As I look back on my teaching journey, specifically teaching physical education, I find it helpful to observe how I view the subject, which has changed. I started out with the view of having students love physical education as I loved it. I then went through a sports education phase, a fitness phase, that evolved into a more holistic approach to where I am now, which is simply wanting the students to be physically active, showing them the different ways to do it, and teaching them how to find purpose in being physically active.

Keeping in mind the essential facets of physical education, fundamental movement skills are a prime example of the must-dos; much like teaching phonetic skills in reading, I still want my students to see physical education as the gateway to a lifetime of physical activity. If this seems that simple, it is because it is. We teachers face this in all subjects that we teach. If you are a math teacher, the worst-case scenario is that our students see themselves as being bad at math or, worse, afraid of it. 

So, let’s say we have done a fine job of developing capable movers in the elementary/primary years. Where are the possible pitfalls? Perhaps we have not hit the mark as students get older because they aren’t given the opportunity, whether it is due to a lack of physical education as a class, a problem of opportunities in class, or a combination of the two. There is also the absence of space to play outside of class, which is out of our control.

I have been fortunate to teach physical education to students at the beginning of their school days up through graduation, and even the most active students will have less time to be active as they get older. So, what are we doing to help them when they no longer have PE? We often say our goal in class is to keep our students moving as much as possible, but perhaps this puts too much emphasis on the ‘physical’ and not enough on the ‘education.’  This leads me to the bigger question, “What seeds are we planting for the future concerning their physical education journey?”

One thing I have done this year is use miMove to have students track their physical activity in and out of school and reflect on it. In addition, I have had them set goals and reflect on them. I recently had the students analyze their activity from the whole year and set goals for next year. Several of my tenth-grade students noted in their goals that their motivation for next year was guided by the fact they won’t have physical education anymore. One student remarked, “Next year, even though I am not taking a PE class, I want to be somewhat active at home. My family usually takes evening walks/jogs, and I want us to keep up with it. Also, I want to play pickleball outside of school with my brother because it has been our favorite game.” Another stated, “(A) goal I have is to keep up with a daily routine I can stick to and also stay active, even though I won’t have PE next year.”

Ultimately, my journey has taught me a few key lessons. First, we must lay the foundations of movement, empowering our students to be confident movers. Second, we need to offer diverse activities and skills, providing opportunities for different types of movement and allowing students to discover their preferences. Lastly, we must guide students to reflect on their movement journey and plan their next steps. This is where they take the figurative baton, ready to thrive beyond their time in physical education class.

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Pair this blog post with the following:

Changing the Perception of Physical Education by Wyatt Franz

Know Your Why by Dr. Cara Grant

Walking Away From the Stigma by  Donn Tobin

Have you read the latest Book of the Month recommendation?