Peer Response #1

Hey Abby,

I really enjoyed reading your first blog post. Your journey in finding your path to the field of education is inspiring, and I love how your experiences traveling and working in schools sparked your passion for teaching. The point you made about shifting away from a sports-centric approach in physical education really stood out to me, and I agree that we should focus on creating inclusive environments for all students to feel confident engaging in physical activity in.

I also appreciated your perspective on sedentary behavior and technology in schools. You brought up how screens have taken over students’ lives and suggested incorporating more hands-on learning to solve that issue. My question is, how do you think educators can develop a reasonable balance between using technology, as it is undeniably a valuable tool in education in the present, while still being able to promote physical activity and social interaction? Could there be ways for technology to actually support more movement in the classroom rather than just contributing to unhealthy sedentary behavior? I hope my questions spark some thought about possible alternative solutions to technology in classrooms, and I look forward to reading more of your thoughts this semester! -Sadeem😊

Peer Response #2

Hey Kim,

I enjoyed reading your first blog post. Your PE experience is something that resonates with me for sure. I think it’s unfortunate how that shift from skill development to an overly competitive environment can make students disengage from physical activity like the way you described doing.

Your point about early specialization was nice to read through as it is something I stand on the same grounds with you on. While it can help kids develop strong skills in one sport, I think the risk of burnout and injury is a much bigger issue that makes the risk not worth the reward. I am curious if you think schools could play a role in helping kids find a balance between structured sports and diverse physical activities to remove that competitive aspect and continue the learning component? Maybe offering less traditional options, like outdoor recreation or movement-based games, schools could promote a lifelong love of physical activity and movement rather than just competition. Looking forward to reading through your next post! -Sadeem😊

Peer Response #3

Hey Delali,

Your passion for getting more girls and women involved in sports caught my on your page because I am also a passionate advocate for this issue. Growing up, a lot of the time I felt like there were less opportunities for me as a girl to try sports in low-pressure environments. I find it absolutely refreshing that you want to help change that, and support you! The comment you made in your first blog post about early specialization was on point. It’s surprising how specializing too early can actually make it harder for people to stay active later in life. I agree that when PE is pushed aside to prioritize academic it can be frustrating, even though there is so much research saying that staying active actually helps with focus and learning. I wonder, how do you think schools could convince administrators to see PE as just as important as other subjects? – Sadeem😊

Peer Response #4

Hi Hannah,

I enjoyed reading your second blog post!

The way you explored UDL in health education and beyond the classroom in depth was very intriguing. Your breakdown of the three principles of UDL was really clear, and I appreciated the examples you gave for each. The idea of incorporating culturally relevant activities to keep students engaged stood out to me, and makes me wonder how educators can make sure that culturally inclusive learning remains authentic and meaningful rather than just surface-level representation? Maybe getting parent or community support outside of the school who have a better background and understanding to come in and help with this!

I thought your point about UDL extending into community health was really important because something like making fitness environments more accessible with adaptive equipment and alternative exercises is something that isn’t always prioritized, but should be. Have you come across any examples of recreation centers or public health initiatives that have successfully implemented UDL principles? It would be nice to read about how these ideas are being applied in real-world settings rather than just reading the theory of how they can be applied. Great post, you did a good job of emphasizing the importance of making learning and health education accessible for everyone inside schools and out. – Sadeem 😊

Peer Response #5

Hi Abby,

I really liked how you connected UDL, the BC curriculum, and comprehensive school health in a comprehensive way through this second blog post. It got me thinking about how these frameworks can work independently and together to create a more inclusive learning environment.

