" it shows their incredible dedication to their students and we have some of the best teachers right here at MacArthur!

To my knowledge, we are still the first and only school in the State of Kansas to implement an ABL program school-wide or otherwise.

Tell us about your school culture and your students.

Liberal, Kansas is a city fully of diversity and therefore, so are our schools! Our student make-up hosts a variety of demographics but one common denominator remains true for most of our students and staff, and that is the importance of Family. MacArthur administrators, students, and staff value family connections and relationships both in our building as well as creating that connection outside of our doors. I would say that is the driving value of our overall culture here at Mac: Family. Students are not only learning here, they are being cared for and about by all whom they encounter. We hold tradition near to our heart, from Family Bingo night, to our Bring Your Parent to P.E. Week, School Carnival, and much more! We want to create an environment that gives our kids a healthy view of being at school and enjoying their learning time here.

How are you different from surrounding schools/districts?

I believe all of our schools here in USD 480 absolutely have their merit, having works in them all I can truly say that all USD 480 Elementary schools offer a child-focused learning environment! But, I would say what sets MacArthur apart from the rest is our determination to try new things and say "yes." We took on this program knowing that it would lead to a bit more work and new processes and procedures. As I said, it's never easy to take on more, however, we knew that the research didn't lie and that this could be a huge opportunity for our students here. Our administrators believed we could, and we have! I love that about our school and staff, and I think it truly shows the special value of rising to the occasion when someone just believes in you.

We have always encouraged and implemented Brain Boosts in the classroom as well as class games and other movement opportunities. However, having the fully-equipped ABL lab has given our teachers a better view of what movement learning looks like, making it that much more streamlined to continue and add into the classroom environment. As ABL Coordinator I have made it part of my job to help provide ideas and materials for new, fun classroom movement opportunities, like handing out resources with class cheers, pre-made brain boosts, and class games and more! Teachers are also using a lot of quick rhythm activities in their rooms along with things like skip-counting, number families, ABS, and more!

How has Action Based Learning been implemented into your school?

ABL is being implemented school-wide for all grades and classes, Kindergarten through 5th grade. As well as in specials classes like Music and of course, P.E.!

I do think that we've been pioneers of movement here at Mac for some time! I can say that behaviors are already more positive and kids are enjoying their time in the ABL labs so much!

ABL lab time is currently being done every week for between one hour or one and a half hours a week, dependent on the week in question. Outside of labs, our students now have ABL sensory paths in their hallways, as well as paths we just hand-painted onto our playground for outdoor action-based use as well. Our students are being exposed to some facet of ABL and movement learning throughout their entire day!

How has ABL made an impact on your students, and on your school?

I think it has really just placed movement and student engagement at the forefront. Kids are excited to come to school and sad when they have missed out being gone. I talk to kids all the time, we offer so many different opportunities to tie learning, family connections, and more together through the use of movement and physical activity and it creates this amazing space of fun and positive energy that is undeniable!

What are the benefits you have seen personally?

Again, kids that WANT to be here. Kids aren't coming here kicking and screaming, and kids are fully involved in their learning. I have also seen parents become more involved through this as well, giving them the opportunity to see their child smiling while learning and just having so much fun while they're at school. It's huge!

ABL is an amazing program that is bound deeply in brain research. There is no question that this style of learning and interacting is what is best for students. For us ABL is important for improving our kids' learning and school experience as well as helping give them invaluable tools for the future in health and SEL. ABL is also vitally important to us. We want this to be a district-wide program, and for that to happen we have to do the work, show the benefits, and help walk our counterpart schools through this, so getting it right and showing the positive impact is so valuable to us!

What were the biggest hurdles in implementing ABL in your school?

Buy in! But that's not been as difficult as we'd previously envisioned, so really it's been pretty smooth. I have been the sounding board for lots of questions and a few frustrations, but overall, I think our staff sees the benefits. The Labs act as a break from the norm for teachers as well, so that has been a positive thing for everyone!

