|
Climbing
is not a trendy add-on, but rather a legitimate educational activity
that encourages the physical, mental, social, and emotional growth
of each participant. Listed below you will find twelve great reasons
to consider as you ponder the development of a climbing wall at
your facility...
1.
Climbing wall activities are new, fun, exciting, and engaging. Climbing
is the fastest growing sport in America and is attractive to a wide
variety of learners in varied settings to include:
- Physical
education classes
- Special
education/special needs classes
- Extracurricular
programs/after school activities
- Athletic
leadership programs *Outreach programs for students at risk
- Staff
development programs
- Parent/child
classes
- Community
services and recreation programs
- Gifted/talented
programs
- Summer
school enrichment programs
2.
The activity of climbing could jump-start your curriculum and revitalize
your classes to meet the educational challenges of the new millennium
3.
Climbing is a captivating activity that promotes self-esteem enhancement
while contributing to overall physical fitness levels to include
cardiovascular and muscle endurance as well as strength and coordination
development
4.
Climbing challenges students to travel beyond their personal "comfort
zones" into the world of adventure-based learning
5.
Climbing wall activities provide opportunities for skill building
in the following areas:
- Teambuilding
- Trust
building
- Positive
risk-taking
- Creative
problem solving
- Perspective
taking
- Empathy
development
6.
Climbing wall activities enhance skills of cooperation vs. competition
and encourage the development of a school culture and climate where
"everybody wins" and success for all is the common by-product.
|
 |
7.
Climbing wall activities focus heavily on communication skill development
to include:
- Listening
- Speaking
- Writing
through reflection (student journals relating to their climbing)
8.
Climbing wall activities encourage the development of individual
leadership skills. Specific activities can be designed/structured
to place each student in a leadership role where they learn that
their contributions are essential for the success of the whole group
9.
Climbing wall activities help students to learn to focus and concentrate
10.
Climbing wall activities encourage the development of self-confidence,
personal trust, willpower, and courage
11.
Climbing wall activities provide students opportunities to learn
about and practice important life virtues such as patience, perseverance,
and persistence
12.
Climbing wall activities provide real life experiences in working
through challenge and learning to meet challenging situations
Climbing
is the ultimate metaphor about life... the "magic" seems
to be in the perceived nature of risk involved with the climb...
ironically, the fears we all have about failing are met face-to-face
there on the wall... through incremental risk-taking via the various
wall "problems" we learn to ask for help, develop trust,
accept challenge by choice, break through mental, physical and emotional
barriers, and rely on the personal powers that we learn to summon
to meet challenge and successfully overcome self-imposed barriers.
The beauty of this activity is that we can all relate to it. As
children, we all were climbers... first by one-stepping furniture,
then progressing to stairways, and eventually graduating to the
backyard oak trees. The climbing wall invites students to revisit
their childhood and "climb" the new challenges presented
in the "new curriculum" of the 21st Century.
|
