-Program Description

Background - Imagine a school in which many students keep their own personal sets of juggling equipment in their desks or "cubbies" and where several times a day classroom teachers say "Lets take a four minute juggling break." Imagine a school where fourth, fifth and sixth grade "Master Jugglers" teach the skill to first, second and third graders. Imagine a school where sixty students get on buses go to another school, present an assembly and teach juggling. Imagine a school where parents come in for a Family Juggling Night and their own children teach them to juggle. Welcome to one of over 250 Juggling for Success schools located throughout the country where all of these dreams, and many more, have come true. Hazel Dell elementary school in Vancouver, Washington pioneered the program, but it has now been replicated nationwide as a classroom-centered, student-monitored, physically active learning and peer teaching program with juggling as the core activity.

The Program -- At a typical Juggling for Success school, a gigantic chart in the hallway or on the wall in the cafeteria or gym displays the names of all the students in the school, each on a colorful "Post- It" or on their own shape, cut on an Ellison machine. Each grade level has a different shape and each teacher has a different color. Every kindergartner or first grader who can successfully toss a single nylon scarf and catch it on their tummy has their shape posted under "Tummy Catchers." Once a student can toss and catch two scarves in an "X" pattern they get to move their shape up to the next chart, labeled "Criss Cross Apple Sauce," and most second graders will be on this chart. Once they can juggle three nylon scarves for 25 throws, their name moves under the banner, "Scarf Cascade Jugglers," and that is where you will find most third graders There is a separate chart for those who can successfully complete a rigorous "Scarf Master Juggler" routine of specific tricks requiring ninety throws and catches without a drop, and it is a challenge that every fourth and fifth grader will accept. Only Scarf Master Jugglers may practice with beanballs, and become "Beanball Cascade Jugglers," and once they can complete the rigorous routine and have become "Beanball Master Jugglers," they can practice with rings and clubs. A student gets his or her name moved up the wall by proving to a fellow student who is already a Master Juggler that they can pass the test. This is then verified by a teacher who actually moves the shape up the chart. During morning announcements the whole school learns of their accomplishment. Every student in the school has their name somewhere on the wall, along with most of the teachers, the principal, the custodian and many parents. By the end of the school year in a typical K-5 school with 500 students, as many as 100 might have their names on the Beanbag Master Juggler chart.

Because of the classroom based juggling program, students always have something constructive to do with any free time, and indoor or rainy day recess can focus on juggling practice. In addition to several short juggling breaks between major subjects which are supervised by teachers, each student has several extra sessions of physically active learning, after lunch and between major subject changes. Rainy day recess at a Juggling for Success school is easy; most students are in the hallway juggling with their own equipment that they bought with their own money. The teachers say that juggling provides "a sorbet for the mind," or "a right brain break in a left brain day." PTAs love the program because it provides a way to involve children and their parents in a unique family learning experience.