I have learned that if you expect teacher buy-in, doing a little legwork for them goes a long way! When our ABL teaching materials arrived, the needed to be organized/categorized and put into file baskets for easy use. I knew that if this wasn't already done, the likelihood of teachers using them would decrease, wanted the ABL Labs to be a gift, not a burden!. So, I made sure to organize and label all materials for each lab so that teachers could simply find the tab they needed and pull that resource for the days lesson. This was very helpful and our teachers were forever grateful for the help. It's a task that has paid off dividends for our program's success!

Any Advice for getting Action Based Learning concepts supported and encouraged by admin and staff?

Start by showing admin that you have done the research, show them the benefits of this program and how beneficial it is. If that doesn't work, contact ABL and have them get you linked up with a school program that does have admin buy in, so that you can set up a conversation between admin so that any and all questions and skepticism can be discussed. Listening to another admin who is on board with ABL may be just the ticket for your admin to turn the corner.

What is something you have learned about implementing ABL within your school?

When we started using the labs we knew it was going to be a bit chaotic as to how well the students would use the machines/equipment. Some kids have seen these types of things while others never have. With varying knowledge of the equipment we knew it would be a bit of a learning curve as to how well the kids would do learning the proper use of these things. Though there were and still can be a few hiccups here and there, we are learning best practices, and continue to get better every day.

What would you say to someone who says they don’t have enough time to implement this into their school day?

I think my best response to that is that a few quick procedures put in place at the beginning of the year creates a seamless transition that will not eat up nearly as much time as you might think! Also, a little bit of extra time gets such a payback on increased positive behavior, better student rapport, and increased academic performance. No truly good thing is ever free and you will have to sacrifice a small bit of time to learning and implementing your ABL program, but the payback is beyond worth it.

Any recommendations or words of advice for others who may be interested in doing this in their own school?

Absolutely do it! Movement and positive brain reactions for learning are so deeply linked and there is SO much research out there to prove that and the benefits of physical activity in learning. Sometimes I feel like finding the right program has somewhat become the "white whale" of education. Sadly, kinesthetic learning is right here, routed in research, and often gets overlooked time and time again while we all act as if there is no savior to be found. ABL is helping close that gap! This company is not just selling an educational program product, they are shedding much needed light on a theorem that has been tried, tested, and proven by science by a variety of different studies done by a multitude of entities. JUST TRY IT!

Any stories or feedback from staff you would like to share?

I did have a surprise moment with a Kindergarten class that was shared with me by their Teacher. She had planned and prepped to have her kinders work in the lab just learning the physical space and how to rotate, the very basics before adding any academics. She planned for this base learning to take place for several weeks before being able to add any skills to the lab activities. However, after just a week and a half, she was able to move into academic skills because the class showed so much focus and understanding of the use of the lab and their desire to put learning to the movement and now they are soaring in the lab and working on a variety of skills every week!

That's wonderful. Sometimes we think of the concept of moving and learning and from an adults brain and many adults when they first hear about ABL think, it seems like chaos! But when we look at it from a child's perspective, we know movement is medicine, especially for the developing brain! We often refer to Dr. John Ratey's analogy, movement is miracle grow for the brain. Children pick up on this concept quickly because it's what the brain needs. It is always incredible to see how quickly and efficiently children integrate these concepts, it's what the brain needs and they are proof it works! Thank you Summer!

A huge THANK YOU to Summer Stafford of MacArthur Elementary in Liberal, KS for the time taken to complete this interview, as well as all of her work integrating ABL within her school! The students can't help but benefit from a program led by someone so knowledgeable and enthusiastic! -The ABL Team

If you would like us to feature your school in a School Spotlight, please email us! We would love to hear about how ABL has impacted your facility and students!

All images have been provided by Summer Stafford, MacArthur Elementary PE Page, or via Action Based Learning's staff.

