Doing DPA in your classroom everyday can be a real challenge. Students often take a long time to get organized when starting tasks, can be chatty and not get a lot done, and there is a lot of material to cover in a days span. Going outside and doing some quick exercise with the class is often easy because the space is more open, but children changing their shoes and settling down can also take a lot of time. Now that we have technology is is easier to come up with DPA activities to do on rainy days. There are endless dance and work out videos for children, and these are a good option because you don’t need a lot of space to do some dancing or jumping jacks.
The downside to technology though is that children arent getting enough exercise because they are spending too much screen time. Watching TV, playing video games, and using the computer are activities that we see children doing more and more now a days, and we have to make up for it by increasing the amount of DPA that we do in school. We see so many children that are overweight now and it is a real concern to get them doing the exercise they need. Once they are in your class all of their fate is basically in your hands, and parents might even hold you accountable to get them moving. There are so many things a teacher needs to do in a day that fitting in DPA can be a real challenge. Many teachers dont even do it. Its not like a subject that gets graded for the children, and therefore is can be overlooked easier. As teachers we need to constantly be seeking easy approaches to get DPA done quick and effectively.