Support for Movement in School: Considering Perspectives from Multiple Stakeholders

Background. Internationally, schools have been tasked with increasing opportunities for movement integration (WHO, 2007). While the perspectives of teachers have been extensively considered (e.g., McMullen, Kulinna & Cothran,... [ view full abstract ]

Background. Internationally, schools have been tasked with increasing opportunities for movement integration (WHO, 2007). While the perspectives of teachers have been extensively considered (e.g., McMullen, Kulinna & Cothran, 2014; Webster et al., 2017), the perspectives of students and administrators have received limited attention in the literature (Martin & Murtagh, 2015). The purpose of this study was to explore the perspectives of multiple stakeholders (i.e., students, teachers, and the principal) with respect to movement in their school. Methods: Participants in this study were from one primary school located in the Western United States, and included 31 students (Kindergarten, N = 5; 1^st Grade, N = 10; 2^nd Grade, N = 16), nine classroom teachers (Kindergarten, N = 1; 1^st Grade, N = 4; 2^nd Grade, N = 3; enrichment, N = 1), and the school principal. Students participated in focus group interviews, while the teachers and the principal were interviewed individually regarding their perceptions of movement in school. Data were analyzed inductively using open and axial coding. Results: The students in this study believed that movement is good for them, they like moving in school, and they generally want more movement opportunities. The teachers identified space, time, and concern for classroom control as barriers to movement integration. They also requested additional ideas and consistently believed that movement in school is good for kids. The principal was supportive of movement but had not directly communicated this to her teachers. She also identified barriers that she believed existed relative to movement integration as time and planning for purposeful movement. Conclusions: While some perceptions were consistent across stakeholder groups, there were key differences in opinions relative to movement in school. The findings of this study have implications for research and practice surrounding whole-school movement integration opportunities.