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Kid Tracker

2012-01-31T13:16:00.000-08:00

I have always wanted to be a part of the reality show MANTRACKER. From what I can tell the show is a great adrenaline rush for the participants. The goal is to try and find a location without getting caught by Mantracker. Well I am not sure if I will ever have the opportunity to be on the show, but I do have the chance to play an adapted version with students.

A good friend of mine, Graham Hayes, teaches physical education at St. Francis Community School. He approached me with the idea of using GPS units in a game that involves the same ideas as Mantracker. The game became know as "Kid Tracker". I tried the idea out with grade 7 and 8 students from Deshaye Catholic School where another friend of mine, Bart Cote is vice-principal. Students develop navigation skills and learn how to problem solve through decision making. Likely the best part of it all is the fact the kids run for an hour and do not even realize it. Check it out.

Moving Forward

2012-01-18T11:28:00.000-08:00

Some rights reserved by Clearly Ambiguous

We should always be teaching kids to assess self, reflect, and then plan for next steps. When one begins a training program, it is important to know where you are, what your goals are, and how you are going to get there. It is never productive while moving forward to make excuses for what might have been. The same can be said with the results from the Saskatchewan Physical Education Survey that was conducted in 2008 through a partnership with Saskatchewan in Motion, University of Saskatchewan, and the Ministry of Education. The results of the survey in some aspects are not flattering. Many barriers and concerns have been identified by the hundreds of teachers and administrators that completed the survey.

The simple point is... there is work to be done! As my grandmother would say, 'there is no use crying over spilled milk'. It would be easy to say that school divisions do not support physical education enough or there are not enough resources or support. We need to work on connecting teachers and supporting each other. We need to support each other. There are great people doing great work in the area of physical education. It is crucial that these resources are shared within a network of physical educators.

Take two minutes to create a Twitter account and connect with other physical education teachers. This is one easy way to begin to enhance your knowledge base and resources for physical education.

We are moving forward, but we have work to do. Below is a prezi that provides an overview of the PE survey. What are the next steps in your mind?

View the entire survey at Saskatachewan in Motion

Connect on Twitter @gymovers

Connecting Future Physical Educators

2012-01-08T11:04:00.000-08:00

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I am not sure if there is anything more refreshing then to work with pre-service teachers. I am very excited to have the opportunity to teach EPE310 this semester at the University of Regina. This course is designed specifically for student teachers preparing to teach physical education to Elementary students. The course focuses on an overview of curriculum content, teaching methods, assessment and evaluation and learning resource materials and their application in teaching physical education in the context of schools and society today.

We took the opportunity to share some of our experiences and memories of physical education. Many common themes came out in the conversation. A great deal of dodgeball and running laps! I really appreciated the honest from the group. Many recalled 'gym' as a great experience and others found it to be less then enjoyable. The hope for me is to help the group understand that there are many things we as physical educators can do to make sure the experience is enjoyable and successful for all students, regardless of skill level and physical ability.

One outcome from the course is for the group to create and be a part of a professional learning network in the area of physical education. If you are a physical educator on Twitter please feel free to subscribe to our #epe310 list. As we journey through this semester we are also wanting to reflect and share with others as much as possible. Any comments or feedback in the student blogs would be invaluable to the group.

Six of one, half dozen of the other

2011-12-20T08:00:00.000-08:00

What game are we playing today? How many times in your physical education career have you heard that one? Kids love to play games and it is important as physical educators that we embrace that. However, it is not enough just to play the game. There needs to be direction and intent when engaging students in the game. The game is really a way to deliver curriculum.

I often have teachers ask me if I have any "new games" that they can use in class. I ask them, what it is they are trying to accomplish with the game. This can be a real 'eye opener'. I can play the same game at various grade levels with minor variations, and achieve grade level indicators and outcomes. It all comes down to what the focus of the game will be that day.

Take for example the following game of Speedball.

This clip was taken in a high school class but the same game with variations could be done down to grade three. One could use a game like this to work on tactics and strategies for invasion games. Perhaps the focus of the game for that particular lesson has to do with cardiovascular endurance. Subtle changes to the game will keep it fresh for the students and allow you as an assessor to accomplish various indicators.

