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 …
Whether at home, in healthcare, the classroom, or the workplace the importance of self-advocacy is undeniable. However, even for an adult, self-advocating isn’t always easy. The ability to “speak-up for [ourselves] and the things that are important to [us]” is a necessary life skill. As young people’s trusted adults we can both teach and model …
One of the first times I observed a PE class, the teacher explained to me that PE can be organized chaos or just chaos! That thought has crossed my mind several times throughout the course of my teaching career. Here are a few things that have helped me engage students in physical activity in a …
Continue reading Tips and Tricks for Classroom Management in PE
When I first started teaching, I remember being shocked and reactive to the outward behavior displayed by students. This could be pointed to several different reasons, but the result was still the same - I expected all students to behave the way I would or the way I assumed someone should behave/react. Little did I …
Do you ever wonder if what you’re doing in the classroom is working? Is it actually having an impact on health behavior? In an attempt to ensure I was making a difference, I did some research into what actually works. That’s when I found out about the Social Norms Approach. When employed, this approach has …
Exit tickets have proven to be a vital tool to create meaningful PE. They enable student voice and for students to have a greater connection with PE as they are helping to shape the direction the learning will take. What is an exit ticket? Exit tickets are given to students to give their feedback or …
Mayday! Mayday! My Lesson is Crashing! Whether you are a first year teacher, or an experienced educator, at one point or more than one point a lesson may not go quite as you planned. You may have the most thought out, engaging lesson that you believe will rock the world of your students and when …
Living in a day in which meaningfulness in Physical Education (PE) is becoming an ever-increasing presence in educational discourse, I want to discuss the importance of providing students with the context behind what they are covering within lessons. Put simply, this is the ‘Why are we doing what we are doing, Sir?’. Essentially, I believe …
Sassy questions like this one from middle schoolers during a lesson are like adding hot sauce to almost any food. They add flavor to a lesson. They are student centered teachable moments and one of my favorite parts of teaching. The context is usually a chess move to get more information than they need, an …
Middle school throws a curveball at everyone. But a well-designed physical education (PE) program can be a game-changer, fostering not just fitness but also social connection, a love for movement, and a sense of ownership. Here's how to create a winning experience for your students: Building a Team: Relationships are the foundation. Learn your students' …
Continue reading Middle School PE: Unleashing the Fun and Building Champions
As educators, we know that our students cannot be the most successful version of themselves if their basic needs are not being met. As health educators specifically, I’m sure we are often asked by our students if we have different hygiene-related items that they can have, whether it be lotion, band-aids, hair ties, deodorant, pads, …
Continue reading Creating a Student Care Cart within the Classroom
Having just got back from the awesome SHAPE America conference in Cleveland, it's time to reflect on the hours spent in outstanding sessions, reconnecting with educators, experiencing a wonderful city and two impactful keynotes. When I return from conferences I want to do ALL OF THE THINGS - make lesson plans, tweet about my experiences, …
Continue reading Fueling Your Teaching Fire: Tips for Post-Convention Reflection and Action
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