First off, I just want to say I really love how you focus on creating a positive, engaging space where movement feels enjoyable rather than something kids are forced to do.
I also think your perspective on gender disparities in PE highlights an important issue. When opportunities are limited and female development isn’t fully understood, it can discourage participation. While some girls may thrive being considered “one of the guys”, others may shut down and get frustrated. Educating coaches/teachers and creating more gender-inclusive programs is so important. I think having your experience with this subject and moving into the role of a PHE educator will be really helpful in changing the times!
I also appreciate your take on sedentary behavior. You’re so correct in the idea that kids’ activity levels are shaped by their environment, and having strong role models can be a game-changer. Your approach of offering a variety of activities and listening to students’ interests makes movement more accessible and enjoyable and something I strive to do in my own teaching!
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 as a 5th year student to complete prerequisites for my second teachable subject (EPHE) for the PDP Program to become a secondary school teacher focusing on dance, theatre, and physical 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 7 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, most recently completing my second half-marathon, currently training for my first marathon, and volunteering as a run group leader for the RunSport organization.
For fun, here is a video that was recently shared by the Runsport organization about my journey with running!
1) Understanding Active Health Education
When considering Physical and Health Education for students, I firmly believe that learning to live an active lifestyle is essential for young people’s well-being and mental health. It empowers them to thrive, not just survive. Physical education is not solely about being active or excelling as an athlete. It also provides students with opportunities to work collaboratively, overcome challenges, improve their mental state, reduce stress, and develop a deeper appreciation for their bodies. Equipping young people with these life skills and experiences is crucial, and I strongly believe that a comprehensive and structured PHE program can set them up for lifelong success.
When I was younger, PE often catered to students who were privileged to have training outside the classroom and a solid foundation in physical literacy. These students were praised, received higher grades, and benefited from a curriculum designed to enhance their pre-existing skills rather than introduce new ones. Meanwhile, students who weren’t natural athletes or lacked outside exposure to sports were frequently overlooked. They didn’t receive the same opportunities to improve, which often led to low self-esteem, poor physical development, and difficulty connecting with their peers. These challenges extended beyond the classroom, as these students often avoided active free play during recess. Many of the games relied on skills learned in PE or required a baseline fitness level they had not developed.
As adults, I’ve noticed that many of these same individuals who I grew up with now face long-term health issues or struggle to embrace regular physical activity. Many have an increase in unhealthy body fat and struggle with their emotional well-being. Without developing a positive attitude toward movement, they missed out on understanding the benefits of an active lifestyle. Additionally, they never acquired the skills needed to participate in certain sports, limiting their ability to engage in social activities, such as recreational intramural teams, that revolve around physical activity.
This is why it is vital for educators to understand and implement key concepts, such as the 24-hour movement guidelines, to ensure students receive adequate daily moderate to vigorous physical activity through both free play and structured PE. By focusing on building the foundations of physical literacy and promoting enjoyable physical activity as part of daily life, educators can help foster a passion for health and movement. Early intervention not only develops long-term healthy habits but also supports improved physical, mental, and emotional well-being, and an increase in self-esteem setting students up for a healthier and more fulfilling future.
2) The Role of Sedentary Behaviour in Youth Health
One of the biggest issues youth face today is the significant rise in sedentary behaviours. According to the ParticipACTION Report Card, only 4% of children and youth meet the combined 24-Hour Movement Guidelines, earning them a failing grade of F—which is unacceptable (https://www.participaction.com).
Prolonged sedentary behaviour not only harms children’s physical and mental health but can also lead to an increase in behavioural challenges, as they lack an outlet for their pent-up energy. In my experience, the most challenging days with the children I work with are often those when they miss outdoor recess due to rain or don’t have a physical education class. These missed opportunities for movement make it harder for them to focus, regulate emotions, and engage positively with their peers
I firmly believe that this increase in sedentary behavior during children’s home lives is closely tied to the growing obsession with social media, streaming services, and video games. However, in schools, I feel this rise in sedentary behaviour is partly due to a lack of effort and creative planning from educators. After several challenging years, our society is burnt out, and educators have dealt with the brunt of it, from adapting to remote learning to dealing with shrinking budgets. While it may be easier and more cost-effective to play a movie or assign tablet-based research for a lesson, this reliance on screens in school is contributing to the decline in physical activity among students.
While structured and comprehensive physical education classes are critical for ensuring students engage in moderate to vigorous physical activity, I believe educators can also promote light physical activity throughout other subjects to combat the rise in sedentary behaviour.
For example:
Science: Teachers could take students on nature walks and have them do scavenger hunts to explore the world and learn about environmental sciences.
Math: Teachers could set up a soccer field and have students kick a ball multiple times. They could then measure the distances and calculate the averages.
