Remembering Earle Zeigler: August 20, 1919 – September 29, 2018

Last month the world of physical and health education lost one of its most imaginative and inspirational leaders. Dr. Earle Zeigler passed away, aged 99.

I first became acquainted with Earle early on in my own professional career. Earle distinguished himself for at least two noteworthy reasons. First, because of his unexpectedly diverse educational background (read below), he brought an incomparable breadth and depth of knowledge to discussions and debate about physical and health education and sport issues. Second, at professional meetings Earle was instantly recognizable among his suited peers as the man in the cap and vividly decorated wool sweater. Earle Zeigler through his writings, leadership, and unique dress sense always stood out from the crowd!

Regrettably, over the years I didn’t get to know Earle well, but did connect with him via email a few years ago. I asked him if he’d like to share something with PHE America readers. Almost instantly, he responded (he was 96 at the time!), with an essay entitled, “Creating Positive Values Through the Promotion of Physical Activity Education.” He also proceeded to send me links to electronic copies of several of his books. Then just over a year ago I reconnected, this time with a request for him to share thoughts about where the professions should be headed in the future. Again, he was quickly back in touch with an essay entitled, “What Should the Field of Physical Activity Education Promote in the 21st Century?”

Read More

The Foundation of an Effective Practice Session

Introduction
A sport practice is confined to a specific moment, shared by a particular group of people, all pursuing a common goal.  The types of drills (i.e. skill development), strategy (i.e. competition preparation), and conditioning (i.e. physical and mental training) are determined by the type of sport and the level of competition.  Coaches are the orchestrators and key ingredients to an effective practice.  They plan the activities, serve as the lead teachers, and motivate athletes to come together as a team.

The basic elements for effective practices can be developed and nurtured by coaches of all levels (i.e. youth, high school, college, professional).  In this article, four key elements for developing an effective practice are discussed: 1) establishing standards of performance, 2) designing activities with a purpose, 3) creating a safe learning environment, and 4) communicating clearly.  An example of all (4) elements in action is also provided.

 

Establishing Standards of Performance
An effective practice session is built on a culture of high expectations, centered around standards of performance.  A standard is a measurable objective that pushes athletes to rise to a higher level of performance.  If a tennis coach requires an athlete to demonstrate competence in where they place a specific number of serves, they have established a standard of performance in executing a particular skill. When a volleyball coach demands that all players wear team assigned practice gear each day, a standard of performance aligned around team unity is created.  The performance standards a coach establishes are based on the coach’s values.  The values of the coach originate from their personal background, previous athletic experience, and development as coach.

Read More

Conquering the Creativity Challenge

Have you every observed a great activity or lesson and thought, “Wow, what a great idea! My students would LOVE that!”? Then, shortly after, you hear that annoying inner voice in your head whisper “Too bad I’m not creative.” Well, it is time to challenge that inner voice to stop thinking so negatively and work with you here! Seriously, if that inner voice was one of my friends we would not be spending a whole lot of quality time together!

What makes a “creative person”? Is it a gift from God? Are you born that way? Is it a learned behavior? Is it a sign of genius or a sign of madness!?

Creativity is a phenomenon whereby something new and somehow valuable is formed.That being said, everyone can be creative! We teach our students that belief in themselves is the first step to achieving any goal. Let’s take our own advice and believe we can be just as creative as that teacher or speaker who amazed us! By changing our mindset, we can foster creativity!

Here are fifteen ways that I find help me to get my creative juices flowing. Try one (or all) and see where your creativity takes you.

Read More

50 Million Strong by 2029:  Create a Healthy School Community

Why and how should physical education and health teachers reach beyond class time and units to become change-makers to create a healthier school community?

We know that children attend school during the most formative years of their lives. These are the years when habits and preferences develop that often continue into adult life. Therefore, schools are a perfect place for teachers, as well as students, to impact future behaviors. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, three-week nutrition or fitness units are too short to make long-lasting differences. To make 50 Million Strong a reality, we need to integrate health and wellness into our school communities throughout the year.

In 2008, Collegiate School in Richmond, Virginia, started its Link It & Live It wellness program to inspire and empower students, employees and parents to make healthful choices. Link It & Live It provides opportunities, activities and events for the school community to take ownership for present and future wellness throughout the year. The program focuses on the link between sleep, healthful eating and physical activity, and how together they impact the heart, brain and body.

