Gravity Goldberg’s The Body-Brain Connection argues that deliberate kinesthetic and grounding moves in class reduce anxiety, raise engagement, and help students learn more deeply. Teacher-reviewer Michele Haiken finds the book practical and classroom-ready.
Short, intentional body-based moves—gestures, brief acting, manipulatives—can strengthen memory and comprehension.
Grounding practices (body scans, music before reading, nature images) help lower anxiety and improve working memory.
Goldberg pairs research summaries with ready-to-use lesson ideas and reflection prompts designed for classroom implementation.
By my estimate and experience, middle school students spend on average five-plus hours of "seat time" a day in school listening and learning. This sitting for long periods of time impacts attention, energy levels, and even comprehension. Incorporating movement and mindfulness into the classroom more regularly, she writes, will benefit students and help maximize the efforts of teachers.
Kinesthetic activities increase engagement, and "moving our bodies with gestures enhances memory" (p. The power of kinesthetic activities Goldberg shares active learning strategies like these and more to inspire curiosity, engage students, and encourage movement for deeper learning. In summary… The Body-Brain Connection equips readers with the necessary tools and strategies to help students through the process of productive struggle – increasing motion and engagement and enhancing reading comprehension.
Evidence Based Ways to Reduce Anxiety, Boost Engagement, and Increase Comprehension Across Classrooms By Gravity Goldberg (Corwin, 2025 – Learn more) Reviewed by Michele Haiken The Body-Brain Connection provides explicit and intentional moves teachers can make in their teaching practices to help students learn more deeply. Smaller intentional moves and gestures, which she describes, can also help students focus, reduce anxiety, and support learning. Goldberg provides tools and strategies that focus on awareness.
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