Making Physical Education More Well-Rounded
Adding practices like reflective journaling, Socratic seminars, and team-building games to gym class is a perfect way for kids to learn and practice key SEL skills.
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Go to My Saved Content.PE classes have come a long way, points out New Jersey wellness teacher Suzanne Horsley, whose job title reflects her district鈥檚 dedication to making the class about more than just physical exercise. When she was in school, 鈥渨e tended to the movement side of things, but we didn鈥檛 necessarily attend to the emotional or the social.鈥�
Today, in Horsley鈥檚 class, kids still get exposed to the standard fare of physical skills, but they also have ample opportunity to practice things like cooperation, team-building, perseverance, and kindness. All of her classes incorporate personal goal-setting, Socratic seminars, and time for personal and whole group reflection. One special feature is daily journal time, which supports goal-setting and self-awareness (not to mention writing practice). Even the youngest of students keep a journal鈥擧orsley encourages her kindergarten students to draw their goals and accomplishments.
Horsley goes out of her way to create a space where all students feel comfortable trying out new physical skills. 鈥淲ellness is a class that we learn in front of each other,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t's not like any other subject area. So if we don鈥檛 set up a safe space for learning, we鈥檙e not going to have everybody involved in the learning process.鈥�
To learn more about integrating SEL skill building in gym class, see Alli McKain鈥檚 article for 麻豆传媒入口 titled 鈥�Setting Up an SEL Program in Physical Education Classes鈥� or Doug Curtin鈥檚 article 鈥�SEL Possibilities in Physical Education.鈥