Now that the New Year’s Resolutions have Come and Gone…What’s Your Line?

By now, many of our New Year’s resolutions have come and gone. Good intentions don’t have the best track record when it comes to longevity. Well meaning ideas don’t always last. That being said, what is it that we can do to keep our students and us motivated for the long haul?

Most of us work hard to present physical activity to our kids in ways that connect with them. Ultimately, we want our kids to take ownership of their own fitness and to find the best way that they can use it to be healthy and productive people, no matter their age. But teaching them to how to motivate themselves can sometimes be challenging.

Few teachers don’t have “go-to sayings” that they fall back on in their classes. These expressions speak to the heart of our programs. Goodness knows that if you are looking for these, a quick Google search will overwhelm you with options. However, rather than risk asking you to do something like that, I’ve found a few phrases that have stood the test of time for me no matter what I happen to be teaching at the time. See what you think.

The first is a staple of mine that I introduce to my students on the very first day every September:

I like the graphics of this, especially when it comes to my elementary aged kids. They are not allowed to say those dreaded words “I can’t.” They all know that if they do slip up and say this to me, I can’t help them. They have already made up their mind that they can’t do something. Rather, I want them to learn that a temporary failure is not something to hide from. They learn that it’s OK to make a mistake, as long as they can recognize it and learn how to fix it.

Students are encouraged to come to me, or to a friend in class for that matter and say that they can’t quite get it yet. Our response to them will always be “Show me what you can do so far and I’ll see how I can help you.” “I can’t yet” implies that success is out there just waiting for them. It removes any reason for them to hide from our mistakes. They learn to confront errors and use them as keys to learning the correct way to do anything.

I’ve found that this technique focuses them on the process and not the product. Especially at the elementary level, we need to get our kids hooked on enjoying the process of learning new things. Once they discover that their mistakes are OK and that they can be used to unlock new learning for them, they are more willing to try new things and feel better about stepping a bit out of their comfort zones.

I’ve seen other phrases similar to this; one being “I can’t means I won’t.” Both pretty much mean the same thing. This one though, lets me lay it right out there for the kids. I use this one when I find a child who is getting frustrated to the point where they give up. When they tell me that they can’t do something, I ask them if they can’t do it, or if they won’t do it? This often gets right to their frustration and allows them to be redirected to the skill or concept they’re trying to improve.

I always talk about “sweat trophies” with my classes. They are those beads of sweat on your face; the most valuable ones being the drops of sweat that go right down your nose. My kids are constantly showing them to me! Being sweaty is no longer something to avoid. Now it’s something to strive for! I saw these two signs on one of our high school physical education teacher’s door and thought this first one was a terrific extension of my sweat trophies!

	To “leak awesome” must be a good thing right? I think this is a great way to put a positive spin on getting sweaty! Take this a step farther by adding that “the sweat will go away, but the stronger muscles will stay!”
	On the surface, this looks like it’s made for Valentine’s Day. But why wait that long? Aren’t we all teaching our students to love themselves enough to exercise every day? Why would you hold off on this until February?

I’m sure that you too probably have a few of these special phrases that you fall back on all the time. I encourage you to share them. Hopefully, you’ve enjoyed learning about some of my favorites. Have a great 2016!