In advance of a new school year, is your classroom environment set, with behavioral expectations and social contracts laminated and proudly displayed so that students know exactly what they need to do in order to meet your pre-set expectations? Has your 'classroom cathedral' already been built, ready for new inhabitants? No, mine neither. I don't …
Continue reading The Importance of Creating a Full Value Contract with Your Students
Teaching is nothing without relationships. That might not sound particularly groundbreaking..but it took me quite a few years before I realized that. It took me even longer to realize that relationships with ALL students were important and that without being 100% there for 100% of my students, I wasn't as good a teacher as I …
It all started in March 2020, my wife had to fly from our home in Hanoi to Bangkok for surgery. Due to covid, we knew we would not see each other again until at least the summer months. I was to be on my own throughout online learning for the rest of the year and …
People often look for new sources of health-related information, which are often aimed at behavior change. As you probably know, apps (i.e., applications) are software that can run on mobile devices. With increasing smartphone ownership, many users actively seek health information and app developers have responded by producing thousands of health-related apps. Nearly all smartphone …
Continue reading Health-related App Analysis Assignment through the Lens of Behavior Change Theories
I probably don’t need to point out 2020 has been a challenge for all, or the 20-21 school year didn’t quite live up to hopes and expectations. A timeline of adapting to digital teaching, fast forward professional development to keep the head above water, and remaining in an unsatisfactory state of fluidity could top the …
If I had a student teacher or someone who was on their way to enter the field of health education, and they were looking for a piece of advice, what would I say? I know the tips I got were things like…. “know the curriculum”…“don’t work harder than the kids”… “don’t smile until Christmas”… “ …
For his microblog submission Richard Petherick chose to respond in the form of an infographic. Here he reflects on his first 6 years of teaching focusing on concept based curriculum and the need for a shift. You can also access his infographic here. This microblog post was a featured post in #slowchathealth’s #microblogmonth event. You can …
Strength and conditioning is one of the fastest growing fields in high school athletics. Many have recognized that stronger, faster, and safer athletes have a better athletic experience; additionally, students who participate in a coordinated strength training efforts have additional opportunities to improve health & wellness, forge relationships with peers, and receive mentorship from dedicated …
Continue reading How to Align Strength Training for Sport with a P.E. Curriculum
In searching for ways to promote wellbeing in my school community, I came across an amazing concept called Ubuntu. Ubuntu is an African philosophy promoting the idea that the very existence of a person, their identity and purpose, is deeply rooted in their connections with others. It originates from a Zulu phrase which translates to …
“I didn’t have the best upbringing, but I didn’t have the worst.” This blog post reflects (either verbatim or in spirit) conversations I have with my students from time to time. The sharing that occurs in my health room is cyclical and reciprocated. Like most of you, I share (appropriate) stories that help to create …
Threshold concepts at Rototuna Senior High (RSHS) have become integral in our course design, we are a senior school with years 11-13 only. The idea of threshold concepts has helped move students (and teachers!) away from course design that is solely focussed on assessment. Not that assessment is a bad word, it is important, however …
Continue reading Creating Unicorns and ‘AHA’ Moments in Health and Physical Education (HPE)
I recently completed my Master’s degree in Education for Sustainability - an area of education I didn’t even know existed until I found myself in it! I am passionate about better preparing our students to be active citizens who will not shy away from global issues but instead have the skills and attitudes needed to …
I was a 35-year-old, single dad thinking ‘what do I do next’. I had been a Myotherapist for 25 years, a practitioner and educator, became a Level 2 DDPYoga instructor (www.DDPY.com), but I needed more. I love teaching, health, and creating games, so I said to my child, “I am going back to school to …
Continue reading Bringing the Glitz & Glam Back in Physical Education
In part one of this blog post, I discussed the importance of aligning the purpose of the physical education class to helping students form deep connections with their physical activity. Part two will discuss a system (ROAD) that a teacher can use to facilitate this process for students in PE Record The first step in …
Continue reading How to Facilitate Deeper Connections to Physical Activity
Part 1: Aligning to a Social Emotional Lens in Physical Education According to Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle, a clearly defined purpose is at the heart of all goal-setting and system-building, and as a teacher the communication of this purpose to students and parents sets a clear expectation for how and what they will learn in …
Continue reading Aligning to a Social Emotional Lens in Physical Education
"What should I teach?" is a fairly easy question to answer - there are things you legally must teach (mandated by the state), things you should teach (informed by community data) and things you like teaching (your favorite lessons). "How should I teach?" is a deeper question, and one that is considered in this weeks …
Walking my school hallways and seeing the familiar faces of students has always been a highlight of my day. Prior to the pandemic, I would 'collect' those smiles, "hellos" and fist bumps in the same way that Sonic the Hedgehog collects rings. A walk from one end of my school to another is a guaranteed …
There's something very powerful about being observed when teaching. It puts you in a vulnerable position that Brené Brown would say opens you up to uncertainty, risk and emotional exposure. And yet, stepping out of our comfort zone and loosening control opens us up to growth and reward, and in terms of teaching that can …
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 …
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 …
