From Burpees to Breath- 10 Years Later

 In 2016, I wrote about my busy classroom. I knew kids needed to move, so naturally I was doing burpees in my classroom. At the time,  I was deep into my own fitness journey, and that translated directly into my classroom as a gymnastics mat in the corner and children jumping between lessons.    

Looking back, I wasn't thinking about regulation, I was trying to have them expel excess energy hoping for calmer and more focused students. 

Movement was a strategy. 

Through my own journey with movement, I started to view movement as more than just burning calories or building endurance. I began using movement to calm anxiety, to shift my mood, and build my own confidence. Movement wasn't just about exercise anymore it was about awareness.

This raised different questions for me as a teacher. 

 What if my students used movement in the same way? What if they need more than just moving their bodies? 

Those questions led me to breath. Not fitness. Not more movement- breath.  

Through my personal experience with embodied movement a major focus of that was breathing. I discovered first hand what intentional breathing could do for my mood and my energy. So I started there with my class.

Over the last five years, I experimented. Each new year came different groups of students who needed different things. Some ideas landed, some flopped, some were awkward at first, and some became "Mastro Class" staples. We take a few intentional breaths together every morning. 

I don't regret the burpees. I still offer students opportunities to move in that way when they need to. But today I teach from a different understanding. Movement still belongs in my classroom, but now it is paired with breath and reflection.

Seeds were always there, I just understand them differently now. 

Unpopular opinion, I gave up on quiet transitions.

When I first started teaching, I would insist on silent transitions. I would ask students to go back to their desk in silence, and then repeat the process if it wasn't silent the first time.  Over time, I realized transitions are naturally activating — movement and social energy.

Over the past two years, I decided that quiet transitions are not where my energy needed to go. Transitions are movement and with that comes noise and chatter. Silent and uninterrupted instruction time IS where this regulation matters.  Quiet instruction time is gold. So that is where I started putting my energy. 

How I do it. 

I set a timer. They have about two minutes to get their materials and settle in. If they are talking, humming, or even singing - that's okay!  When the timer goes off we begin. 

Now it's time for silent and uninterrupted instruction. This is where my energy and attention needs to be. 

1. I let them know how much time I need. 

2. I remind them of my expectation for uninterrupted instruction. 

3. I set a timer. 

Yes, every single time. 

What do I do when I get interrupted. Originally I gave out sticks, but their desk quickly became a drum. Now I have a card that gives them three chances to use self control. When those three chances are crossed out, we shift to a consequence for accountability. Based on your class and your student consequences vary. My consequence was an email home. 

Let's dive into WHY. 

1.  Predictability reduces anxiety

Knowing how long I need helps students who feel overwhelmed by “forever.” This isn't forever. It's only a set amount of time. Which you can adjust on the needs of the type of instruction and your class. 

2. The timer regulates the room

I set a time to keep myself accountable and so students have a clear boundary. 

3. The interruption card builds awareness

I give three chances because most students have no idea how often they have interrupt. The card is a visible pattern . I will say- almost always I don't have anyone who interrupts more than once.

We move. We settle. We learn. 

Embodied teaching is recognizing where my energy should be spent. It's not about control, but about deciding where regulation matters most.

If you tried this shift, let me know how it goes in the comments.