The teachers who gave The Daily Mile a chance have become raving fans. Many use it as part of their teacher wellness initiatives!

We all want to do our best to protect teachers’ time and The Daily Mile does just that. Taking students outside for daily movement burns off excess energy so students return to class focused and eager to learn. This saves time when re-engaging students in class.

The 15-minutes a day also gives teachers and students a chance to connect and build better relationships. Studies have found that positive student-teacher relationships increase engagement, motivations, behavior, and academic achievement. In fact, one study revelated that positive teacher-student relationships may lead to better teaching!

One teacher said, “I’ve got time to do this if it’s going to help me.” 

Share this video with your school Principal first!

 

Operationalizing The Daily Mile in your learning environment is easier than you think! The Map to Movement Implementation Guides will give you a step-by-step plan for success based on your role within your school or community.

Be sure to also follow these 3 Core Principles for best practice!

 

The Daily Mile does not compete with recess or PE but compliments them. As a friendly, non-competitive activity, students benefit emotionally, socially, and academically. The Daily Mile is more frequent than PE, yet more structured (and quicker) than recess.

The outdoor movement creates class cohesion and social connectedness, like teacher Brandy Cook explains below!

Plus, The Daily Mile is a turnkey, plug-and-play reset solution with free resources!

Teachers take their students outdoors to do The Daily Mile. No track is required to do The Daily Mile. The route just needs to be safe, social, and fun. Most schools utilize a field close to their existing playground. The route should be small enough that students pass each other 6-8 times during the 15 minutes of The Daily Mile. Just make sure it’s semi-structured: everyone moves for the entire 15 minutes, but it’s okay to run, jog, roll or walk at their own pace.

Check out Coach Durand from Ambassadors Preparatory Academy in Galveston, TX walk you through how to set up a great Daily Mile course at your school!

Before starting The Daily Mile, the school should complete a risk assessment of The Daily Mile route and address any safety issues. It is good practice to involve students and staff in the risk assessment.

Click here to read how schools around the world have successfully implemented The Daily Mile across a variety of settings.

Time is one of a school’s most valuable resources and it may have you wondering if you can afford to take 15-minutes out of class time for The Daily Mile.

But The Daily Mile gives teachers and students time to connect and form better relationships. This saves time when re-engaging students during instruction. The outdoor movement serves as a brain break during the day. This allows kids to return to class focused and ready to learn.

Teachers know when The Daily Mile works best for their own schedules. Many do The Daily Mile when …

  Kids need to burn off excess energy

  Kids are having trouble focusing

  Before difficult subject matters or lessons

  Teachers or parents need time to reconnect with their students or kids.

Fitting The Daily Mile into your class schedules is possible. Download a sample schedule to see what your school’s schedule looks like with The Daily Mile! Or download the tips and tricks for whole-school Daily Mile for more scheduling ideas. Here’s a real schedule from Kindergarten Teacher Amy Hathaway for example!

 

SCHEDULING HACKS: 

• Connect different classes and grades by sharing the same Daily Mile time and space.
• Foster inclusivity by partnering general education and SPED classes to do The Daily Mile.
• Implement a Big/Little system for older and younger grades to do The Daily Mile together.
• Strengthen school community by inviting the Principal, Counselor and other school leaders to participate in The Daily Mile with students.
• Check out the attached sample schedules for ideas on how to schedule The Daily Mile in your school day.

The U.S. is a large place with different seasons and temperatures across the country. But, The Daily Mile can work for your school in any climate. Teachers in Texas encourage their students to walk The Daily Mile (rather than run), if temperatures are high. Likewise, teachers in Chicago ensure students wear their coats if temperatures are very low.

Always remember, if the weather is unsafe, it’s fine to do The Daily Mile indoors. However, aim to do it outdoors whenever possible.

Think about the similar program offered at your school. Now ask yourself if it  …

 

Helps kids focus better in class?

Improves academic performance through better focus, concentration, memory, and problem-solving?

Is free for your school without any need for sponsors or funding?

Is free of computer screens and all other equipment?

Is all-inclusive with every child participating?

Gives teachers the authority to decide when it is done?

Provides kids with outdoor movement in the fresh air?

Lasts for 15-minutes a day and is done at least three times a week?

Gives teachers and students a chance to connect and build relationships?

Does not require any data or mileage tracking on behalf of the teacher?

Does not require managing a prize system?

Can be part of any subject?

 

If you answered “NO” to any of these questions, then you may find it’s worth the time to give The Daily Mile a try at your school.

Signup for a pilot and we’ll help you get started!

 

 

The Daily Mile should not be driven by spreadsheets or measurements – that’s against the spirit of the initiative and could alienate some children, teachers or parents. If it’s done by agreement with the teacher, however, it can be fun for the children to count their laps from time to time, set their own targets or measure their personal best. Several resources are available to help with setting these different types of goals.

The Daily Mile was created by an elementary school principal and her students to be an easy, turnkey, plug-and-play movement for all schools.

The Daily Mile is free for schools with no need for sponsors or funding. No lesson plans or special equipment is required. And staff will not need any special training.

The school’s only indirect cost is the time taken by a staff member (sometimes the PE Teacher/Coach) to plan a route. Once planned, the same route may be used continually.

View the implementation guides for more information.

We asked Parker Elementary School Principal Liz Murphy how she convinced her teachers to try The Daily Mile. This is what she said …

“The job of my teachers is to help our students be successful and The Daily Mile is a tool we use to accomplish this. As a Principal, I have the authority to set this standard. We did have a few teachers who struggled with the change in the school schedule and their responsibilities. However, all of these teachers now love The Daily Mile. They have personally witnessed the benefits to our students and improved learning environments.”

We asked Parker Elementary School Principal Liz Murphy how she convinced her Superintended and School Board to approve The Daily Mile. This is what she said …

“As a Principal, it is my job to make decisions for our school. There must be trust between the School Board, the Superintendent, and myself that these decisions are in the best interest of our students. The Daily Mile supports student success, and implementing the initiative was best for our campus. My Superintendent trusts this was the right choice for our school family.”

We love seeing schools creating new and exciting resources that contain our brand. However, please note that “The Daily Mile” name and logo are both trademarked. This means before anything is printed, distributed, or shared online, it must be approved in writing by a member of The Daily Mile Foundation.

If you would like to use our trademark, please contact us at team@thedailymile.us.

For a brief overview, please see the Brand Guidelines Quick Facts sheet. Or, you may also download the complete Brand Guidelines here.

Please contact Daily Mile Program Manager Bill Russell for more information.

Any additional questions can be addressed by emailing Daily Mile Program Manager Bill Russell or Public Relations Specialist Alexis Rawley. You can also schedule a call with Alexis to discuss the program in detail.