Educators
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Outside of family, you spend the most amount of time educating movement vocabulary.
Our philosophy; Inclusion!
Redefining Physical Education
In recent years, we in the physical education space, have lost our way. A string of misguided priorities, a roll out the ball mentality, budget cuts, marginalization of our classes, and not to mention a glaring lack of desire youth have to be active has taken us off the track of what is best for our students.
Physical education is not just getting kids to move but teaching them how to move. There is a gap between the worlds of Physical Education and Exercise Science that needs to be bridged.
It is for this reason that WE can and should redefine physical education!
Physical Literacy
"Physical Literacy is the cornerstone of both participation and excellence in physical activity and sport. Individuals who are physically literate are more likely to be active for life.”
– Canadian Sport for Life
Changing the Culture
More than just games. More than just running laps. The landscape of physical education has changed and so have the students in our classes.
Our physical education classes should be built around:
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Promotion of physical literacy
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Vertically aligned, developmentally appropriate curriculum
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Incorporation of all movement skills
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Incorporations of both health and skill related fitness
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Integration of movement methodology
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Cultivating a growth mindset
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Differentiation for diverse performers
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Regular assessment and feedback to students and families
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Recognition of social and emotional learning traits
Getting Others Onboard
Change can be very hard for some…Vying for vertical alignment within PE curriculum often means multiple teachers, schools, and grade levels might have to change some (or a lot) of their current practices.
How can we work through this resistance?
1) Go after the “low hanging fruit” first
2) Illuminate the path
3) Don’t lose sight of the mission, goals, or purpose
4) Highlight and celebrate successes
5) Engage administration and school leadership
6) Engage families
Recognition of SEL
Social and emotional learning is baked into the day to day of physical education. It is imperative that we as educators recognize and call attention to the 5 core competencies of SEL:
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Self-awareness
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Self-management
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Social awareness
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Relationship skills
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Responsible decision-making
Professional Learning Community
Deliberate and strategic use of regular PLC time can cultivate the following:
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Program norms
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Program values
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A shift from individual to team mindset
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Sense of belonging
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Short and long-term goals
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Accountability
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Ownership
6 steps to creating a culture of movement in your school
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Know your mission
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Brand your program
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Advocate for your program
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Promote OUTSIDE of PE
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Show your worth
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Be involved in your school
What do kids say they like about sports?
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Fun
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Friends
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Fair Play
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Friendly competition
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Finishing the Season Better than I started
Use of data in Physical Education
What can data do for us?
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Drive instruction
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Provide motivation
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Self-evaluation & reflection
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Advocacy for your program
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Differentiate & individualize content/lessons
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Evaluate effectiveness of teaching
What can data do for others? (students, parents, staff, school leaders)
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Improves student motivation
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Gives relevance to daily activities
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Self-evaluation & reflection
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Peer evaluation
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Demonstrates importance of your program
Why Sports Participation has Declined
Lack of free play
Learn about why the lack of free play leads to a decline in sports participation.
Early sport specialization
Specializing in one sport early in childhood does not allow youth to explore various sports to find the one they like best and gain transferable skills from one sport to another.
Marginalization of Physical Education
Physical education in schools needs to change and we all need to work together to make changes.
Technology
See the impact technology has on sports participation and increased levels of anxiety, depression, and struggles with self-development.
Decreased skill competence
Participation in sports has declined due to a decreased competence of fundamental movement skills.
Leadership in Schools
Building a school culture through Physical Education
Physical education is the only class in the entire school that sees all of our students on a regular basis. By investing time, effort, and resources, we can use that to our advantage. By supporting and showing pride in our PE programs we can not only instil the importance of quality movement but also school norms, core values/beliefs, promote social and emotional learning, and much more.
Physical education is more than just games and laps, it’s an invaluable vehicle to building a strong culture in our buildings!
Importance of movement and physical activity in education
Students who are regularly physically active are more likely to experience:
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Increased academic achievement
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Improved self-esteem & confidence
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Reduced anti-social or disruptive behavior
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Improved social skills
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Improvements in overall physical health & well-being
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Improved attendance rates
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Increased attentiveness throughout the day
What are LTAD and ADM and how can they help?
Long-Term Athlete Development and the American Development Model are frameworks or roadmaps for age & stage appropriate steps towards quality movement in sport and life. When implemented correctly, they can contribute to the culture of the school and academic performance of the students.
What is early sports specialization?
When an athlete begins, at an early age, to limit participation to a single sport and solely dedicates their time to that sport year-round.
5 ways to better conect sport and school
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Ensure coaches MAKE IT FUN!
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Be involved!
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No cut, fair play policies
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Engage with club & community coaches – work together not against
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Use PE to help create the culture (vision, mission, goals, values, etc.)
Safe Sports
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