The Time is Now: Advocating During a Pandemic

(5 Minute Read)

Advocacy for health and physical education is crucial, now more than ever. During this global pandemic, we need to shout from the mountaintops how important health and physical education is for our student’s physical, social, and emotional health. The more we speak out and advocate for our profession, the more people will listen, inspiring change. Until physical education is no longer a marginalized subject and a critical component of every school’s curriculum, we need to come together and rally for our profession.

One positive outcome from teaching during a pandemic is that parents and guardians see first-hand the value of movement and fitness and how it enhances focus, attention, drive, and provides stress relief. Some physical education teachers have used this platform of teaching during the pandemic to showcase quality physical education lessons that include amazing ways of teaching physical literacy and connecting with our students. Parents are seeing physical literacy in action and are taking notice of all the changes in health and physical education from when they were children and how it has evolved.

One of the negative outcomes of teaching during this pandemic is the increase in non-certified physical educators teaching classes. While their efforts to provide quality lessons should be recognized,  it is vital to acknowledge the national recommendation for certified teachers in the field. In the panic of the pandemic, many health and physical education professionals have used online fitness sites and YouTube videos as ways to provide “lessons” to our students. The problem is, physical activity is NOT physical education. This point is so important, I would like to repeat it. Physical activity is NOT physical education. Physical education teaches physical literacy. Through physical literacy, students are physically active.

According to SHAPE America, “A quality physical education program provides learning opportunities, appropriate instruction, meaningful and challenging content for all children, and should include these essential components: policy and environment, curriculum, appropriate instruction, and student assessment.” Physical literacy gives students the tools, knowledge, and confidence to engage in physical activity for life. These videos being shown through YouTube, Tik Tok, and other social media sites by non-PE certified individuals only demonstrate physical activities. As a result, their videos do not include a formal learning objective, lesson focus, or assessments.

Too many people online are trying to capitalize on the pandemic and we are allowing this by sharing these links with our students. We are directly affecting the importance and value of our own profession. By sharing these sites with students as assignments, we are indirectly stating that it is indeed “okay” to substitute physical education for physical activity and that a non-certified physical education teacher is capable of teaching physical education. With cuts to state aid, this could greatly impact our profession. We need to correct this immediately.

The Next Step
I get it, we are teaching in a pandemic and this is new for all of us. We are going to make mistakes. Using technology to deliver lessons is new for many of us physical education professionals. But, we need to continue to provide students with quality physical education whether teaching in-person, hybrid, or remote. We also need to protect and advocate for our profession. Here are some suggestions on how to advocate during the pandemic:

1. Create your own videos or use certified PE professional sites to deliver and teach content remotely. Do not endorse or share non-certified videos or content without reviewing.
2. Take advantage of all the free professional development offered right now. For example, I had the pleasure of presenting this year at The 47th Annual K-8 Elementary Physical Education Workshop
   • My friends Lori Bifarella, Tom Micucci, and I presented a workshop called B.R.E.A.T.H.E.” ​The presentation provided tips to help boost students’ physical and mental well-being through best practice techniques that help them regulate their emotions. Using National & New York State Physical Education Standards and some cool Technology, we provided our attendees with great ideas to help them thrive as opposed to just survive in this “New Normal” Physical Education. Here is the site for this presentation and over 30 others, all for FREE (https://epew-cp.weebly.com).
3. Schedule Zoom calls with professionals in local and neighboring school districts. Brainstorm ideas and create a support system for each other during these trying times. We are in this together!

4. Use more than activity logs to show participation. Activity logs do not assess physical literacy. They only calculate the time spent being active. Consider familiarizing yourself with Google slides, Google forms, Bitmoji classrooms, Pear Deck, Buncee, Kahoot, and Flip Grid. These applications and platforms provide different ways to engage students in learning and provide the teachers with an assessment.
5. Advocate for the health and physical education profession. Consider sharing your mission on social media platforms and wear it on your clothes. You can join professional organizations and build a professional network with other professionals from around the country. Be sure to showcase all the amazing things you are doing in your classes with your community and district. Everything we do must be done with the goal of physical literacy.
6. When teaching remote, provide learning opportunities for students that are standards-based, inclusive, meaningful. The goal should still be to connect the students to learn in an enjoyable and meaningful way.
7. Educate the community, administrators, board members, about physical literacy. What is it? Why is it important? And explain the vital role physical education plays in teaching physical literacy.
8. Get colleagues on the same page. This can be tough if your colleagues aren’t motivated. One of the best ways to motivate others is by always remaining positive and set a good example. With any luck, this will rub off on your colleagues. Also, ask for their input and listen to their ideas, offer positive encouragement, and give space when necessary.

We must continue to advocate for our profession. To amplify our message and build public support, we must continue to educate the public about the important role health and physical education plays in our students’ lives. Here is a poem created by Shape America president-elect, Terri Drain. I feel it sums it all up.