Hello, Readers!
In this week’s spirited edition of The Classroom Chronicles, we explore the challenges and potential rewards of using technology in PHE (Physical Health and Education). It’s a story featuring one PHE teacher and her quest to bring healthy habits to her students with the help of Seesaw. She’s just beginning the journey and is still struggling to figure out how to utilize the iPads during PE. Let’s see how she’s doing:
🤸 Let’s Get Physical… with Seesaw!
by Jennifer Chen
Teachers had to think differently about how they reached their students when schools shifted from in-class to online during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. For PHE teachers, a big question was, “How do we teach PHE when we couldn’t physically connect with the students?”
I was curious about this when I heard about Dorita, a PHE teacher who took advantage of videos and online assignments she created on Seesaw during the pandemic shutdowns. I've been wanting to meet with Dorita for a while now to chat and pick her brain about how she might continue to use Seesaw in PHE.
We found an hour during her busy schedule to sit and talk. Dorita showed me original assignments, with videos of her doing different PHE related activities, as well as assignments that she modified from the Seesaw Community Library. Here's an example of one she's copied and adapted slightly.
Dorita’s goal this year is to bring Seesaw back to PHE, especially for the health component of the curriculum. But how would she have students complete Seesaw activities during their PHE block? iPads aren’t stored with the ball bins… I suggested that Dorita talk to the classroom teachers and partner with them. Perhaps students could have their iPads ready to go, at the beginning of their PHE time along with their change of clothes! Dorita could then do a 15-minute lesson on a related topic along with a prepared Seesaw activity before moving the class to the gym.
To make this a reality we would have to collaborate with one of the classroom teachers. I asked the Grade 2 teacher if she was willing to have  her kids ready to go on iPads for the first part of a PHE lesson. She had no issue at all with this. She even reminded Dorita that the kids are already super familiar with the iPads since it's being used in the class for other things.
Dorita sounded hesitant at first, so it was reassuring for her to hear that the Grade 2 teacher was willing to collaborate. I encouraged Dorita  to talk to more of the classroom teachers, and I could help her with a workflow to make it all happen.
Access to technology is a big help, but that alone isn’t enough. Dorita’s teaching experiences during the pandemic, her willingness to experiment, and a generous collaborator are key to making this a positive learning opportunity for her and her students.  We’ll continue to check in on her progress and support her on her journey, so she may just pop up in another newsletter soon.
How might you collaborate with the PHE teacher in your school? In what ways could reflection in PHE link to other curricular areas you are studying?
Until next week,
The Classmate Team
Why do hamburgers go to the gym?
To get better buns.