A recent Instagram post summarizing the 'impact of smartphone use on athletes' sleep and performance' caught my eye and got me wondering about the research that supports my internal suspicion that cell phones are harming the performance of athletes. As a coach and father of athletes, I was motivated to delve deeper into existing research …
Continue reading 5 Ways That Cell Phone Use Negatively Impacts Athletes
If you're looking to create personalized music playlists that are perfect for your classroom, gym, or workout needs, then this blog post is for you. Regular readers of the site will know that I love music, have written about my love of music, and featured posts on how teachers are using music in their teaching …
In my personal opinion, there can sometimes be a disconnect between the health education classroom and the community resources that students truly need. Health, in general, can get a bad rap—but I want health to be celebrated. I want students to be excited about it. That’s how “Health-a-Palooza” was formed. Also keep in mind that …
Happy Friday, teachers! We've made it through another (long) week, and before you rush (or in my case, wearily stroll) into the weekend, let’s take a few minutes to pause, reflect, and recharge. Fridays can be more than just a countdown to the weekend; they’re a chance to reconnect with ourselves and the people who …
Continue reading Reflect & Recharge: A Friday Ritual for Teachers
With World Mental Health Day upon us, it's a good moment to reflect on how our mental well-being is connected to movement. In a world where stress and anxiety levels are rising, we often look for quick fixes, but one of the most powerful tools to support our mental health is something we already know …
Continue reading World Mental Health Day: Moving for a Healthier Mind
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
Regular readers of this site will know that I have been exploring all things #MeaningfulPE in physical education classes with my junior and senior students. This semester, my students have viewed a series of short video reflections from educators nationwide. These personal 'movement journey' narratives aim to inspire my students and expose them to diverse …
Continue reading Discovering Joy in Movement: Insights from Parents to Teenagers
A principal once asked me, “Adam, how will you still impact the culture to promote health and wellness after you are gone?” This was year two of my teaching career, and I had just begun to have my head above water with middle school students and classroom management. Looking back at that moment I feel …
Continue reading How to Sustain a Culture of Health and Wellness at your School.
April 1, 2021 The Well Family, 333 Panacea Avenue, PANGEA. WLD. 001 Re: Your children- Well, Ness (Grade 10A) and Well, Being (Grade 10B) Dear Well family, I write to advise the conclusion of investigations into the conduct of your children, Ness and Being. As advised in previous communications, these investigations were commenced in response …
Continue reading The Provocative Ponderings of a Perpetual Pessimist
We live in a pandemic and wellness is something that we prioritize at school, building community, supporting each other, students, teachers and staff, and the broader community. During the COVID-19 pandemic, self-care is more essential than ever to help build and maintain a healthy immune system. Research shows that exercise helps boost the brain and …
“You have changed the way I see Physical Education, “You have inspired my husband and me to play tennis”, “You make health and wellness fun.” These are quotes from my co-workers, by no means am I the best Physical Education teacher in the world or in my department for that matter. However, I have discovered …
https://twitter.com/carmelhealth/status/1377765154260156417?s=12 Health and wellbeing is schools is critical to developing happy and healthy young people. Ultimately, we want our students to be informed and activity citizens of not only their local community but the globe. As a health and physical education teacher and school leader I am acutely aware of the benefits of a strong …
Continue reading Benefits of Health and Wellbeing Programs: A Leaders Perspective
Setting professional and personal goals during the pandemic might require a different focus and frame of mind. As I try and wrap my head around a remote return to school and a switch to a block schedule, it will be necessary to formulate goals that require me to grow in order to best serve my …
One of the areas of health that I cover with my students early on in the semester is that of the 'Dimensions of Wellness'. My aim is to get students to appreciate that there are many areas that factor into our overall wellness, and certainly more than the typical 'looking good and eating right' view …
#slowchathealth 