Table of Contents
Attending to the Emotional Side of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) by Cultivating Positive Team Dynamics
Zack Beddoes, Keven Prusak, David Barney, and Todd Pennington
Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) are becoming increasingly commonplace in America’s schools. As part of the school community, physical educators are positioned to add and receive value within PLCs. Given that school-based PLCs are driven by collaborative teams, reaching high performing status requires external supportive school structures coupled with internal positive team dynamics. A PLC can be an emotionally charged collective action formation with the potential to positively enhance teacher practice and student learning or, conversely, be hindered by adult drama. This paper focuses on and provides research-informed practical suggestions for addressing the internal team dynamics aspects of physical education PLCs (PE-PLCs). Drawing from team dynamics literature, this analysis unpacks and applies sub-constructs associated with team member attitudes, behaviors, and cognitions (ABCs) within a PE-PLC setting. Practical suggestions for enhancing ABCs within PLCs are provided.
Articles
Embracing Hybridity to Expand the Public Health Reach of Physical Education on Secondary School Campuses
Shannon Mulhearn and Carol Wieck
The purpose of this article is to encourage physical educators to consider their hobbies and interests and think of ways to connect with students who may not naturally find themselves attracted to our classes. This article shares successes of a high school run club that was offered twenty years ago to high school marching band members and their families after an elementary physical educator decided to use her hybridity to encourage physical activity to the high school students she interacted with after school.
School Sports Club in South Korea: Supporting Middle School Students’ Physical Activity Engagement and Social-Emotional Development in Schools
Kyuil Cho, Emi Tsuda, and Daekyun Oh
Adolescents in South Korea have been facing physical (physical inactivity) and social-emotional (e.g., bullying and suicide) challenges in the last few decades. To address these issues, the Ministry of Education in South Korea implemented School Sports Club as a part of the school curriculum. This article introduces the overview, the goals and structure, the status quo, and the future directions of the School Sports Club. School Sports Club is offered during the regular school time and a required curriculum. The primary goal of the School Sports Club is to increase physical activity opportunities, strengthen humanistic education, prevent bullying, and ultimately develop a positive attitude in their school life among students. In School Sports Club, teachers are allowed to select the content that would best meet their students’ needs and school contexts. While there are some challenges, the students have positive experiences in School Sports Club. In summary, School Sports Club is one way to support students’ physical activity engagement and social-emotional learning in school settings.
Influence of dance classes on the quality of interpersonal relations in a social group
Adriana Banio
During dance, endorphins, the so-called happiness hormone, are released–a fact that undoubtedly favors contacts with others as well as is an excellent opportunity to establish or strengthen them.
Nowadays, with dynamically progressing digitization, dance has also found its place on the Internet. Both individual users and organizations see the advantages of online activities in terms of promotion. Due to the coronavirus epidemic, the transfer of dance classes to virtual space has resulted in the reorganization of all dance education. This forces us to deepen our understanding of the interpersonal dynamics of a group in dance.
Bring in the Clowns
Joe Deutsch, Shari Wenzel, and Jenny Linker
There is no unique definition of circus pedagogy; however, “scholars agree that such a discipline could provide a valid alternative to learn and deepen various mobility contents”. This article aims to provide strategies for implementing an elementary physical education Circus Unit. An overview of how to design three basic routines of a circus program (balances, manipulatives, and clowning) is included, along with a description of how to execute a final performance. Lastly, a description of how the unit aligns with National Standard goals is provided. Now is the time for you to dip your foot into the circus world and make it come alive for your students.
Getting Prekindergarten Students Up and Moving: Strategies for Improving Cardiovascular Fitness
Amy Stringer and Resa Chandler
As elementary schools expand to include Prekindergarten (PreK), many elementary school physical education teachers are surprised to find PreK classes on their teaching schedule. Equally, many PreK classroom teachers are recognizing the need for quality movement opportunities for their students and are searching for resources that can help all children reach recommendations for physical activity (PA). Both types of teachers may feel ill-equipped and even ill-informed to address the needs of this age group. This article is intended to help teachers better understand the activity needs of PreK students, the benefits of PA, and recommended strategies to embrace.
The Thirdspace Movement Model for Inclusion and Social Justice in Physical Education
Kanae Haneishi, Betty Block, Emilia Zarco, Esther Megias, and Marcus Johnson
This article introduces the concept of a new curricular model that addresses these issues through the body. The Thirdspace Movement Model can be integrated in K-12 Physical Education in coordination with other models. The Thirdspace Movement Model creates an environment where students practice movements and engage in critical discourse that address embodied identity. Through movements, the model fosters; 1) self-awareness which can lead to self-identity and self-acceptance, 2) embodied movement experiences that can lead to inner peace, 3) humanization, 4) acceptance of self and others, 5) reconciliation, 6) growth in connection with others, and 7) justice. The Thirdspace Movement Model can be integrated with existing PE units or introduced as a stand-alone unit. Self-awareness and listening to the messages the body sends begins the learning experience. Students then explore and express through developmental progression and movement patterns with self and others. The experience culminates with critical dialogue activities aimed at reflecting how bodily knowing and embedded memories influence one’s movements and actions.
Departments
THE LAW AND YOU
Sporting Event Participant Owes No Duty of Care to Protect Others from Inherit Risks of the Sport
Tonya L. Sawyer
Taking a swing at an issue of first impression, the Indiana Supreme Court ruled on a golf ball injury case and rejected the concept that a sporting event participant owes no duty of care to protect others from inherent risks of the sport in all situations. Instead, the five justices had adopted the view that summary judgment is appropriate in those cases where a sports participant is acting within the range of ordinary behavior and whatever injury occurs isn’t because of unreasonable conduct.
TEACHING TIPS
Implementation of Surfing in Physical Education
Mikel Pérez-Gutiérrez, José Manuel Castanedo-Alonso and Carlos Cobo-Corrales
Surfing has a great educational potential. This paper shows Physical Education (PE) teachers how to introduce surfing in their lessons although they are far from the coast and the waves. Our intention is to show its implementation through several stages that will progressively bring students closer to practicing surfing. For thar purpose, we selected the pedagogical model “Interactive Challenges with Shared Responsibility” based on the contents are presented by means of highly demanding challenges, interactions are encouraged in a dialogic learning context, a support network and a safe and no-violence work environment. The pedagogical approach used for including surfing in the PE class comprises three consecutive stages (ground, pool, sea) attending to the contents and facilities used, familiarizing students progressively to the aquatic and sea environment. In the ground stage, students develop static to dynamic balance and sliding skills with Bosu, Fitball, Indo boards, skates, tarp surf or slack-line. Buoyancy, diving and swimming skills are achieved in the pool stage. Finally, surfing skills and techniques are developed in the sea stage. In conclusion, surfing is a challenging and attractive content that can be included in the Physical Education classes for becoming a means that enriches the active leisure options of our students and provides a setting for socialization in contact with nature.
VIEWPOINT
Physical Activity Used as Punishment: Advocating for Better Practices
Lisa Paulson and Robert Knipe
SHAPE America (2021) contends the use of physical activity used as punishment and/or behavior management as an inappropriate practice. The position statement acknowledges both the administration and withholding of physical activity as punishment, however, this paper focuses on the use of exercise as punishment (EAP) in physical education settings. While deemed inappropriate, the use of EAP is still happening today (Barney et al., 2016). The purpose of this viewpoint paper is to encourage appropriate pedagogies and practices while increasing awareness of national recommendations. Strategies for advocacy efforts are discussed.