School's out for summer and my summer bucket list needs filling. Among the list of achievements I hope to check off is my annual summer goal of reading 9 books. My annual #summerreads list is something that I look forward to, and I have shared it via the blog since 2018. I will read some …
“Fundamentally as every teacher knows this job of education is a human one. It is about relationships...When teachers are able to prioritize relationships and focus on the quality of their connections with kids, we see over and over again the teachers feeling more effective and the kids being more engaged, learning more and feeling more …
Continue reading Creating Connections Through Classroom Rituals
About five years ago my health began to decline due to a genetic condition called Ehler’s Danlos Syndrome (EDS). It is a fairly unknown condition, even within the medical community. In short, people with EDS have defective collagen (our connective tissue is described as “chewed up bubble gum” instead of a healthy “rubber band”). There …
This summer, I'm inviting teachers to embark on a journey through the pages of some incredible books—all for less than $12 each. While you’ve been inspiring minds and preparing lesson plans, I've curated a list of budget-friendly reads perfect for your summer break. Nearly all of these books have previously selected as a #slowchathealth Book …
The early educator experience can be a tangle of novelty, excitement, fear, hope, support, and if you’re lucky, naysayers. Let me explain. At 23 years old, after sixteen seasons as a football player, I was ready to shift my attention to coaching. I was thrilled for the opportunity. The football field was an environment I …
Continue reading Early Educator Leadership: Navigating Crabs in a Bucket
Bringing the school year, and our 5th Annual #Microblog event to a close, the effervescent educator Chris Walker, AKA, @CoachWalk is back with another personalized message for educators. This one gave me chills! Chris shares his #teachingreflection videos regularly on social media, and I always look forward to these upbeat and insightful recordings. Chris’ reflections are full …
We build on serotonin filled moments not just fueled by physical movement,but by the social and emotionalthat transforms the actions to magical.Magical moments like a potion wash over thememotionally and physicallyif we let it bewhat it can be.It’s what happens when our teaching transcends the boundaries of lessons and block plans.Where classmates become allies and …
Being intentional with how and where we allocate our focus can be challenging and overwhelming in our hectic, busy lives. It is easy for me to experience cognitive overload … so many books, articles, blogs, workshops; so much to learn and think about! It’s exciting and daunting at the same time, often resulting in an …
Losing my husband unexpectedly shattered my world. In the midst of my grief, I found myself grappling with an unfamiliar sense of emptiness and confusion. Yet, within the depths of despair and the need to brave up for my children, I discovered an improbable source of strength and resilience. It is then that my perspective …
Continue reading B.A.M. An Educational Journey of Empowerment
Oh the gut, that precious thing we have to feed and water constantly in order to survive. It is also the place many of us have a time that we wished we would have trusted it. For me that time has evolved into a tradition I share yearly with my 4th graders in our last …
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 …
Continue reading Finding The Real Purpose of Physical Education
As human beings it is easy to get tunnel vision and only see the world through our own lens. We take in information, compare it to what we already know, and then create meaning out of it. The problem when teaching is that our experiences and abilities are not the same as our students and …
I became a Health and Physical Educator to help make a difference for everyone I come into contact with. There are times when you do not think you are making a positive impact on your students; however that is far from the case. You get to serve so many roles with your students, from teacher, …
According to an article from Edutopia; Brain Breaks are “planned learning activity shifts that mobilize different networks of the brain.” (Willis 2016) A while back I was scrolling through social media posts and saw a response from Andy Milne. He suggested that brain breaks should be called brain boosts. This perspective helped me see a …
“Hey, Coach! If you were going to punish us, how would you do it?” “Huh?” I glance up as one of my sophomores, new to the team, looks over the workout plan for the week. “Why would I punish you?” “You know, if we mess up.” (Full blown ‘I dare you grin’ here). “It’s not …
Unity. Solidarity. Togetherness. Kotahitanga is a mātauranga Māori concept that is prevalent everywhere and for everyone. Historically, kotahitanga has strong links to Māori people who may not have connections with hapu (extended families) or iwi (tribe usually made of several hapu). Kotahitanga is to unify and unite these Māori. Irrespective of your whakapapa (genealogy) and …
Continue reading Kotahitanga: United We Stand, Divided We Fall
1. Understanding Intersectionality in Health Education Intersectionality is a critical framework in health education that examines how various social identities (e.g., race, gender, class, sexuality) intersect to influence individual experiences of health and healthcare. By recognizing these overlapping identities, educators and policymakers can better address the nuanced needs of diverse populations. 2. The Role of …
Continue reading Intersectionality in Health Education: Leading with Love and Equity
There are many ways to ensure equitable experiences for all students in physical education. One effective approach is to remove or modify activities and games that involve eliminating students from play. Games that require students to sit out after not meeting a certain criteria, such as being tagged or dropping a ball, can induce feelings …
Have you ever heard of TED? Thyroid Eye Disease. Maybe from the latest commercial about medication for TED? If not, you’re in the right spot. My Mother, 57, lives with TED, a condition that has developed from her Grave’s Disease. This disease went undetected for 52 years, 2 years into being a first time grandmother. …
We have heard time and time that social media is bad for teens and causes depression and anxiety despite the lack of evidence supporting this fact. Even the Surgeon General in 2023 stated the lack of robust evidence stating social media was the cause of teens’ mental health issues. Motivation is a critical factor in …
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