Social Studies: Teachers could get students to create “living museums” where they role-play historical figures and act out key events on their feet.
Overall, while improving PHE classes through detailed lesson planning and proper execution is essential, educators can also help reduce sedentary behaviours by incorporating creative and engaging teaching methods into other subjects. By doing so, teachers can inspire students to stay active and develop healthier habits both inside and outside the gym/classroom.
3) The Five-Step Model for Active Health
So, how else can we make changes in our schools and communities to increase students’ overall well-being and physical activity levels?
One way is to utilize the five-step model for active health, which provides a structured framework to begin promoting sustainable physical activity and well-being among youth. While it is great to say, “Kids need to be more active,” there are so many crucial steps to ensure that the program developed makes a significant enough impact to create long-term changes that youth can take into their adult lives and into the community.
Agree
The first step in the process is to assess current engagement and reflect on the state of health initiatives within the school. This is a critical component because it helps identify gaps in existing programs and determine how to address them.
For example, as someone aiming to work in dance education, I’ve noticed that many middle schools don’t have comprehensive dance programs. This lack of a program can limit students’ physical fitness, creativity, social skills, and emotional well-being.
Therefore, during my initial assessment of a school, I would look at the current programs—or determine if one is missing entirely. I would talk with staff and administration to get their thoughts on adding a dance program and how it might fit into the existing curriculum and offerings.
And, while I’m confident in my ability to design and implement a program like this, the key would be working with the rest of the team to understand how they see a dance program complementing other health initiatives already in place.
Build
The next step is to lay the groundwork for sustainable health initiatives by identifying key contributors.
When working with the school, I’d need to figure out who the main players are. Is there anyone I can team up with to share the workload or bounce ideas off of? Are there other dance teachers or enthusiasts who could help push the program forward? Do I have a good relationship with the principal so I’d feel confident pitching new ideas or suggesting a new program?
Ultimately, making lasting change takes teamwork. Having a strong support system is crucial for the program’s long-term success.
CLARIFY
Next, it’s important to focus on engaging with others and creating a clear, concise proposal to generate interest and support for the program. Building this buy-in will be essential.
For example, I would use both formal interviews and informal conversations to gather input from students, parents, and teachers about implementing or enhancing a dance program. These discussions would help me understand their perspectives, address concerns, and build excitement. To counter any pushback, I’d be ready to present concrete evidence showing how dance improves physical activity, creativity, and mental well-being.
I would also craft and share a vision statement to highlight the value of dance in promoting Active Living and Active Health. For example:
“We aim to create a vibrant, inclusive school community where dance fosters physical activity, creativity, self-expression, and lifelong well-being.”
Overall, being well-prepared, informed, and ready to answer questions with research-backed evidence would be critical to ensuring the program gets off the ground.
DEFINE
Next, it’s important to establish clear objectives and put a solid plan in place.
I would start by identifying the main goals for a dance program. Overall, I’d aim to increase students’ physical activity levels, create a safe space for them to explore artistic expression through movement, and develop a program that encourages teamwork and collaboration to achieve shared goals.
I would then outline how the program would be structured to align with curriculum competencies and present a plan to stakeholders that highlights how a program like this could improve the overall health and well-being of the school community.
To move forward, I’d work with the school to identify available time slots, such as blocks or periods that could become dance classes, or lunch hours that could host a dance club. I’d also finalize which staff members would be willing to support and help implement the program.
Finally, I’d form a committee, assign tasks, and create a timeline detailing what must be done and when to launch the program successfully.
EVALUATE
If all goes well, I would successfully implement a dance program into the school. But the work doesn’t stop there! The final step is to evaluate the program to see if it met our goals and identify areas for improvement.
So, how would we evaluate? One approach would be to conduct surveys for stakeholders—parents, teachers, and students—to gather feedback on what’s working and what needs adjustment. Another would be to look at participation numbers. For example, if we started with a lunchtime program, would we have enough student interest to consider creating a formal class?
I would also hold formal meetings to reflect on lessons learned during the initial implementation. Did the schedule work? If there was a performance, did the students seem enthusiastic about it? Have we noticed any positive changes in student behavior or increased engagement since the program started? By asking these questions and reflecting on the answers, we can ensure the program continues to improve and grow stronger.
Finally, we’d need to discuss the program’s next steps. If the lunchtime club was successful, it might be time to expand—whether by creating a formal class, adding more sessions, or introducing additional opportunities to engage students in this valuable physical activity, such as student choreography sessions, performance groups, or improv sessions.
Ultimately, following the five-step model outlined above will help me, as a future educator, ensure the successful implementation of a comprehensive active health program, enhancing students’ well-being, promoting their enjoyment of physical activity, reducing sedentary time, and offering families cost-effective opportunities for their children to uncover a passion for diverse styles of movement that they can take with them throughout their lives and into their communities.
