This week has had me thinking a lot about what learning actually looks like in my classroom and what parts of it simply cannot be replicated or sped up. As a PHE, theatre and dance teacher, so much of my work is built on presence, risk-taking, and trust. Learning happens in bodies moving through space, in voices that shake before they grow steadier, and in the quiet moments where a student realizes they are capable of more than they thought.
With the increasing presence of generative AI in education, I have been reflecting on where this technology fits and where it does not. Rather than asking what GenAI can do, I find myself asking what kind of learning I want to protect. This post explores my thinking around the limitations of GenAI and the ways it might be used thoughtfully within the context of the BC curriculum, particularly in arts-based classrooms where the process matters just as much as the product.
Major limitations of GenAI in Theatre and Dance Classrooms
One of the biggest limitations of GenAI is that it cannot understand context in the way humans do, especially in artistic learning. In theatre and dance, so much of the learning lives in the body, in relationships, and in the room. GenAI can generate text or ideas, but it cannot read energy, notice when a student is holding back, or respond to the emotional risk-taking that is required in performance work. It also cannot make ethical or culturally responsive decisions on its own. In the BC curriculum, learning is deeply connected to identity, community, and personal experience, and GenAI does not truly know the learner or their lived context.
Another limitation is that GenAI can give confident answers that are not always accurate or appropriate. In a creative setting, this can be especially problematic because students may mistake generated ideas for “better” ideas, which can unintentionally flatten originality and voice. There is also the concern of over-reliance. If students use GenAI to generate reflections, scripts, or choreographic ideas without critical engagement, it can interfere with the development of creative thinking, communication, and personal and social responsibility, which are core competencies in the BC curriculum.
Check out this great TEDx talk detailing the impact of GenAi in schools and its impact on arts education. While it isn’t specifically about AI fears, it sends a powerful message about framing why artistic learning and human creativity matter in ways AI can’t replicate.
Possible Use of GenAI in Secondary Theatre and Dance Classes
However, there may be a place for it in our classrooms. In a secondary theatre and dance, I see GenAI as a tool that could support learning but not replace it. It could be useful during the early stages of a project, for example helping students brainstorm themes for a devised theatre piece or offering prompts for movement exploration. It might also support students who struggle with written expression by helping them organize thoughts before writing a reflection, as long as the final work remains their own and is grounded in their embodied experience.
GenAI could also be used by for planning. For example, it could help generate warm-up ideas, discussion questions, or assessment prompts that align with curricular competencies, which I could then adapt to fit my students and my program. In this way, it acts more as a planning assistant than a teaching voice.
That said, I would be very cautious about its use during Secondary performance creation, choreography concept classes, or personal reflection projects. These are moments and years where students are developing confidence, identity, and voice, and those outcomes are central to arts education in BC. In these cases, GenAI risks distancing students from the discomfort and uncertainty that are actually essential parts of the creative process.
Ultimately, used intentionally and transparently, GenAI can be a support tool, but in my classroom, the learning must always remain human, embodied, and relational.
As an athlete, I am always looking for more drills to add to my toolkit to make me stronger and faster. Check out this video below for some plyometric speed drills that could bring your running to the next level!
Task #2: Reflection
Reflections on using H5P tools
I think H5P tools could be a useful addition at the grade level I hope to teach, but only if they are introduced in a very intentional and self-paced way. From a student perspective, I do find the tool somewhat complicated, especially at first. Because of that, I think students would need time to explore it gradually, with clear instructions and low-stakes practice before being expected to create anything more complex. Without that scaffolding, the technology itself could easily become a barrier rather than a support for learning.
Now that I understand how H5P works as a teacher, I can see its value more clearly, particularly for review and engagement. One of the biggest strengths of H5P is that it helps ensure students do not simply skim through a video or resource. Interactive videos, for example, require students to pause, think, and respond, which aligns well with formative assessment and checking for understanding. In Dance and PHE or Health, this could be especially useful for reviewing movement concepts, injury prevention, or health topics where reflection and comprehension matter more than memorization.
I would also consider having students create simple H5P content themselves, such as a short interactive video explaining a warm up, cool down, or basic movement concept. This aligns with the BC curriculum’s focus on student centered learning, communication, and personal responsibility. However, I would be cautious not to overuse the tool, as I believe it works best as a supplement rather than a core method of instruction.