Action Based Learning Lab: Research shows the strong connection between the brain and body, and the link to overall cognitive development. Practicing these foundations helps us enhance cognition, close learning gaps, and help students reach their maximum learning potential.

Action Based Learning Sensory Hallway Sets help students focus by encouraging them to be active on their way to class, using activity maps and colorful pathways throughout the hallways.

How has installing an Action Based Learning Lab impacted MacArthur Elementary School in Liberal, Kansas?

School Spotlight: MacArthur Elementary School

"MacArthur Elementary,
where movement and learning go hand-in-hand!"

In an interview with PE teacher and ABL Coordinator, Summer Stafford, the Action Based Learning team discussed ABL and its impact on students at MacArthur Elementary School in the USD 480 Liberal School District.

What are you most proud of when it comes to your ABL journey?

Tell us about your school culture and your students.

How are you different from surrounding schools/districts?

How has Action Based Learning been implemented into your school?

How has ABL made an impact on your students, and on your school?

What are the benefits you have seen personally?

What were the biggest hurdles in implementing ABL in your school?

Any Advice for getting Action Based Learning concepts supported and encouraged by admin and staff?

What is something you have learned about implementing ABL within your school?

What would you say to someone who says they don’t have enough time to implement this into their school day?

Any recommendations or words of advice for others who may be interested in doing this in their own school?

Any stories or feedback from staff you would like to share?

A huge THANK YOU to Summer Stafford of MacArthur Elementary in Liberal, KS for the time taken to complete this interview, as well as all of her work integrating ABL within her school! The students can't help but benefit from a program led by someone so knowledgeable and enthusiastic! -The ABL Team

If you would like us to feature your school in a School Spotlight, please email us! We would love to hear about how ABL has impacted your facility and students!

All images have been provided by Summer Stafford, MacArthur Elementary PE Page, or via Action Based Learning's staff.

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How has installing an Action Based Learning Lab impacted MacArthur Elementary School in Liberal, Kansas?

School Spotlight: MacArthur Elementary School

"MacArthur Elementary, where movement and learning go hand-in-hand!"

In an interview with PE teacher and ABL Coordinator, Summer Stafford, the Action Based Learning team discussed ABL and its impact on students at MacArthur Elementary School in the USD 480 Liberal School District.

What are you most proud of when it comes to your ABL journey?

Tell us about your school culture and your students.

How are you different from surrounding schools/districts?

How has Action Based Learning been implemented into your school?

How has ABL made an impact on your students, and on your school?

What are the benefits you have seen personally?

What were the biggest hurdles in implementing ABL in your school?

Any Advice for getting Action Based Learning concepts supported and encouraged by admin and staff?

What is something you have learned about implementing ABL within your school?

What would you say to someone who says they don’t have enough time to implement this into their school day?

Any recommendations or words of advice for others who may be interested in doing this in their own school?

Any stories or feedback from staff you would like to share?

A huge THANK YOU to Summer Stafford of MacArthur Elementary in Liberal, KS for the time taken to complete this interview, as well as all of her work integrating ABL within her school! The students can't help but benefit from a program led by someone so knowledgeable and enthusiastic! -The ABL Team

If you would like us to feature your school in a School Spotlight, please email us! We would love to hear about how ABL has impacted your facility and students!

All images have been provided by Summer Stafford, MacArthur Elementary PE Page, or via Action Based Learning's staff.

ABL TOP PICKS

Interested in implementing Action Based Learning concepts and activities?

All Furniture, Labs and Equipment are manufactured by Action Based Learning

Latest from the Newsroom

Click "Edit Contents" and start uploading your learning material.

Select a course first to display its contents.

No available contents for

Registro y Pago

Registro

Producto

There are no free, paid or coming soon courses in your school yet.Why don't you create one?

Oops, your school's owner is working hard preparing the courses for you.

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"MacArthur Elementary,
where movement and learning go hand-in-hand!"

There are no free, paid or coming soon courses in your school yet.
Why don't you create one?