Everyday Routines for Your Wellbeing

Submitted by: Dr. Astrid Kendrick, PHE Canada HPEC Liaison Representative

As a part of my research into compassion fatigue and burnout, I often hear from educators (through surveys, interviews, and discussions) that their most precious resource is time, and they don’t have time, and are not given enough time, to prioritize their own wellbeing during the hectic school day.

During each school day and class period, we follow a series of routines. Take attendance. Run a warm-up activity. Describe and demonstrate a skill. Practice and play a game. Run a cool down activity. Rinse and repeat. When I was a high school PE teacher, I ran through these routines twice each afternoon, and as a half-time elementary PE teacher, I ran through them six times before lunch.

Gyms are loud places – the sound of excited kids, music, and the ever-rebounding balls reverberate off the walls, and I realized over time that I needed some quiet to recuperate between classes.

I started using my cooldown activities to create quiet times in the gym. At the high school level, the cooldown was 5-10 minutes of yoga and stretching, and in elementary, the cooldown was five minutes of ‘sleepy time’ in which the kids had to lay down and listen to soothing music. Taking this time to calm the students before sending them to their next class resulted in a better transition between gym and their other classes.

Over time, I also realized that the quiet time and space I had created was good for my own wellbeing. I felt calmer and more energized for my next class because my ears and brain had a few moments of rest between classes. This time was also useful for a bathroom break, as the students were preoccupied and could be safely monitored by other available staff while I zipped down the hall.

I’d love to hear from you! You can reach me at hpecpherep@gmail.com and astrid.kendrick@ucalgary.ca

1.      How can you adapt your daily routines to include practices that support your wellbeing?

2.      How do you structure your lessons and units to include time and space for you to take micro-moments during the day for you to breathe, experience calm, and temporarily rest so that you are able to make it through each day?

3.       What advice would you give to other or beginning teachers to include wellbeing in their teaching and learning practices?

I completely respect that the school system is not currently designed for teacher wellbeing, but we can change the narrative – one minute, one strategy, and one routine at a time.

 

Dr. Astrid Kendrick was a PE and English/Language Arts teacher for nineteen years before moving to her new work as an assistant professor at the Werklund School of Education at the University of Calgary.

 

 

 

"Can We PLEASE Play Yoshi and Fresher Today?" - Two Endless Games That Students Always Request to Play

Submitted by: Maddison Lintz, HPEC Edmonton Regional Representative

Yoshi

Equipment: Pinnies, 2 mats

Game Description: In the PE strategy game Yoshi, teams attempt to be the first to get all of their players on the opposite island. Similar to Capture The Flag, this game requires thinking, timing, and teamwork to get everyone over first without getting caught. It’s a tag-based game with different variables to consider. 

1. Place exercise mats down on opposite ends of your learning space. Create two teams, one on each half of the gym.

2. Players will attempt to be the first team to get all of their players onto the mat on the opposite side.

3. Players can get tagged when in the opposite team's half, so this is where they need to be careful! If tagged, players sit where they are tagged.

4. Sitting players can be ‘saved’ by teammates who safely and successfully get to them without themselves getting tagged. When saved, both get a free walk back to their side.

5. Players can leave the mat to save someone they see sitting, however, then must take the free walk back to their side.

6. If the teacher yells, “YOSHI” then all players make a mad rush to the mat (even if they are sitting, they can get up and run to the mat).

7. First team with all players on the mat wins. 

8. Immediately start a new round, but now the pursuit to a mat is in the opposite direction.

*Modifications*- When “Yoshi” is called, you can change the locomotor pattern to get to the mat (e.g. students will skip, or hop on one foot instead of run).

*Instead of calling “Yoshi”, the game can conclude once all students are on the mat*

*When students are tagged, they have a ‘physical prize’ (such as 10 push-ups) before they sit down and wait to be saved.

Students who are unable to physically participate in this game can be the caller of “Yoshi”, or they can record the score in some capacity.

Fresher

Equipment: Cones

Game Description: Fresher is a tag game in which players have to be “fresher” than other players to tag them. The longer a player is in the playing area, the less fresh they become and the chance of them getting tagged becomes higher.

1. 2 teams play against each other, trying to tag the opponents. 

2. When in their own teams safe area (the endzone on their side) they are completely fresh, but as soon as a player enters the middle zone (playing area) he starts becoming less and less fresh, so if a player from the other team enters that area AFTER, that player is fresher and can tag them. 

3. Once tagged, a player needs to go into the corner prison on the opposing team's side (marked by cones) and hope for someone on his team to come over and rescue him.

4. Once rescued, both players get a free walk back to their team. The round is over if all players from one team are tagged and in prison. 

*If players from opposing teams encounter each other and don’t know who is “fresher” they can do a self-regulatory process of rock, paper, scissors, and the loser goes into jail.*

Both of these activities are highly requested on behalf of our students. These games provide challenges to students' physical abilities, the implementation of strategy and tactic, followed by collaboration and teamwork.

The Power of Healthy Relationships

 Submitted by: Leah Yardley, Healthy Schools, Alberta Health Services 

When it comes to physical activity and movement, we tend to think about the power our bodies give us as we move and play. However, we don’t often think about how relationships can positively influence our physical activity experiences. Relationships have benefits extending far beyond the walls of the school gym, play area, or outdoor space. They’re like a superpower, that can fuel feelings of belonging and connectedness, and get the brain ready to learn.

Neuroscience tells us that as humans, our brains are wired to connect with other humans. When we build strong, positive, healthy relationships, we activate our lower brain (the part that’s involved in emotional regulation and safety). The lower brain acts as a gatekeeper for the upper brain (the part that’s involved in learning). When we feel cared for, safe, and are emotionally regulated, the lower brain opens the door to the upper brain and – voilà – we’ve unlocked the learning brain!

But it takes time to build relationships and feelings of connection, belonging, and safety. It’s the small things: a smile, some words of encouragement, a check-in on how someone is doing. These are all examples of small actions with big impact. They show we care and feed the lower brain. And we’re not just talking about relationships between students – relationships matter between you and your students, your colleagues, and even your relationship with yourself. All types of relationships have a part to play when creating a school community where both students and staff thrive.

Physical education classes offer great opportunities to foster healthy relationships. When you make social connection and relationship building an intentional part of lessons, you help students develop social emotional skills while also supporting positive physical activity experiences. In fact, opportunities to build social connection during physical education can increase participation for all students and boost physical and mental health outcomes. It’s a winning formula!

As you move into the new year, be sure to make self-care a priority, share a laugh with a colleague, and take time to connect. Focus on building relationships with your students and create opportunities for them to connect with each other.  A little goes a long way.

Looking for ideas that work? Check out:

·       Amplify student voice

·       Develop social emotional skills

·       Promote staff wellness

·       Support healthy relationships

·       Welcome everyone