Using video or audio editing as an assignment medium
Video and audio editing are formats I would be interested to use in Dance and PHE or Health because they align naturally with the content and offer students flexible ways to demonstrate learning. For example, students could create short videos breaking down a dance sequence, explaining how they applied elements of movement/biomechanics, or reflecting on their personal progress and goal setting (Ie. progress with target practice or flexibility in PHE). In Health, audio or video projects could be used for topics such as mental well being, healthy decision making, or strategies for managing stress.
To make these assignments engaging and accessible, I would prioritize simplicity and choice. Students could choose between video or audio, work individually or collaboratively, and use basic editing tools rather than advanced software. I would place more emphasis on reflection, understanding, and connection to learning outcomes than on production quality. Sharing their work with peers through class viewings or small group discussions would help build communication skills and a sense of community, both of which are emphasized in the BC curriculum.
Overall, using video and audio as an assignment medium allows students to take ownership of their learning, reflect on their experiences, and engage in meaningful ways that extend beyond traditional written assessments.
Video Use in the Classroom
This video, “How to Use Video in the Classroom,” offers practical guidance for teachers on integrating video effectively into their teaching. It highlights when video can enhance learning, common pitfalls to avoid, and modern tools that help videos support engagement and understanding. Check it out!
I have chosen to focus on navigating life during injury recovery. At first I thought this might be a good way to document my physical healing, but I am quickly realizing that in reality, it will be about a lot more than that. This injury has affected how I move, think, show up in life, and how I see myself.
Recovery has forced me to slow down in ways I did not choose. It has disrupted routines I relied on and brought up patterns in my relationship with training, food, productivity, and control that I had not really looked at before. Through this project, I want to take the time to learn from what I am going through instead of rushing to get back to normal. By documenting this process, I hope to better understand how injury impacts identity and mental health, and what it actually means to heal in a way that is supportive and sustainable.
My final goal is to create a video summarizing my journey from start to finish to share with my community!
The Hard Truth About my Injury
Running has been a central part of my life for the last few years. It is how I de-stress, how I challenge myself, and is a huge part of my life. It gives my days structure and my mind clarity.
Just over a year ago, I started to feel unbalanced in my life. Searching for direction, I decided I would put all my energy into becoming a better runner. Over time, that focus shifted into something unhealthy. I trained harder and fuelled less, convinced that pushing more and making myself smaller would lead to better results. And at first, I did see progress…until it started to spiral out of control.
The last year was a rollercoaster. Yes, I had some big achievements in running that I was proud of, but those achievements existed alongside significant lows that gradually began to affect every aspect of my life, including my running.
Over time, months of chronic under-fuelling and overtraining began to take a toll, and I ended up in RED-S, leaving my body without enough energy to support both training and basic function. That imbalance ultimately led to the injury that has me sidelined now.
Healing Up Until This Point
Healing so far has been confusing, exhausting, and anything but straightforward. I am 7 weeks in and in that time I have had multiple trips to the emergency room, each time hoping for clarity and each time leaving with more uncertainty. I received conflicting answers from different professionals and no clear diagnosis.
I went from crutches alone to then being given an air cast to go with the crutches. Initially, I was told to be non weight bearing for six to eight weeks. Then I was told maybe I should start testing it earlier. Recently, after a few intense pain flairs, it was suggested that the boot itself might be contributing to worsening symptoms and I should not use it anymore. I have been caught in an ongoing cycle of movement and no movement, never fully sure which is helping and which is hurting.
I have been given a cortisone injection, nerve medication, and multiple types of anti inflammatory medication. I have been attending physiotherapy, including laser treatment. I have had an x ray and a CT scan, but was told the CT scan was done too early in the injury to show potential bone damage. However, I was just accepted into a study being done by the Canadian Sport Institute at PISE where they are looking at athletes dealing with suspected Bone Stress Injuries and am getting a fast-tracked MRI next Thursday!
However, at this point, there is still no clear diagnosis. It could be a stress fracture, a ligament or tendon injury, or a combination of both. The pain flares unpredictably, sometimes without warning. At its worst, the intensity has brought me to tears. Not just from the pain itself, but from the frustration and helplessness that comes with not knowing what is wrong.
