August 9: Minds in Motion

Susan Griss, who has pioneered the use of creative movement to teach curriculum in elementary school education, was born in New York on this date in 1950. Coming from a background of dance and choreography, she launched her commonsensical techniques of kinesthetic teaching in the early 1980s. “Before they enter school,” Griss has written, “young children experience and explore the world mainly through non-verbal language . . . No one has to teach children to jump for joy, to roll down a grassy hill, or to pound their bodies on the floor during a tantrum. . . . To ignore this natural resource [in the classroom] is a waste . . .” Griss’ 1998 book, Minds in Motion: A Kinesthetic Approach to Elementary Education, details the use of creative movement to teach science, math, literature, social studies, and more. She has trained hundreds of teachers in her technique over the past quarter-century. Susan has been partner and best friend to Jewdayo editor Lawrence Bush since 1974. To read an article explaining her work, click here.

“Trust, communication, cooperation, discipline, persistence; introspection, creative thinking, problem solving; observation, analysis, criticism — all are part of the process of creative movement.” --Susan Griss