Welcome and welcome back!

Hello students and parents/guardians! Welcome & welcome back to JO!

This year, I am excited to be teaching Physical & Health Education 8, Physical & Health Education 9 and LSPE. Please check this blog often for up to date info on units and class work.

2018/2019 Course Outlines can be found in the pages above. Please click on the tab for your class.

This year, I will only be working on Day 1’s. If you need to reach me outside of classroom hours, I can be found in the South Gym (my office is just past the gym) or please see the “contact me” page above on this blog for further details.

A few reminders for the start of the year

PE students, a reminder that during the first couple of weeks of school you will want to:

  1. Have appropriate PE Clothing/gym strip which you CHANGE into before class (t-shirt, shorts or sweat pants and running shoes). We encourage you to join the JO community and purchase a JO issued top (Cheques payable to John Oliver Secondary). Clothing is available through your individual PE teacher.
  2. Have a secure lock for the changing room to lock your belongings during PE class. This is a MUST as theft from the lockers can happen and has happened in the past. You may purchase a $9 lock from your PE teacher.
  3. Have downloaded a copy of the course outline and curriculum schedule for your own personal information. (Have a binder dedicated to PE). Outlines and curriculum are posted above (in the pages sections).

I am looking forward to getting to know the new students and starting those first few units with all of you!

Welcome back to JOPE!

Hello students and parents/guardians! Welcome & welcome back to JO!

This year, I am excited to be teaching Physical & Health Education 8, Physical & Health Education 10 and LSPE. Please check this blog often for up to date info on units and class work.

2017/2018 Course Outlines and Curriculum can be found in the pages above. Please click on the tab for your class.

This year, I will only be working on Day 1’s. If you need to reach me outside of classroom hours, I can be found in the South Gym (my office is just past the gym) or please see the “contact me” page above on this blog for further details.

Physical literacy…why our kids need this!

Physical literacy…what is it? In short, it’s teaching our children fundamental movement skills. These are things like running, jumping, throwing and catching. When kids know how to move, they can enter into a variety of physical activities and sports. They can PLAY with confidence. Studies show with this competence comes confidence and with that, the motivation to be active for life.  Without this development and confidence, the threat is that “many children and youth withdraw from physical activity and sport and turn to more inactive and/or unhealthy choices during their leisure time (canadiansportforlife.ca).”

Parents/guardians & students…I’ve posted below two recent articles from the Globe & Mail on the idea of physical literacy and how it can help kids in all aspects of their lives, including academically.

Why we must teach children how to move:
http://m.theglobeandmail.com/life/health-and-fitness/health-advisor/why-we-must-teach-children-how-to-move/article20768634/?service=mobile&cmpid=rss1&click=sf_health

How physical exercise helps to get students intellectually fit: http://m.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/education/how-physical-exercise-helps-to-get-students-intellectually-fit/article20284157/?service=mobile

Here’s a key quotation from one of the articles. It really resonated with me, both as a teacher of adolescents and as a parent of young children myself…

“I like the term “physical literacy” because it emphasizes that it’s not just about developing athletes. Physical literacy leads to kids being more skilled, confident and motivated to move. Children who are physically competent are also better off cognitively, emotionally and socially. Learning to be comfortable in your body is essential for the athlete, but also the rocket scientist or writer in the making.”