It is not always necessary to have a 'new' game for the students. It is important to ensure there is a purpose to the game!

Thanks to Mr. Kelly Cozine for helping out with the video. His class of Grade 10 Wellness students were a fantastic group.

Many hands make light work

2011-12-01T08:55:00.001-08:00

Some rights reserved by sinisterbluebox

I have spent some time building my final project for eci831. I have developed a resource that will help teachers from primary to high school develop a geocaching experience. Geocaching is a great way to incorporate alternate environment activities into a quality physical education program. As you will see, geocaching is a great way incorporate various subject areas into a meaningful experience.

As I have continued to learn more about technology and the benefits of it in physical education, I see how important it is to share. One thing that I always teach kids when I am working with GPS and Geocaching is the term, "Cache in and Trash out". The idea is about not only enjoying the outdoors and experiencing geocaching, but also giving back. In this case, giving back to the environment by picking up small pieces of garbage along the way. It is a simple act that really does not take much but can do alot more than just make the park look better.

Teachers have a great deal of knowledge and expertise. We need to share our talents with others. I have set up the geocaching resource to allow teachers to take from the google docs in order to create caches. Like any good geocacher, if you take something you need to leave something. I am hoping teachers will start to leave ideas. Either add to an existing google doc on the site or send ideas on new themes that can be covered. I would be happy to place them in a google doc for all the share and benefit from. I just takes that one to get the ball rolling.

Roll with it

2011-11-22T05:56:00.001-08:00

Some rights reserved by matildaben

What happens when you put kids (or adults) at the top of a grassy hill. Often you will see kids rolling down the hill. It is almost instinctive and well, it is fun. When it comes to teaching students rotations in primary physical education, I find that many teachers are apprehensive. I have had many teachers ask me to come and teach 'gymnastics' to their class. I respond by saying I have no problem coming in to work on 'educational gymnastics' with the students. In provincial curriculum it is asking us to teach kids how to move. We need to teach kids how to land, balance, rotate, travel, etc. What we need to do in the curriculum is not 'gymnastics'. Yes there are some parts of traditional gymnastics that we should be doing with the students, but none of it is a high level of risk.

When it comes to rotations, teachers tell me they are concerned the students will hurt themselves. Of course it is important to teach the students the proper progressions and find credible resources to help the teacher understand the movement skill. As mentioned in a previous post, Backhandspring.com is an excellent resource. There is nothing wrong with kids exploring when it comes to rotations. Students are very pliable! There is not an issue with having the students rolling on a mat.

To assist students in the exploration of rotations, an incline mat or Wedge mat can be used. These mats are primarily used to teach beginners how to roll. Gravity takes over and helps kids get through the movement. It is fantastic to set a wedge mat out in a station and have kids explore on it. The students absolutely love it.

Recently added to growingyoungmovers.com is a short video clip that shows some activities that can be done with a wedge mat in a primary physical education program. Remember, we cannot assume students will learn how to move, we need to teach them and provide rich opportunities to move.

Formatively Assessing Fitness

2011-11-08T08:41:00.000-08:00

Some rights reserved by dlofink

As November hits, I say to myself, “Where do the first two months of school go”? Time definitely goes quickly and as educators we have just completed or are in the process of completing assessments for reporting to parents. It is that time to put a mark on a progress report. This will give the parents a clear understanding of how their son or daughter is doing in specific subjects. In physical education I know many teachers, especially in the high school setting, are using ‘Fitness Tests’ as part of an overall assessment for the students. Fitness Tests have been around as long as I can remember and in some cases have not really changed a great deal. Students are asked to complete some tests that will then result in a score. That score is then used in many different ways to come up with a mark. This mark can then be added to a progress report to help explain to the parent how their child is doing in physical education.