The automatic doors example was a great way to illustrate universal design, showing how accessibility benefits everyone, not just people with disabilities. Your point about BC curriculum’s flexibility was interesting too, and it makes me wonder how teachers might be able to balance that flexibility while still meeting somewhat standardized learning outcomes? I have never given thought to how scent might impact the classroom environment, but it now I can see how it makes a lot of sense. I think that aside from plants and pleasant smells, maybe integrating movement through flexible seating devices, like a wiggle chair, or more active learning strategies that get students to move around the classroom and work in groups, could make a difference too. Your post got me thinking about how schools can actually implement these ideas, especially in places with fewer resources, and I think that’s where social and community connections through outreach programs might have to step in! This was a very clear and understandable post, thanks for sharing! – Sadeem😊

Peer Response #6

Hi Sarah,

Your third blog post was a great read! I especially liked how personal you got with the topic. It’s crazy to think about how much social media has shaped our generation from the way we interact to the way we think, and I totally relate to your experience with being attached to my phone. It’s a harsh reality to think about how something that started off with the intention to connect everyone positively could also have such negative impacts on mental health, particularly when it comes to things like self-worth and anxiety.

Making classes engaging enough that students won’t feel the need to be glued to their phones is a really solid idea that I think more educators need to seriously consider. One thing that got me thinking was when you talked about the anxiety that can come from not being online for a while. That’s definitely a real issue that even I struggle with, and I wonder how we can help ourselves/students manage it in a healthy way. Introducing lessons into PHE classes that explore and encourage a healthy relationship with social media seems like an important topic that should not be overlooked in this day and age. I know I would benefit from a lesson with tips and tricks about being more mindful of screen time and its actual impact on my mental health. Thanks for sharing! -Sadeem😊

Peer Response #7

Hi Hannah,

I really like the direction and ideas you have with our seminar on nutrition and active living! Your focus on the connection between what we eat and how we feel, both physically and mentally, is something that I think often gets overlooked. Your point about the gut-brain connection and how it impacts mood and cognitive function is something I have not looked into much, but have heard lots about and am curios to see how you might integrate that during the seminar if you choose to. I also think the activities you mentioned, like the “Build Your Ideal Athlete’s Plate” are going to be engaging and effective in helping our peers understand nutrition in a practical, hands-on way that. It’s one thing to talk about the theory, but an activity like this can make the concepts come to life and show how easy it is to incorporate good nutrition into an active lifestyle. Your emphasis on cultural diversity in nutrition is also a key point that I am looking forward to expanding on in the seminar. Nutrition isn’t one-size-fits-all, and being inclusive of different dietary preferences is key because it will make our seminar more relatable to everyone. I am excited to collaborate on this with you and the rest of our group and see how our seminar can benefit the class! Thanks for sharing your ideas in this blog post -Sadeem😊

Peer Response #8

Hi Nicole,

I enjoyed reading a little bit about your personal experience with how choosing to eat certain foods with higher omega-3 content has affected your performance and mental health. I think personal anecdotes are a great way to talk about the impact of something in addition to sharing the scientific content. I totally agree with you that proper nutrition plays a huge role in physical literacy, because if people don’t understand how to fuel their bodies properly it can really impact their ability to engage in physical activity and perform well. I also appreciated the point you made about diet influencing community health. Although it happens in my house, I never gave it a second thought about how just one person making better choices can inspire those around them. That ripple effect is something that I think a lot of people don’t realize, but it can make a big difference in how communities approach health. I think that community gardens can definitely be one way to start that ripple effect and raise awareness about eating nutrient dense foods in our diets in a society that is so drawn towards heavily processed foods. The activities you suggested for our seminar sound awesome, and I can see us bringing the meal plan one to life because it’s such a practical way our peers to apply what they learned from our presentation and think critically about their own nutrition choices. Thanks for sharing! -Sadeem😊

Lessons from Experience: A Personal Reflection

One of the highlights of my educational journey are the hands-on experiences I got from going out and doing co-ops. The co-ops expanded my knowledge and perspective in several areas relating to the field I currently study. The most memorable co-op I had was working in a long-term care home, where I created adaptive activities for seniors with late-stage dementia and worked with an interdisciplinary team. This experience influenced my approach as a future health educator by shining a light on the importance of empathy, creativity, and the key role of interdisciplinary collaboration in the delivery of successful wellness programs.

