As a teacher of 25 years, it took me an embarrassingly long time to realize that relationships with each and every student were crucial. I'd been taught HOW to teach, but I come from the era when teaching was something that we did TO students, not WITH. I come from the era that was taught …
I have a confession. I'm a hoarder, but thankfully not one of those hoarders that you see on reality TV that need an intervention and a team to come in and clean out everything I've saved over the years. I'm talking about digital hoarding, the collating of digital materials that I refer back to regularly. …
Bringing our standards-based health curriculum to life is important if we want students to make connections between the classroom and the world in which they live. We need to find ways in which students can promote healthy norms and healthy behaviors and we have to provide students with the opportunity to amplify their health-enhancing messages …
Continue reading Breathing Life into Health Skill 8: A Twist on the Traditional Field Day
Summertime is my time to read, and over the past few years I have shared my #summerreads list of books that I attempt to complete before the return of school. With this past semester proving to be the most challenging in my 24 year career, I desperately need to get lost in some books for …
Following on from the successful book club read of Kelly McGonigal's The Joy of Movement it's time to announce our summer book club selection for 2020. This summers book club read is Permission to Feel, a previous #slowchathealth Book of the Month selection from Marc Brackett, Ph.D. Marc is the Founder and Director of the Yale …
If you need to educate yourself on topics related to social justice, if you need to hear inspirational stories from activists doing the work and if you need to find ways in which you too can become involved in making a change for the better, then there is a podcast out there for you. My …
Do not confuse or conflate—my mantra since this seismic global shift, as I’ve been in lockdown for nearly eleven weeks with my family. Last summer, we moved from my birthplace to a new state on the other side of the country. The move (both the literal and emotional processes) was an absolute nightmare, which made …
Fads and fashions come and go..and sometimes return again, and I'm not talking about scrunchies. Hackey sacks from the 80's returned again in the 90's and are now popular again at my school. You know what else has made a huge comeback? The simple act of embedding a link into a document, and if you …
I am delighted that this week's blog post comes from a passionate health educator who has spent many years advocating for, and understanding the role of, health education within a wider context. Although written from a New Zealand perspective Rachael Dixon's writing will speak to a global audience of health educators. Tena koutou, tena koutou, …
Continue reading The Curious Case of Senior Secondary Health Education in Aotearoa New Zealand.
This week's blog post comes from Coach Jim Davis, a co-worker of mine who is not only an elite coach, elite advocate, elite thinker and elite presenter, he also an outstanding mentor to young student athletes, encouraging them to make change not only in their own lives, but that of others. Our Powerlifting team once …
Continue reading The Power of Good Nutrition: Does Your Behavior Match Your Goal?
There exists a fine line between well-roundedness and attempting the jack-of-all-trades distinction, only to realize stretching oneself too thin oftentimes results in dropping the ball on something important. Part of self-management means stepping back periodically and evaluating, “what are the most important things in my life right now?” An alarming trend consumes too many of …
Comparing lessons learned during the pandemic with lessons learned from running,this outstanding blog post is also available as a podcast. In the month since I was asked to write this article, the world has pretty much been turned upside down. Originally, the premise of this piece was going to be based around 13.1 ways that …
Continue reading 13.1 Ways Quarantine Life is Like Running a Half-Marathon
The coronavirus 'stay at home' situation in which we find ourselves is the perfect recipe to ruin a good nights sleep. Currently forced upon us is increased anxiety and worry, increased isolation, a change in regular routine, and an increase in screen time as we navigate 'remote learning' and utilize Face Time, Zoom, House Party …
Health & PE are often separated into two different entities in the classroom, regardless of how deeply they intertwine. Physical wellness is improved by physical activity, but can also be improved by hormone/chemical release that comes from positive thoughts, emotions & social interactions. Positive feelings are also cycled through physical movement and enjoyment of movement. …
Continue reading Haiku in Health & PE: Mindfulness in Motion
Over the past couple of weeks during E-learning at the International School of Düsseldorf I have asked my students to share with me what they are grateful for. In positive psychology research, gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal …
I lean towards being an extrovert, both socially and professionally. I really feel it’s an attribute that helps me connect with my classes. So, it would stand to reason that blogging would come naturally, right, that the words would jump out of my hands onto the keyboard?? Well, in the words of the famous Lee …
Well, students, here we are: our new normal. Health class right now certainly looks different than it would be in our pre-pandemic world. I assure you that you are ready to handle this pandemic and whatever else life decides to throw at you over the next few weeks. Why? Because you’ve been focusing on building …
One summer, not so long ago, I seriously considered a career change. Well, seriously is too strong a word, but I did actively interview outside of public education. No follow through on a job transition, obviously, but it did provide valuable insight. You could call it a moment of clarity, or, more candidly, the perfect …
As today's health class shakes off its dated past it's more important than ever that all students see themselves catered for, and represented in our curriculum. One way to ensure inclusivity is to ensure that we recognize the importance of personal pronouns. For too long our transgender, gender non-conforming, and gender non-binary students have been …
How do you feel about that, Ilse? Does that remind you of anything from your past? How would you like to approach this? Those initially awkward yet eventually empowering conversations with your therapist...the ones that help you work through your feelings - respecting and recognising them, then moving through to a slightly new approach - …
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