Impactful Leadership Can Improve Participation

IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETICS

A Story on the Power of Reading & Learning

to foster Growth

• Honored to be asked, but surprised…

• I had just started working on a project as the MAC president...

• As a leader focused on participation to prevent dropouts…

• Being a learner, I read…

• Staunchly believe in the value of scientifically based, research proven strategies to improve learning…

The Research is Clear

Movement is linked to improved learning

Movement combined with music is linked to even greater learning improvement

Planned, intentional movement with carefully chosen music, combined with cognitive learning targets can lead to significantly improved learning

College students on Spring Break

have been known to prove these theories

wrong!

“The Survey of Research Says…”

Exercise delivers fuel to the brain

Exercise balances neurotransmitters

Exercise increases memory Exercise initiates

neurogenesis Exercise creates, activates, &

stores BDNF Exercise increases attention

levels Exercise creates the best

environment for neural plasticity

Exercise increases the capacity of executive function

Executive Function…in Kids

Children rely on their emerging executive function to: Learn to read & write Remember steps in

performing math problems Take part in class

discussions or group projects Enter into & sustain play

with other children

What If…

Children don’t have opportunities to use and strengthen these skills? They will likely have a very

hard time maintaining routine tasks in life

Studying Sustaining friendships

Later in life it may manifest in problems

Managing crisis’s Holding a job

“Through CREATIVE PLAY, GAMES, and schoolwork, children practice integrating their attention, working memory, and self-control to support planning, flexible problem-solving, and sustained engagement. “

Center on the Developing Child,Harvard University

Your Brain on Movement

Realities we Face

Most UPK programs don’t include PE

Most PE programs don’t include learning targets for young children that create intentional movements to develop and strengthen executive function

As students age, participation in PE and sports tends to wane

Most classroom teachers don’t know what “intentional movement” is or integrate it

UV Student Participation in PE Fall 2014

0

100

200

300

400

500 435

10234

Fall 2014

8% of our 6-12

students

23.4% of our 6-12 students chose not to participate in

PE one or more days in the 1st Quarter of this

year

Public Educations “Go-To Motivator”

0ZERO OUR

MOTIVATING HERO

UV Student Participation in Sports

0

100

200

300

400

Fall 2012 Fall 2013 Winter 2012Winter 2013 Spring 2012 Spring 2013

It’s Technology’s Fault

Let’s Problem Solve

“In communities, we become connected for reason of commitment rather than compliance. People are bonded to each other as a result of their mutual bindings to shared values, traditions, ideas, and ideals.”

Thomas Sergiovanni (1994)

Enough Blame to go Around

Not enough knowledge of the new research

Not a priority of the BOE or Administration

No time to plan with elementary teachers

Lack of professional development around movement to improve learning

Lack of resources like “Tools of the Mind”, Action Based Learning LAB, Body Brain Adventure, etc.

At UV

Formed a Professional Learning Community PE & Health Team addresses

the four questions of a PLC What’s essential for all

students to learn? How do we know they’re

learning? How do we respond when

they aren’t learning? How do we respond when

they are learning?

At UV con’t

Include PE, Music, Occupational Therapy (OT), and Library time in UPK

Integrating OT in primary classrooms to strengthen fine motor skills

Integrating Physical Therapy in primary PE classes to strengthen gross motor skills

6-12 grade students have 2-4 choices of physical activities in PE

Implemented athletic program improvement plan in 2013-14

We’re Okay Where We Are,

Need to embed PD on intentional movement in PLC meetings

Need to update learning targets to integrate brain research

Need to continue to increase student participation in PE & sports

Step 3 Increased

Participation

Step 2 C, I, &

A

Step 1 PD

But, We’re Okay Staying Where We Are.

The New PETHE NAPERVILLE REVOLUTION STARTED WITH EQUAL PARTS

IDEALISM AND SELF- PRESERVATION.

HTTP://SPARKINGLIFE.ORG/PAGE/HOME

Grade on effort

How body works

Hooked on moving

Habits, skills & funFitness

Executive Function

“A set of processing skills developed in the brain that help us focus on multiple streams of information at the same time, monitor errors, make decisions in light of available information, revise plans as necessary, and resist the urge to let frustration lead to hasty actions.”

Center on the Developing Child,Harvard University