Outside of the Health Education classroom, Social Emotional Learning (SEL) has been relegated to the realm of "extras" – a separate curriculum, a few isolated lessons squeezed into an already packed schedule. This perception is not only inaccurate but actively hinders its transformative potential. I’m here to say what many fellow health educators might be …
I founded our non-profit, Be Real USA in 2019, with our mission to provide the highest possible quality body image resources for schools. Everyone, everywhere has been seeing the negative mental health consequences of social media on young people today. Negative body image—called body dissatisfaction--has been a particularly bad outcome for those who use social …
I’m horrible at remembering names, which is problematic because each year I have nearly 250 new ones to learn. Yale’s Poorvu Center claims that students feel more satisfied, more accountable, more likely to seek help and more comfortable when teachers know their names. I needed to find a way to compensate for my weakness - …
Continue reading Say My Name. Say My Name: Introducing The Teacher Multi-Tool
As Health and Physical Education teachers, we often feel we live on a deserted island as we are often the only teacher in our department or a smaller chunk of the school compared to other subjects and departments. This setup often leaves us feeling isolated and less integrated with other areas of instruction. I made …
Continue reading From Isolation to Integration: Embracing a Collaborative Teaching Mindset
I once adored holistic rubrics, but when my students expressed their dislike for them, it led to a transformation in my approach. Now, I am committed to single-point rubrics, and there's no turning back. They are efficient, inclusive, and genuinely centered on the students. Many insightful educators, such as those at the Cult of Pedagogy, …
What is UDL? UDL? This is not just another educational acronym. Universal Design for Learning is a framework that benefits ALL students. When I started teaching and learned about UDL during a professional development, I wasn’t sure how to implement this framework or how it would impact my students. Fast forward 23 years later and …
Continue reading UDL on the Slopes: Think of Your Class Like a Ski Resort
In today’s world, teens and pre-teens need to be “smart” consumers of media messages and this calls for the support of their teachers, parents, and other trusted adults to help them make sense of what they are hearing and seeing. Media influence on young people may be direct and deliberate such as advertisements that want …
Many assume that marijuana today is the same as it was many years ago. This is a dangerous misconception. Marijuana has become exponentially stronger over the years as THC levels (the psychoactive ingredient) in marijuana have increased 212% between 1995 and 2015 (NIH). Marijuana comes in many forms like flowers, buds, edibles, dabs, vape/dab pens …
Continue reading High-Potency THC and its Impact on the Developing Brain
Creativity is the spark that drives innovation, progress, and personal expression. But without longevity, that spark can burn out before it has a chance to ignite anything lasting. Striking a balance between pushing for creativity and sustaining your presence is essential in any field, but in the world of Health and Physical Education, it is …
Probably the most inclusive unit in our elementary schools PE is our net and wall games unit. Anyone can have a go and it doesn’t take as much running and exertion as compared to other units. The students are exposed to a wide variety of games such as badminton, pickleball, table tennis, volleyball and foot …
Continue reading Student Agency and Inclusion in Net and Wall Games
I have taught middle school PE and Health Education in four countries, across three continents. Everywhere I have been, I’ve witnessed students navigating the challenges of adolescents, while learning to make sense of the world around them. The longer I teach, the more I see the role of PE and Health Education as an opportunity …
Continue reading Five Questions I Asked My Middle School Students This Year
Scroll through any PE-related hashtag and you’ll see a flood of activity ideas: colorful equipment, elaborate tag games, and an endless highlight reel of entertaining and sometimes useful content. Social media has made it easier than ever to find activities for your next lesson. But the question we need to ask ourselves is: Are we …
Continue reading What Social Media Is (and Isn’t) Doing for Physical Education
Growing up, my father was the type of man who would “give the shirt off his back” to help someone. I always viewed that as an admirable quality, but I never fully made the connection to it being a form of service. I guess you can say it was his form of service to others …
Continue reading Leading by Example: Lessons from Service to the Classroom
I’ve been putting off writing this blog post. I’m confident in my teaching abilities, especially in my subject matter of health, and my ability to connect with my teenage students. Writing a short article is outside of my wheelhouse and my comfort zone; although I’ve written plenty of papers and short stories throughout my life …
Regular blog readers will know I am a big fan of the benefits of sleep. Not only have I blogged extensively about the topic and advocate for the benefits of sleep with my students through lessons that often lead to the creation of sleep-related advocacy podcasts, but I am also a fan of sleep myself. …
In early 2023 our organization was contacted by the Physical Education and Sports Teachers Association of Zambia (PESTAZ) and were asked to help improve the quality of physical education in their country. One of the goals for the project was to provide equipment. This was a huge need for them as many of the schools …
Continue reading Crochet: Using Community Resources for Physical Education Equipment
Before becoming a parent, I believed I had a solid grasp on managing children's behavior. Then I had my son and daughter, which made me realize I had much to learn. Fast-forward a decade, and now I have adopted a dog to take it to another level. In the two months since adopting our four-year-old …
Continue reading Tails of Patience and Progress: What Teaching and Dog Training Have Taught Me
The Purchase This is what the clerk at the counter said as I was checking out with a fresh roll - okay a 6-pack - of .94-inch x 60-yard blue painter’s tape. My response was, “It’s not about what it is, but what my students and I can do with it.” If you are at …
Continue reading But It’s Just a Roll of Blue Painter’s Tape
This is my second year contributing to this blog, and I truly enjoy reading every post. They’ve been such a valuable part of my journey—helping me grow, reflect, and evolve as an educator. Without a doubt, the thing that has elevated my teaching the most is watching other teachers in action. Nine years ago, I …
In my personal opinion, there can sometimes be a disconnect between the health education classroom and the community resources that students truly need. Health, in general, can get a bad rap—but I want health to be celebrated. I want students to be excited about it. That’s how “Health-a-Palooza” was formed. Also keep in mind that …
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