Fitness Testing is very complex but yet so simple. The ‘complexity ‘comes from years of ‘this is how we have always done it’. From year to year and school to school, standards have been passed down and altered and used to define a students’ fitness mark. It is very confusing to students, as there is no connection. If you can do this many push-ups, you will receive 5 out of 5. Does this make any sense today? Students need to see the relevance and need to work with the physical education teacher to assess personal fitness and work on improving fitness for life. For too long, fitness assessments have been about summative assessment. In many cases, fitness ‘testing’ is a way of getting a mark. It happens within a few class periods and then it is gone again until next reporting period.

Fitness assessments need to be thought of as a formative assessment. The idea is to continually provide feedback to the students. Within all subject areas, the focus in the curriculum is around inquiry. Fitness Assessments – An Inquiry Approach, created by Bev Robinson and Shelagh McCracken from Calgary Board of Education, is a document provides ways to assess fitness and not test fitness. This approach to fitness will allow students to see the connection with appraisals and will motivate students to improve.

Consider the following six statements from OASPHE– Ontario Association for the Supervision of Physical and Health Education.

Why and How of Fitness Testing in Youth?

1. Fitness assessment helps students identify physical abilities and areas of physical fitness that need improvement. Establish baseline to help set individual goals.

2. Success for all students, avoid student comparisons

3. Use fitness assessments to encourage lifelong participation in physical activity, generate critical thinking, self-awareness, and discussion about healthy lifestyles.

4. Fitness assessments should NOT be used as a grade. E.g. 10% for 10 push-ups and 100% for 100 push-ups is not acceptable practice. We do not grade genetics.

5. Focus on health-related components of fitness: cardiovascular, muscular endurance, muscular strength and flexibility to set goals to maintain/improve personal health-related fitness. BMI is not the role of the educator.

6. Inclusive, student-centred, personalized, and consistent throughout the year through: focus on process, allow some student choice, focus on the purpose of testing – do with the students and not TO the students. Avoid springing a fitness test on students. Focus on self-assess and self-monitor personal fitness levels.

The ‘simple’ answer to fitness testing is that there shouldn’t be! If you look in the Saskatchewan Physical Education curriculum you will not find anywhere that fitness tests should be performed to arrive at a mark. It just shouldn’t happen. That is the simple truth. Students should not be dreading a PE class because they are going to be ‘testing’. Students should not feel inferior because the entire class is watching while he or she tries to perform the flexed arm hang. What should be happening is quite evident in the curriculum. The students are to be assessing personal fitness with fitness appraisals. At no time would a mark be put to a result. Instead, the students should learn about Health-Related Fitness and assess where they are. The students should goal set and create a personal fitness plan for improvement. Students should also be assessing their peers’ fitness plans and providing feedback. This would bring meaning to the fitness appraisals and begin to motivate students. Is putting 20% of a grade to fitness testing motivating? Maybe for the elite athlete, but I would argue that as well. For the 90% of kids, testing is de-motivating.

We need to look at fitness assessments as a great opportunity to formatively assess our students. This will bring meaning to the students. We assess our personal fitness as adults all the time. This is what we want for our students. We want them to be life-long learners. Our job as physical educators is not to punish or grade a student for years of inactivity and poor eating habits. Our job is to motivate and to build confidence and competence with our youth.

Further reading:

A lasting impression: a pedagogical perspective on youth fitness testing

Take them Outside

2011-10-11T12:02:00.000-07:00

Wat Peace (formerly wat suandok)

What a great time of the year to take your students outside. No bugs, not too hot, not too cold. Not that we as physical educators would ever come up with excuses when it comes to getting youth engaged in the natural environment! Alternate Environment activities have always been a part of the Saskatchewan Physical Education Curriculum. Why is it then that we seem to only take kids outside when the weather is 'ideal'? I have seen and been a part of many Rider games where the weather was less than ideal. We tough it out! We that are hooked on golf, find ourselves out on the course in all kinds of weather. From high winds to windchill, we do not let the elements stop us from doing what we love (and sometimes hate!). Those of us that love to run would never let the weather of Saskatchewan tell us that we should take a day off! You must be kidding. We take it as a challenge. OK, perhaps at the beginning of the run that is -30 below, things can be very awful. But ask any runner and they will tell you how much fun it was and that 'it wasn't that bad'. I am not saying we should take our students outside in -30, but sometimes I think we let weather dictate our programming. Kids are resilient. We as teachers need to be equally resilient if not more.

by Bruce Guenter

Winter is coming and there are many great reasons to take kids outside. From geocaching, to snowshoeing, to skiing, get out and let your students experience the outdoors. Some of the best experiences will happen in 'less than perfect' weather conditions. We survived!