All of this has made navigating school and life incredibly difficult. I have struggled to attend classes consistently, to work, to teach, and to coach. Losing the ability to do the things that normally give structure and meaning to my days has been one of the hardest parts of this experience.
Lessons I Have Learned So Far
However, as challenging as this has all been, this injury has forced me to confront some uncomfortable truths. Each week I plan to update this list for lessons I have learned. This week’s lessons have been simmering over the last few weeks, but are perhaps the most important ones:
Short term success built on depletion comes at a high cost.
Smaller does not equal faster or stronger.
Constantly pushing without adequate rest and fuel is not sustainable.
And above all, when you lose the joy, you lose the point.
These lessons have been hard earned, but I am learning that strength is not always about pushing through, and that listening to my body is not weakness. It is necessary.
Weekly Progress
Each week I want to include some of the highs of this journey as well as any progress I feel like I have made.
This week brought two small but meaningful steps forward. I was able to go “swimming” for the first time since the injury, and I no longer need to wear the walking boot!
Swimming was not full laps or anything, but I was able to explore how my body felt in the water, which was amazing! It allowed me to reconnect with my body in a way that felt supportive instead of demanding. Losing the boot also felt symbolic, even though I know recovery is far from over, it feels like I am getting a bit of my freedom back.
These moments reminded me that progress does not have to be dramatic to matter.
Weekly Challenge
I also want to be honest about the realities of healing from a major injury. This week was unexpectedly hard. The lack of clear answers continues to trigger spiralling thoughts, especially during pain flares. One flare was intense enough that I had to leave school early again, which brought up a mix of frustration, fear, and helplessness. Each setback seems to carry its own emotional weight, not just physical pain. I would be lying if I said my mental health was sunshine and rainbows right now, but I am starting to have more good days than bad as time goes on.
Another thing I am learning is that I cannot do this alone. This week, I reached out to my coach when I felt overwhelmed. Having someone talk me down, remind me that pain flares do not equal failure, and help me zoom out made a huge difference. The advice was simple but grounding, to focus on what I can control, to take things one step at a time, and to trust that healing is still happening even when it does not feel like it.
I also found this great video on the mental side of injury recovery, including some mental tools for resilience. While I am not a varsity athlete, my sport is still a huge part of my life. I find watching videos like this, and others I have found, helps me feel less alone in what I am experiencing, realizing the fears, sadness, and anxiety is universal.
What Is Next
Thank you for tuning in for my first Blog post! In the next post, I will reflect on my experience getting an MRI and hopefully have some answers! I will also share what it feels like to move one step closer to clarity while still living inside uncertainty of timeline.
For now, this post marks the beginning of this inquiry. Healing is ongoing, imperfect, and slow, just like the learning.
Education is changing, or at least, it needs to. Our classrooms and gym spaces are more diverse than ever in culture, language, ability, confidence, motivation, access, and lived experience. When I ask myself if we need to reimagine education, my answer is a clear yes, and I think Physical and Health Education (PHE) is one of the most important places to start.
PHE has real potential to support students in building confidence, connection, and a positive relationship with movement. At the same time, when it is taught using narrow or traditional approaches, it can become a space where students feel excluded or disengaged. Reimagining PHE means rethinking not just what we teach, but how and why we teach it.
In this post, I reflect on two frameworks that have shaped my thinking around reimagining PHE, Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and the BC Health and Physical Education Curriculum. I also explore common barriers educators face when trying to shift pedagogy and engage with current PHE resources and approaches, including Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU).
Why Changing Pedagogy Is Not Easy
Although many educators recognize that change is needed, shifting pedagogy is not always straightforward. From my experience and observations, some of the most common challenges include limited time and heavy workloads, comfort with familiar practices, and a lack of consistent professional learning opportunities. Systemic constraints such as curriculum expectations, class size, facilities, and access to equipment also shape what is realistically possible in a PHE setting.
Despite these challenges, I believe the benefits of reimagining PHE far outweigh the discomfort that can come with change.