Read More

50 Million Strong by 2029: Making Your Case by Creating a Targeted Argument to Achieve #SHAPE50Million

Engaging all of the nation’s youth in physical activity and guiding them toward lives in which they are enthusiastically committed to choosing healthy lifestyles is no small feat. SHAPE America’s 50 Million Strong by 2029 commitment seeks to accomplish this through the work of America’s many thousands of health and physical educators. However, the state of health and physical education in US schools remains challenging (SHAPE America, 2016). Many States are cutting or providing waivers for time required for quality health and physical education. Additionally, many have not established policy for children to be active before, during, and after school (SHAPE America, 2016).

In the 2016 Shape of the Nation it was reported that, “although effective physical education and physical activity programs are essential in the formative growth of children, there is a large disparity in state requirements and implementation, affecting children’s abilities to engage in and benefit from these programs” (Shape of the Nation, 2016, p. 4). Given the current status of physical education in America’s schools, for SHAPE America’s ambitious 50 Million Strong commitment to succeed, effective advocacy for quality physical and health education and increased physical activity time in schools is vital.

To create quality and effective health and physical education programs across all schools throughout the nation in the 21st century is clearly going to be a monumental task. And it’s going to be especially difficult in schools where principals and teachers feel pressured to provide as much core content time as possible so that students pass standardized tests. However, it may be possible for physical and health educators and promotors of physical activity to help schools advance their academic mission while simultaneously implementing their own quality programs. But to do this, teachers will need to be equipped with the appropriate information and data in order to craft the right “pitch” to stakeholders.

Read More

The Birth of the Suffolk Zone FIT CLUB

One of my most treasured moments in high school was when I competed in the Presidential Fitness Competition as a Bayside High School senior in Queens, NY. At the time, the top two female and male students in each school in the borough were invited to attend a fitness competition held at Flushing High School.  There we would compete against the representatives of the other public schools, in events such as the 1- minute sit-up test, the 1 min. push-up test, shuttle runs, 400-meter runs, and the flexed arm hang.

I will always look back on the event with fondness because it was more of a celebration of fitness than a competition. It was an opportunity to come together with students from different socio-economic backgrounds who were all equally as passionate about fitness as I was. I even remember meeting a girl from a neighboring school and bonding with her over our ability and passion for pull-ups.  (As you can imagine, that is not something many could bond over at that age). There are many things from that event that I enjoyed, from being able to share it with my twin sister Loretta (who competed for Martin Van Buren High School), to missing a day of school to attend the competition and spending the whole day with one of my favorite coaches, Steve Piorkowski. I look back on those memories now with great fondness and clarity.

Shortly after hearing about the passing of coach Piorkowski, (or Mr. P., as he was known to us), I attended a monthly Suffolk Zone Executive Board meeting. It was December 2016, and as we discussed different incentives, workshops, and programs we hoped to offer our community, one of our members proposed an idea to have a fitness competition among our schools. Jim Wright, Supervisor of Health, PE, Athletics, and Recreation at South Huntington UFSD, Past-President of Suffolk Zone, a member of the NYS AHPERD Board of Directors (not to mention my mentor and friend), suggested that the competition be offered at no cost to all our members. When I heard Jim’s idea, I knew this project was meant for me. It felt like a sign from above. It would be a fantastic opportunity to honor Mr. P., and a way to share some of my most cherished memories and passions with my own students. It would be now as it was then, a great way to continue to celebrate fitness.

Read More

Reflections on 37 Great Years of Physical Education Teaching

I have decided to finally retire after a 37-year career teaching elementary physical education. There, I’ve said it! Wow, that feels good.

I’ve seen more than my share of things come and go over that time. I’ve learned a lot about myself and my students as well. There will be plenty that I will miss, as well as some things that I won’t miss at all.

I can remember first playing music in my classes on actual 33rpm albums! I can remember the kids bringing in their favorite records to play for class. I can also remember thinking “Where can I put the record player so it is less likely to get hit by flying objects?” When cassette tapes came along, my problem was solved! Cueing up the tape between classes was a bit of a hassle, but hey, it is what it is. You do what you have to do, right? Who would have thought that later I’d have this thing called an iPod that could store and play any song with just a click from a remote that I can even use from the hallway?

Read More