If you need more reasons to take your students outside I recommend Last Child in the Woods by Richard Louv. As I read, many great memories came back to me, and they all involved the outdoors.

Still not convinced? Already doing great things outdoors? The Saskatchewan Outdoor and Environmental Education Association has programs to assist you as well as funding options to help with your programs.

Daily Physical Activity in Schools. What should it look like?

2011-10-05T14:05:00.000-07:00

We have all heard the term DPA. Daily Physical Activity. Provinces have in fact mandated DPA to ensure that all kids are getting physical activity on a daily basis. Many educators have varying ideas of what DPA is and what it looks like. These are just a few of my thoughts around Daily Physical Activity.

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1. DPA is not a subject area. I understand why teachers are hesitant to incorporating DPA. Where does one find the time? With all the renewed curriculum out there, who has time to plan for 30 minutes of activity. What is taken off the plate? DPA is not intended to take away from a quality lesson, it is there to enhance it. Teachers do not need to stop everything they are doing to take a 20 minute walk.

2. DPA needs to become part of the culture. I see it this way. Lets say that I am working with a group of kids in the classroom and I tell them we need a break. We take a few minutes to get up and get moving and maybe even do some form of exercise. Maybe something exciting like push ups in a game of Push Up Power. The kids do not complain about the exercise and do not moan when I tell them we are going to change it from 3 to 5 push ups. We finish the activity and then go back to work. It is that simple because it is becoming the 'norm' in the school. It is becoming the culture. I have walked into schools and did the same thing and you would think that I asked the kids to take part in a dirty sock sniffing contest! The culture is not there. DPA is my humble opinion is needed to change kids and adults perspective when it comes to moving and being active.

3. There is help out there. There are many resources available to help with implementing DPA into the classroom. Remember however, these resources are not intended to become the curriculum guide for a quality physical education program. The governments of Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario all have manuals with great ideas for DPA. Saskatchewan in Motion is also a very valuable resource. Saskatchewan in Motion wants to make it easier for teachers by sharing what is working. Submit ideas of what you do and have a chance to win $500 in equipment for your school. The ideas are there, it is just a matter of finding what works for you and your students.

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4. It is the right way to teach. Gone are the days of keeping kids still in a desk for an extending period of time. It does not work. There is more than enough data out there that proves it. Including physical activity into your day is a part of being a quality educator. It plays a significant role in classroom management and can also build community. Daily Physical Activity needs to be in all subject areas outside of physical education.

Rome was not built in a day. Try to find a few activities that work for you and schedule them into your day. Make a routine of it, and see where that takes you. Your students will thank you for it.

Good Luck!

Grade 6, 7, & 8 Physical Education - Record of Student Achievement

2011-10-02T18:13:00.000-07:00

Record of Student Achievement checklists for Grades 6, 7, and 8 have now been added to growingyoungmovers.com. Add your class list and begin tracking students on each individual outcome. This tool will help teachers see the 'big picture' when it comes tracking what a student can do with respect to each outcome.

Grade Nine Physical Education Record of Student Achievement

2011-09-29T19:35:00.000-07:00

Just added to growingyoungmovers.com
Record of Student Achievement for Grade Nine Physical Education. These checklists will help with tracking of the outcomes. Criteria for each outcome are included in the checklist as well as space to add personal criteria. Simply type in your class list, cut and paste into the remaining checklists and you have a great tracking tool to see where students are at with each outcome.