Framework One: Universal Design for Learning
Before diving into UDL, I recommend watching this short video by John Spencer, which clearly explains the idea behind universal design and how it came to be.
At its core, universal design is about creating environments that work for everyone. When barriers are removed for those who need the most support, everyone benefits. Universal Design for Learning applies this idea to education by asking teachers to plan for learner variability from the start, rather than adding accommodations later.
UDL is grounded in cognitive neuroscience and is built around three key principles, representation, engagement, and action and expression. Together, these principles encourage educators to design learning experiences that are accessible, challenging, and meaningful for all students.
Applying UDL in a PHE Setting
To make this more concrete, I want to consider how UDL could be applied in a PHE context using a soccer unit as an example.
Representation
In PHE, representation might involve using multiple ways to explain and demonstrate skills. This could include visual task cards with images or diagrams, live demonstrations paired with clear and simple verbal cues, and adaptive equipment such as different ball sizes, smaller goals, or modified playing areas.
When I was teaching at Rockheights Middle School, visual supports were especially helpful for ESL students who were hesitant to rely solely on verbal instructions. Providing multiple entry points made the activity feel more accessible and less intimidating.
Engagement
Engagement focuses on motivation and student buy in. In a soccer unit, this could involve offering choice through stations or roles within activities, encouraging students to set personal goals and track progress, and using small sided games to promote collaboration and decision making.
When students feel ownership over their learning, they are more likely to participate meaningfully and persist through challenges.
Action and Expression
UDL also asks us to rethink how students show what they know. In PHE, this might mean assessing teamwork, effort, and decision making rather than isolated skill performance, providing flexible timelines for skill development, and allowing students to reflect through video, peer feedback, or short written reflections.
This approach aligns closely with the BC Curriculum emphasis on CAPS, including cognitive, affective, psychomotor, and social learning.
Benefits and Considerations of UDL
UDL offers clear benefits such as increased inclusion, reduced stigma around accommodations, and greater student engagement. At the same time, it requires thoughtful planning and support. Without adequate time or professional development, there is a risk that UDL becomes a checklist rather than a meaningful shift in practice.
Age appropriateness is another important consideration. While UDL is relevant across grade levels, the amount of choice and autonomy should reflect developmental readiness. When digital tools such as video analysis are used, privacy and consent must be carefully considered, particularly when working with younger students.
Framework Two: The BC Health and Physical Education Curriculum
The BC Health and Physical Education Curriculum reflects a shift away from a purely performance based model toward a more holistic view of well being. Rather than focusing only on physical skills or fitness outcomes, the curriculum emphasizes lifelong health, mental well being, and social development.
A central component of the curriculum is the focus on Core Competencies, including communication, thinking, and personal and social responsibility.
These competencies are intended to be developed across subject areas, and PHE provides a particularly rich context for this learning.
Core Competencies in PHE
Communication is practiced constantly in PHE through teamwork, strategy, and peer interaction. Activities such as badminton or cooperative games require students to share ideas, listen actively, and adjust based on others. These skills support not only sport participation but also relationships and emotional well being.
Thinking skills are developed as students make decisions, solve problems, and reflect on what is working and what is not. In sports like tennis or pickleball, students must adapt strategies in real time. These experiences help build confidence and support a more positive relationship with physical activity.
Personal and social responsibility is also embedded in PHE. Students learn sportsmanship, accountability, and respect for others through team based challenges and shared goals. These experiences support empathy and self awareness.
Teaching Games for Understanding
One approach that strongly aligns with reimagined PHE is Teaching Games for Understanding.
TGfU shifts the focus away from isolated drills and toward learning through gameplay. Instead of teaching skills first and hoping students can apply them later, TGfU begins with modified games that highlight tactics, decision making, and purpose.
For example, rather than spending most of a lesson drilling passing techniques, students might begin with a small sided game designed to emphasize spacing or movement. Skills are then refined based on the challenges students encounter during play.
I am drawn to TGfU because it values thinking and understanding just as much as physical execution. It also supports differentiation, as students can engage with the same game at varying levels of complexity.
There are challenges to consider. TGfU can feel uncomfortable for teachers who are used to highly structured lessons, and assessing individual learning within dynamic game contexts can be complex. Younger students may also need additional structure and scaffolding to feel confident in open ended games.