Health Education 101: The Basics and Beyond

When thinking about the role of active health education, I know it has an important role in the lifelong attitudes that children and youth have towards health and wellness. However, I believe that a key component critical to the success of any educational setting is the safety and comfort of the learning environment. School environments play an important role in the development of healthy or unhealthy social relationships, which then influence students ability to digest academics. Due to the clear impact of school environment on learning, it is important to consider analyzing the spaces lessons are taught in, and the teaching approaches used by educators in the curriculum of physical health education and beyond. Two examples that teachers are classroom language and environment, as they play a major role in helping or hindering the creation of safe, comfortable, and supportive spaces for learning to take place effectively. Below is a video I found that delves deeper into this topic.

The following is an image I captured from a Youtube video that does a good job of summarizing the key points of creating optimal classroom environments in which good learning can take place.

In this video, they speak about a few points regarding the importance of creating safe, healthy, and sustaining environments in which students can be engaged, challenged, and supported while learning for better outcomes.

Lastly, as educators, I believe that when teaching active health topics that cover scientifically researched information such as recommended time for sleep, movement, and sedentary time, it is our ethical responsibility to stay informed on the latest research. This means relying on up-to-date, reliable sources, like the most recent publication of the 24-hour movement guidelines.

The Hidden Dangers of Early Specialization in Youth Sports

When children specialize in one specific sport at a high intensity this is known as early specialization, and it is a major threat to youth physical activity for numerous reasons. The high specialization of this approach demands that children and youth dedicate all of their focus on one sport, leaving them with little or no opportunity to develop a wide range of motor skills that are necessary for participating in other sports. As a result, individuals who early specialize in sports have low physical literacy levels and a have a higher chance of not being physically active later in life. However, research shows that health educators can help mitigate the harmful effects of early specialization by advocating for multi-sport participation and offering a variety of sports for children to engage in.

The Silent Killer: How Too Much Sitting is Harming Kids’ Health

Sedentary behaviour is concerning for everyone, however it’s impact may be more significant on youth than we think. It is a silent killer. Sedentary behaviour contributes to the development of irreversible medical issues, like type 2 diabetes, that reduce a person’s quality of life. Additional health concerns like obesity, poor cardiovascular health, and reduced muscle and bone strength are scientifically proven to be directly correlated with an increase in sedentary behaviour and can significantly change the life of an individual. At one point, I thought sedentary behaviour only had temporary effects, however, I now realize how significant its impact is in the long run. To address this, health educators should prioritize teaching proactive strategies that emphasize prevention through behaviour change from health behaviour theories, rather than relying on the healthcare system for treatment.

5 Step Model for Sustaining Active Health

The five step model for active health is a guideline for future health educators to follow as they introduce sustainable physical activity concepts to youth in school settings. This model uses the acronym ABCDE, however I will only focus on the first three steps in this blog post. The desired outcome from using this model is that teachers become confident in creating sustainable plans that involve the entire school community and promote the increase of physical activity and literacy to improve the health and well-being of youth in schools.

A = The first step of this model stands for assessing where your school currently stands in terms of knowledge and understanding of active living and health.

B = The next step is all about building a foundation. This is done by identifying which individuals in the school community can join together and form a coalition that does the best job at championing active living and health at the school. This step also involves developing and sharing a vision to inspire the school to identify with, and be a part of bringing the vision to life.

C= The final step I will cover is clarifying. In this step, the main goal is to advocate for active living and health, and establish a common understanding of what it should look like at the school. This is a process that requires an in-depth examination of what the active living and health awareness and application is currently like at the school, what it should like be after the vision comes alive, and figuring out how to bridge that gap. One way to approach bridging the gap in knowledge and understanding is by sparking informal and formal conversations about the topic of active living and health with school members. This simple yet effective approach helps bring awareness to the topic by talking about it at the school.

In sum, the first three steps of the process focus on defining active living and health, getting everyone on the same page by aligning people’s understanding and beliefs, and then seeking approaches and initiatives that contribute to closing the gap between the knowledge and behaviour.

References

Horn, T. S. (2015). Social Psychological and Developmental Perspectives on Early Sport Specialization. Kinesiology Review (Champaign, Ill.), 4(3), 248–266. https://doi.org/10.1123/kr.2015-0025

Mitchell, J. A., & Byun, W. (2014). Sedentary Behavior and Health Outcomes in Children and Adolescents. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, 8(3), 173–199. https://doi.org/10.1177/1559827613498700

Month: January 2025

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