Movement Skills

2011-09-22T07:45:00.000-07:00

I spend a great deal of time helping teachers understand and begin to actualize the Grade 1-5 Physical Education curriculum. It can be somewhat overwhelming to a generalist teacher with limited experience in the subject area. One of the first pieces I direct them to is the Movement Skills (pg 26 of Saskatchewan Physical Education Curriculum)

The first thing that I talk to teachers about is Levels of Skill. At each grade it is expected kids can perform to different degrees. We cannot expect kids to learn how to run, jump, throw and catch on their own. We need to teach them the proper techniques. Checklists have been developed to help teachers understand what it is to look for when kids are moving. There are many ways to teach the skill and still make it enjoyable for primary students. Lets face it, kids at that age love everything that deals with movement.

The picture above is a station I would set up with kids from K to 5. I tape two lines on the mats that go out at angles. As you can see, at the one end the distance between the lines is minimal and becomes greater as you move down the line. I put a rubber fish in the middle and tell them this is the Piranha Pool. Do not fall into the pool!! As the kids successfully jump the pool, they move down the line. As you can see, these kindergarten students need to LEAP in order to clear the pool. Just one example of teaching kids Movement Skills.

Why you might be the reason

2011-09-21T13:17:00.000-07:00

What is it that we enjoyed doing as kids? I remember taking off for the day and going to play in the trees. Climbing them, building forts etc. Why you might be the reason your child is inactive, written by Tralee Pearce, is an article from Monday's Globe and Mail.

Grade One Holistic Rubrics

2011-09-16T10:33:00.000-07:00

Holisitic Rubrics for Grade One Physical Education are now posted on Growingyoungmovers.com.

Educational Gymnastics

2011-09-15T12:56:00.000-07:00

When we look at teaching youth to move, one must have an understanding of Educational Gymnastics. It is important to always combine the two words when talking about elementary physical education. Often times, a fear begins to mount with teachers when considering teaching 'gymnastics'. At an elementary level, we are really talking about understanding ones own body and figuring out how to move. Kids love to play games, but they also love to experiment with movement. Kids love to jump and land and roll. We as physical educators need to continue to harness this energy and help kids become better with Educational Gymnastics.

A great resource that can help educators is Backhandspring.com. Do not be overwhelmed. Yes, this is a gymnastics site, however there are many great learning videos that can help physical educators. Focus in on the FLOOR EXERCISE section. Front Rolls and Back Rolls will lead you to many videos on the does and don'ts of Forward Rolls and Backward Rolls. You will also find clips on how to incorporate the use of an incline mat.

Making Progress...with a long way to go

2011-09-14T14:52:00.000-07:00

Like many physical educators, there are times when I really start to wonder if we are making a difference with encouraging the next generation to be an 'active' generation. I see a picture like this from a educational institution and suddenly find myself having many thoughts.... Did the person putting up the poster see the same thing I do? Is this a goal for climbing enough stairs? Are there other ways they can be 'fighting fat'?

We are making progress, however slow it may seem. What do you think? Just wanted to share this picture. I think it can serve as a great conversation piece at your next meeting. How can we speed up the progress?

Grade Two Physical Education

2011-08-29T14:14:00.000-07:00

Recently added to Growing Young Movers is Grade Two holistic rubrics. These rubrics will help physical educators see the big idea of each outcome at the Grade Two level. When planning, it is important to have the end in mind. These rubrics will help in the planning and the assessment of your students.

Volunteerism and Leadership

2011-06-30T10:21:00.000-07:00

Over 2000 students from Regina Catholic Schools took volunteerism and leadership to another level. Schools raised funds for Regina Kidpsport while exercising. The annual fitness a thon raised close to $17000 to ensure all kids can play. The Regina Catholic Schools Fitness a thon 2011 was a great success.

Grade Three Physical Education Holistic Rubrics

2011-06-29T14:38:00.000-07:00

Just added to Growing Young Movers are holistic rubrics for Grade 3 physical education. Each outcome has a rubric to not only help teachers assess the attainment of an outcome, but assist in the planning of a strong physical education program.

Be sure to follow by email to be notified when new resources are added.

