If I only knew 31 years ago that teaching outside could, and would, transform both me and students, I would have started doing it much sooner! This was one of my “Covid 19 Silver Linings”. I teach in an Elementary School on Long Island, New York. In the past most of my teaching was done …
The COVID-19 pandemic has proven to us how important our dimensions of wellness really are and how much they are interconnected. We’ve all had to examine and reassess our own health behaviors and analyze how we either deposit to, or make a withdrawal from, our health and well-being. It was interesting to see the response …
“What do you mean you’re fasting? You’re going to run the mile!” bellowed my seventh grade physical education teacher. I tried to formulate a response, attempting to squeeze an explanation out of me. My throat felt empty; I couldn’t find my voice. It was like a blow to my chest: I felt betrayed and speechless …
Continue reading No, Not Even Water: Why Non-Muslims Should Learn About Ramadan
After reading the book Beginners by Tom Vanderbilt, which was the slowchathealth book of the month for February of 2021, I started to get an itch to be a beginner again and try something new. When this microblog post opportunity presented itself, I knew it was something new that I had to try, I had …
My life is a musical comedy, at least that’s what my students think. One even went so far as to tell me I was better than anything on Netflix right now. I should be worried, but I am not. It was probably one of the best compliments they could give me. It means I’m relevant, …
We get it. You already know! It’s why you are here exploring blogs about health-related content. That said... please indulge us for the next 5 minutes or so. Are you floundering or flourishing right now? One of the common misconceptions we find when we present to educators around the world is that having an “others …
We all have sex education stories. Even if that education came from friends, family members, movies/tv, songs, or the internet, instead of school. We might have... Puberty stories. First date stories. Coming out stories. The Talk stories. Me too stories. Identity stories. Sex ed stories are universal - they are the stories of our bodies, …
Last year 50 educators and authors joined in with the inaugural #microblog event here on slowchathealth.com and it was a huge success, lasting just over a week and featuring voices from across the globe. Sharing bite-sized blog posts of up to 500 words, there were experienced bloggers, first-time writers, authors, teachers, and some students eager …
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 …
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 - …
As we are amid this current COVID-19 pandemic, the nation is asking people to change their behavior. It sounds simple, but behavior change is difficult. I recently read an article in the American Journal of Health Education by Robert Bensley who talks about this concept. Changing behavior shouldn’t be difficult because we now know the …
If you’re like me, you are always on the lookout for ways to mix up your workout routine. Considering the current #stayhome circumstances, things can get old and boring real quick. Here are 3 different formats for workouts that can be done in your home. These workouts are meant to serve as a template – …
On my return flight from Tampa for the 2019 SHAPE America National Convention in April 2019, I was suddenly awakened from a nap and my first thought was “redefine our community”. This statement etched in my mind as I projected on the upcoming year ahead and the opportunity for transformation for our health and physical …
Continue reading COVID19: A Promising Future for Health Ed and Equity?
Environment is something that I strongly value. I am absolutely focused on creating a physical environment that matches the mood and vibe I want in my house, my bedroom, and maybe most importantly my classroom. I have spent the last 3 years putting together the classroom of my dreams. What started as an active seating …
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