Pedal Desks are Sparking Global Interest

Thanks to one middle school teacher’s efforts to keep her students focused while in class, pedal desks are sparking global interest.

Bethany Lambeth has been interviewed by CBS and BBC News about how her students at Martin Middle School in Raleigh have improved their grades and behavior since they started pedaling during math class. Her idea is causing a global interest in the idea that combining exercise and learning is a good way to channel energy for students.

“I knew it would be a local story,” Lambeth said in an interview Wednesday. “But I love the fact that it has gone like wildfire through our country and internationally because of what it can do for our students. I have noticed an immediate success with them.”

Lambeth works with students who have difficulty with math and need extra help. She saw that many of her students were figiting, and having a hard time concentrating. They were not misbehaving, they just had a lot of pent-up energy.

She found out about how an elementary school in another state had purchased DeskCycles, a pedaling device that works like a bicycle. People can pedal while at their desk. She applied for a grant from the 4C Fund of the Wake County School System. That fund is financed by donations only, supporting projects that encourage creativity, communication, collaboration, and critical thinking. The 4C Fund awarded her enough to purchase 10 DeskCycles, which arrived in April. Positive results were almost immediate.

“They were able to be engaged in class,” Lambeth said. “They were excited to come to math class. They were having fun doing something different and were able to have their work done at the same time.”