Assessment Rubrics - Grade Four

2011-06-16T10:08:00.000-07:00

Holistic assessment rubrics have just been added for Grade 4 Physical Education. The holistic rubric will help physical educators determine if a student have achieved a specific outcome. They are also a great tool to track progress with the students and the parents. Obviously, other assessments must occur to provide evidence in order to complete the holistic rubric. For example, in outcome 4.1 the students are asked to create a class plan to improve cardiovascular fitness. For a physical educator to complete the holistic rubric, other assessments centered around this plan must have been created to provide the evidence and credibility to the holistic rubric.

The intention of the holistic approach is to allow the physical educator, the student and the parents to see the big idea of the outcome. Over the school year this will also allow everyone to see the progress.

Taking Advantage of Outdoor Space

2011-05-27T09:55:00.000-07:00

Moving through the final days of May and now into June, more and more physical education classes are moving to the outdoors. Beyond the natural benefits of being outside, there are too some logistical issues that likely no longer exist as well. Space is sometimes a challenge for physical educators in elementary schools. As we work with the new curriculum, it is important that we try to encourage small sided games and have all students involved and engaged. Managing a large number of students in a small area is sometimes a daunting task, even for an experienced teacher. Instead of many small sided games, the traditional approach has been to have the class divided into 2 teams and one game is played.

There are times when it is completely reasonable to have one game that involves two teams. If however, we as physical educators can create small sided games, students will have more opportunities and will likely be more engaged in the learning.

So back to the great outdoors. It can be very difficult to organize a class of 30 students into small sided games if your gymnasium is the size of a closet! (in some cases this is not much of a stretch) Taking your lesson the outdoors allows many games to happen at one time. Space is no longer a limiting factor. The following clip is just one example of small sided games and taking advantage of our natural classroom.

Regina Catholic Schools Fitness athon

2011-05-18T09:50:00.000-07:00

In the new provincial curriculum for Grades 6-9 Physical Education there are specific outcomes around volunteerism and leadership. Students from Regina Catholic Schools incorporated the Active Living Goal into a great event. Are you looking for a great fundraiser for your school or community? Check out this article written by Rob Vanstone from the Regina Leader Post. Regina Catholic Schools Fitness athon 2011

Photo Credit: Rob Bredin

More Pics

As I read...

2011-05-10T10:43:00.000-07:00

As I read through my last posting and the comment posted by Julie, I must clarify. I fully expect the classes that I teach to enjoy what they are doing. I know that the lessons will be fun for the class and that the students will have a variety of enjoyable experiences. The point I make, is that I do not need to ensure everything is fun, when planning the lesson. For me, the enjoyment piece is a given. I do agree that we as educators need to ensure the students are in a risk free environment and are enjoying themselves for the most part. A well planned program that ensures all students are involved and growing, will be most enjoyable for all involved.

As long as they are having fun

2011-05-01T12:33:00.000-07:00

I have had many conversations with those that teach physical education around the topic of FUN. Many contend, as long as the students are moving and having fun, all is good. In a time where many of our youth are not active enough, all that we should be concerned with is getting the kids moving This seems to be a common theme. The big question is why are youth less active? Perhaps if more planning and focus went on learning and not just enjoyment, more would be active. If I do not feel competent in Math, I do not think that I will find myself working on algebra in my spare time. (Ok, perhaps this is stretch, but I make my point)

I never plan a lesson hoping that it will be fun for the kids. I plan a physical education lesson, with an end in mind. There is a purpose to the lesson and it isn't to get kids smiling. I truly believe a well orgainized program that focuses on personal and social responsibility will lead to many smiles. We need to educate the youth around movement, tactics and strategies in order to keep them engaged as they grow older.

Having fun is not enough. Just a thought

What message are we sending?

2010-11-10T11:29:00.000-08:00

I recall a time not too long ago that I was scheduled to go in and work with a grade 6 classroom. The classroom teacher had invited me in to help the students develop a routine for circuit training. I arrived early to set up in the gymnasium and to have a brief chat with the classroom teacher during the recess to explain what the plan was for the day. One of the first things I noticed when we were meeting in the classroom was a student at the back of the room. He looked upset and was obviously frustrated. You see all the students were out enjoying recess and this student had to stay in to finish an assignment.

