Whew! Work has been busy! I know this is a bit delayed but I had such an amazing session at the Kekeenamawkayo Conference in Winnipeg that I am sharing about it anyway.
“Teaching Personal and Social Responsibility Through Movement” was both physically exhausting and emotionally exhilarating.
Let me say off the top: I am not a Phys. Ed. teacher. I never have coached a team. During lunch gym supervision, I’ve been known to take my knitting. The gym is not my happy place. I am the kid who played the position that never got any action, or could be easily covered by another kid. I am the kid who often seemed to be left off of the skill observation list and not noticed when I just sat on the bleachers. But I am also the kid who loves to dance and swim. I’m the adult who has done pilates and jujitsu. On the track, playing roller derby is my happy place. I love to move and feel my muscles ache. I am an active person, so why was I always left out of physical education in school?
Sean Lessard and Brian Lewis spent a full day at the Kekeenamawkayo Conference disrupting the dominant structure that physical education so often reinforces and made moving fun for everyone in the room. Growing Young Movers (G.Y.M.) is an after school program that isn’t just about basketball or floor hockey, but about moving to create change, moving to empower our youth.
The structure of their weekly 1.5 hour program includes: Relational Time, Awareness Talk, Activity Plan, Group Meeting, Reflection Time
Relational Time is while the youth arrive, they have space to play with each other. Our society is so structured, that many youth don’t ever have time to just play.
Awareness Talk happens in a circle, with a snack. The youth and leaders get to check in with each other and see how everyone is doing. Often you never know where the conversation might go.
Activity Plan is a collection of games and activities that are accessible for all abilities and skill levels. Games are not elimination base. If you “lose”, then you start again, or need a team member to help you out. There is rarely only one piece of equipment or focus point, so it isn’t about being the fastest all the time. Their goal is to “pull in people who would not be traditionally engaged in physical education.”
Opponents greet and wish each other good luck, then congratulate with a handshake or high five. Team members are constantly asking themselves, “how can I take care of my team?” The youth don’t just say, “it isn’t about winning and losing, but how you play the game”, they believe it. Competition happens, but it is reframed so no one feels like a “capital L Loser”. Traditionally movement has been used as a punishment (running laps or doing pushups), but G.Y.M. is about making movement positive.
Group Meeting is the time to “unpack” the experience. Another circle, maybe another snack (though it might get sent home instead), another chance to voice to the group how you are doing.
Reflection Time is a time for self reflection, answering the question “How did I do today?”. The youth interview each other and video record the conversation on iPads. It all uploads to the cloud and the leaders have instant feedback and the youth have their voices heard yet again.
The program is intergenerational. Participants are youth 6-12 years old (though once in awhile there are younger siblings running about). High school leaders are paid positions, and committed, integral components. University students volunteer their time and energy. Elders share their wisdom.
The final piece of the program is that the leaders and participants are constantly asking themselves and their community “How are we doing?”. Whether it is the bus driver or the workers at the lazer tag, the kids want to know how they are doing and where they can improve. They have high expectations of each other and themselves, and hold each other accountable.
I truly appreciated the self reflection on Sean and Brian’s part. In conversations with teachers they have reflected on how when kids, they always played until the end or got picked first, but this is not every student’s or teacher’s experience. They want to reframe movement, so children will feel successful and empowered and then are more likely to continue to move throughout their lives. Everything they do is purposeful, thoughtful, and striving for the success of all participants.
By the end of the day, we had broken a light fixture, received noise complaints, and drank a lot of water. Our bodies were achy, our legs shaking, but our minds were full of inspiration.
Check out their website and reach out to them for help. Their youtube channel has video examples of games. Our kids deserve a positive environment where they can be active and successful. Whether it is an after school session, gym class, or DPA in the classroom, the games and philosophy of Growing Young Movers redefine what movement and physical education truly can mean.