Below is a project I did for a class last semester, drawing upon my personal experience teaching TGFU in the classroom and how beneficial it can be for all teachers to use and implement for their students.
This resource reinforces the idea that no single teaching style fits every situation. Flexibility allows educators to respond to student needs, learning goals, and task complexity.
This resource emphasizes inclusion and variety, making it easier for teachers to modify activities for different ages, abilities, and learning goals without starting from scratch.
Personal Reflections
As I continue exploring UDL, TGfU, and the BC Curriculum, I reflect on my own experiences in PHE—as both a student and a teacher candidate. I remember feeling that success in PHE was tied to natural athletic ability: if you were “good at sports,” it was enjoyable; if not, it could feel discouraging. That perspective stayed with me longer than I’d like to admit.
Working with students has challenged that assumption. I’ve seen how small shifts in structure, language, or choice can transform participation. When expectations are clear but flexible, and students feel safe to try without fear of judgment, effort increases, confidence grows, and the focus shifts from comparison to personal growth.
Reimagining PHE has also pushed me to reconsider my own teaching. Letting go of rigid lesson plans, trusting students with more autonomy, and embracing moments of uncertainty is not always easy—but often those moments bring the most meaningful learning, for both students and myself.
Redesigning PHE is not about lowering expectations; it’s about creating learning experiences that meet students where they are and support them in thriving. Frameworks like UDL, the BC Curriculum, and approaches such as TGfU encourage inclusion, understanding, and lifelong well-being. While these shifts require time, support, and reflection, they make PHE a space where all students feel capable, valued, and motivated to move.
I continue to reflect on questions such as how teachers can be better supported in making pedagogical shifts, what meaningful assessment looks like in student-centered PHE, and how to balance structure and flexibility to serve all learners.
Questions for Engagement
While many of the examples I have shared come from PHE, I see UDL as an invitation for reflection across all subject areas. I encourage my fellow teacher candidates to reflect on in their own contexts.
How do students access information in your class?
Who might be unintentionally excluded by the way content is presented?
Where could visuals, models, exemplars, or multiple explanations support understanding?
Hello! My name is Alison Roberts. I graduated from the Canadian College of Performing Arts and the University of Victoria, where I received a BFA in Theatre and a minor in Business. I have returned to the university to complete the PDP Program to become a secondary school teacher focusing on dance, theatre, and physical health education.
I grew up on Vancouver Island, dancing competitively and performing throughout high school. From a young age, I decided I wanted be a professional performer, leading me to pursue post-secondary education in dance and theatre. After graduation, I began working across Canada as a professional dancer and musical theatre performer for just under a decade.
One summer, when I was home in Victoria between contracts, I worked at Oak Bay Recreation, instructing theatre and dance summer camps for youth. I had never considered the idea of teaching as a career path until this moment. The immense gratification I received from working with the campers, teaching them different skills, and seeing them grow and improve each week was something I had never felt when performing. My initial experience that summer changed my life and led to 10 more years of working at Oak Bay in more than dance but also leading out-of-school programs and full-day outdoor camps, instructing nature preschool, and working as a one-on-one support worker and inclusion instructor. It also jumpstarted my eight-year career as a part-time dance and theatre teacher in public schools and dance studios and choreographing in professional and community arts organizations.
Even though I adored teaching and working with young people, I had never imagined it would ever be more than a part-time job. However, I soon began to realize that perhaps part-time wasn’t enough. It was clear that I was truly happiest when leading a class or seeing the growth in one of my students, a stark contrast to how I felt doing any other job. So, why not do it every day? And so, with support and guidance from some amazing mentors, I realized I could make teaching my full-time career by becoming a secondary school teacher.
While my main goal is to teach drama and dance full time, I have chosen EPHE as my second teachable, as, mixed with my extensive background in dance and youth recreation, I am extremely passionate about living an active lifestyle. Although I primarily grew up dancing, in my adult life, I have taken up soccer, softball, yoga, hiking, backpacking, rock climbing, paddle boarding, and kayaking, and I have become an avid runner, on both track and road, and coach for the RunSport organization.
For fun, here is a video that was shared by the Runsport organization about my journey with running!