As the bell went and the students began to file in from recess, the classroom teacher was called to the office. I mentioned that I could just bring the kids to the gym and meet her there. We took a few minutes to get organized and then we were ready to go. I explained to the class what I wanted them to do upon entering the gymnasium and then watched them file out. The boy at the back of the room did not get out of his desk. I asked him to join us and he said he was not allowed to go because he was still not finished his assignment. I went up to the boy and told him not to worry, I would have a chat with his teacher.

What message are we sending kids when we take away things like recess and physical education class? The North Carolina State Board of Education recently implemented a Policy to increase physical activity. Many provinces have similar mandates, but this Policy also stated that physical activity, physical education, recess, and any other type of physical activity could not be taken away as a form of punishment. The policy also stipulated that teachers could not use exercise as a form of punishment.

When we were going through school, 'gym'class was the carrot. If we were late for something we would run laps. If there was a challenge between two opponents, the loser would do the push-ups. What message are we sending and what can we do to alter the message?

What Do You Think?

2010-11-03T15:45:00.000-07:00

There has been a growing concern over the last few years around the inactivity of youth. DPA is an acronym that is common among those in the education field. Daily Physical Activity can be many things to many people. A school district in Rhode Island is trying to ensure all students are physically active on a daily basis. The district will be replacing traditional recess with a structured program. This debate of the week has drawn national attention and has people questioning if this is an answer to inactivity. For more information link to CBS news to read an article and some posted comments.

What do you think? Please share your thoughts. Is this something Saskatchewan schools should consider?

The SWAMP

2010-11-01T19:32:00.000-07:00

Just recently I had the opportunity to visit St. Augustine Community School in Regina to work with some students in 'The Swamp'. St. Augustine is an elementary school that has a unique school day. The alternate school day begins at 9:30 and ends at 3:00 and as I found out, one never stops! The school mascot is a Gator, thus the students found it fitting to name the room 'The Swamp'. This room is new to the students and staff this school year. An extra room a few short months ago used for anything and everything, the Swamp is now the center of talk in the school. The room now includes 12 stationary bikes, a permanent matted area 20x20, bosu balls, fitness balls, resitance bands etc. This 'fitness center' is used everyday is numerous ways with students from Pre K to grade 8. On my visit, I was able to work through an entire day of classes in the room. These kids came in ready to work and left sweaty and smiling. Most importantly they were learning valuable lessons that go beyond the curriculum requirements. Students are begining a journey of developing as a team and learning to push self and others to reach goals.

You see the school is trying to develop a culture and a new attitude towards Physical Education. All students in grade 3 to 8 were given school PE uniforms. A Gator t shirt and shorts. The day I was there, was the first day the students were able to wear the clothing. It was amazing to see a group of students in a team uniform all working together. The effort was amazing and the energy was second to none. At one point the principal was in the room exercising with the students.

Teachers are even stepping up to supervise before and after school so students can come into the Swamp and exercise. Some teachers have started a fitness club to encourage students to get involved outside of school hours. It is something you need to see to really believe. Can you imagine if one day all elementary schools had a version of 'The Swamp'?

Choosing Teams

2010-07-18T10:27:00.000-07:00

It is interesting to talk to adults about physical education and the 'gym' experience. It seems the idea of picking teams is something that most people remember for one of two reasons. You were the kid that was not picked last (not really sure when you were picked, but not last) or you were that kid that was always picked last or near the end. Can you imagine? All the great things that can occur over the years in a quality physical education program and what stands out to many adults was how bad it felt to 'pick teams'. Having kids use 'captains' to pick teams is something that should never happen. Not only does it make individuals fell inferior, it wastes valuable time.

Something has always stuck with me on this topic. I was in my second year teaching physical education in a rural community. At the end of the year I received a thank you gift from a grade 9 student. What a gift. Not only did I receive the best home made apple pie, but a note that I will never forget. The student thanked me for a great year and thanked me for never using captains to pick teams. Since grade one this student thought the only way to create groups was with two captains. For 8 years this student was picked last! I can not begin to imagine how that felt.

Ask your kids how groups are created in class.