Chewing Gum Makes Teens Smarter
Categories: Education
This is the news my 6-year-old has been waiting for: Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston have found that chewing gum in class makes kids smarter.
The study, which was conducted by the Wrigley Science Institute, a research arm of the Wm Wrigley Jr Co -- you know, the Wrigley's Gum people -- followed 108 students between the ages of 13 and 16. The students were in one of four math classes in a Houston area charter school with a population composed mostly of low-income Hispanic students. Half of the students were given Wrigley's sugar free gum to chew (both in class and while they did homework) while the other half got nothing.
At the end of the 14 week period, researchers reported that the students who chewed while they added exhibited a three percent change in their scores on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills achievement test. That's a small number, but it's statistically significant (you would know that if you had chewed gum in math class).
So what's the correlation between chewing gum and learning math? According to Gil Leveille, executive director of the Wrigley Science Institute, it's simple: Chewing reduces stress, which lowers levels of cortisol in the body. And kids who are less stressed learn better.
Will schools be jumping on the chew-while-you-learn bandwagon any time soon? That's doubtful, not because the science here is bad, but because kids are notorious for sticking their used gum under desks and chairs, which makes a disgusting mess. But if we're really serious about finding creative ways to help kids learn, it might be time to rethink the age-old no gum policy. Leveille has a solution: "We'll have to provide the janitors with scrapers."
I think the idea that a mindless activity might help kids focus is a good one -- rememeber the studies that said listening to classical music helped with memorization? But this study seems to walk a fine line between giving kids an academic boost and encouraging junk food consumption. What do you think? Would you let your kid chew gum in school?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Mary Sullivan 4-24-2009 @ 11:42AM
Well, a benefits-of-gum study conducted by a gum company seems a bit dodgy, don't you think? Just saying.
This actually is kind of an issue at my kids' school. One of my twins (age 10) has a teacher who doesn't allow gum in class--says the research on benefits, as in fact this has been studied before, are mixed. The other twin's teacher is generally pretty strict but allows gum and even seems to encourage it. My guys aren't big gum fans, but if they were, if it seemed to help them focus or de-stress, and if the teacher didn't mind, I wouldn't have a problem with it. And I certainly don't have a problem with a child chewing gum in class on the advice of a doctor or therapist. As long as they don't stick it on the desk so it ends up on other kids' hair, clothes, etc...yuck!
regards,
Mary
http://www.squidoo.com/justbreathe
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maritza 4-24-2009 @ 1:52PM
if this is true why dont they let children chew gum while in class. i remeber during my elementary, intermidiate and high school years you could get detention for chewing gum!! i understand it may be unapropriate bcuz some would leave them under the desk or drop them on the carpet, but if this means smarter children and beter grades then schools should let them chew gum al they want!!
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LS 4-24-2009 @ 2:58PM
...because it's obvious that it's GUM CHEWING, and not appropriate learning materials, teachers, student motivation or parental support that causes kids to learn.
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Emily 4-24-2009 @ 4:40PM
As a student, I completely agree that an activity like chewing gum can be beneficial in terms of focus and stress relief. In college I knew a girl who would knit in class- not out of disrespect for the professors, but because she had a hard time staying focused and was always a fidgeter, and that mindless activity with her hands let her stay settled and really focus on what the professor was saying. She always talked to the profs in advance to explain, and they never had a problem with it.
As a teacher, I still completely agree that for some kids this could be a true benefit for them, but until they are able to not make a mess out of it (in the carpet is even worse than under the desks!) I doubt you're going to see any sweeping policy changes. It's not enough of a clear cut benefit to every student to overcome the disadvantages of disgusting chewed gum all over.
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SKL 4-24-2009 @ 5:58PM
Maybe they did better because the privilege of chewing gum made them more motivated about the class - duh.
And yeah, totally unbiased study.
But I'd say sure - as soon as they start allowing kids to be strapped severely for vandalizing school property, have their heads shaved for getting it in their hair (or someone else's), and be slapped across the mouth for chewing in a disgusting and disrespectful manner, then yeah, let them chew sugarless gum in school.
By the way, are there no health concerns if children swallow a lot of gum? Because you know they're gonna do that too. Not to mention choking on it.
How about some other fidgety activity such as quietly tapping one's finger or foot?
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