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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Juggling keeps students on the ball


 Fifth-graders, from left, Gentry Miller, Baylee Marquis and Mariah Erdman take a
Meghann M. Cuniff Staff writer

The typical student has a lot to juggle: school, family, friends and extracurricular activities. At Sorensen Elementary School, kids are juggling every day – literally.

Fifth-grade teacher David Groth has long been known for his juggling skills and his use of juggling in the classroom. Many Sorensen students look forward to the fifth grade because Groth is the only teacher at that level and they can develop the juggling skills that other students show off through the years.

But this year, juggling is no longer just for the older kids. Sorensen is making juggling part of the curriculum for all students, kindergarten through fifth grade.

“It has a tremendous effect on concentration,” said Groth, who received the International Jugglers’ Association’s Excellence in Education award over the summer.

And the kids love it. “It makes you feel like you can do anything,” said 10-year-old Baylee Marquis.

Groth’s class and most others in the school already spend a few minutes juggling each day. Groth received a $1,400 grant from the EXCEL Foundation this year to buy juggling equipment for the entire school.

As students in lower grades become more skilled, Principal David Miller said, he’d like to see every class use juggling as a regular study break or a replacement for the unstructured morning recess.

Students made small beanbags to juggle at the beginning of the year and have been developing their juggling skills since. Groth’s fifth-grade class helped teach the skill to younger students earlier in the year, and Groth holds practice sessions every Monday evening and Tuesday morning at the school.

It serves as a nice study break, allows students to get some exercise and helps them improve their hand-eye coordination and concentration, Miller said. It can also boost self-assurance for students who may struggle academically but excel at juggling.

“It’s a great confidence builder for them,” he said.

On Friday, Groth showed his students a video of them trying to juggle on the first day of school. The improvement they’ve shown is remarkable, he said, and is a metaphor for how they can improve academically.

Miller agrees. “It’s such a good kind of way for us to communicate that ability to improve oneself.”

Nearly two months into the school year, Groth’s 33 students are well-trained. They’ll spring out of their chairs when he says “go” and grab their juggling items, then rush back to their desks the moment Groth says “seats.”

And their skills amaze even Groth, an avid juggler with years of experience. Some can juggle plastic bowling pins. Others have moved on to toy knives. And some can do it all while standing on a large, round ball.

“I’ve had thousands of hours of juggling, but this year these kids have come up with tricks I’ve never seen before,” Groth said.