Author Archives: ctagseth

Positive Youth Development in Inner-City Physical Education Programs

Holt, N. N., Sehn, Z. L., Spence, J. C., Newton, A. S., & Ball, G. D. (2012). Physical education and sport programs at an inner city school: exploring possibilities for positive youth development. Physical Education & Sport Pedagogy, 17(1), 97-113. doi:10.1080/17408989.2010.548062

This case study examined school staff members’ and children’s perceptions of school PE, intramural sports, and sport teams with a view to establish factors that facilitated or impeded positive youth development. Findings showed that factors that facilitated or impeded PYD varied across different contexts. In PE, the importance of a specialist PE teacher and establishing clear boundaries during lessons while providing children with perceptions of choice were important. I chose to use this resource because school-based recreation/physical programs are an important place for youth development work to take place, especially for students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds who do not always have the opportunity to participate in programs outside of school.

Significant quote: “PYD is an ‘umbrella’ term that refers to strength-based and asset-building approaches to developmental research in which youth are viewed as ‘resources to be developed’ rather than ‘problems to be solved.’ Broadly then, PYD is about promoting youth engagement in prosocial behaviours and avoidance of health-compromising behaviours and future jeopardizing behaviours.”

SEL Through TPSR

Gordon, B. B., Jacobs, J. M., & Wright, P. M. (2016). Social and emotional learning through a teaching personal and social responsibility based after-school program for disengaged middle-school boys. Journal Of Teaching In Physical Education, 35(4), 358-369. doi:10.1123/jtpe.2016-0106

The purpose of this study was to run a long-term after school leadership and activity program for disengaged boys using the TPSR model and SEL framework to identify learnings that occurred and the impact of participation for participants. The key findings were that 1) the pedagogical approach and strategies of TPSR when implemented with a high level of fidelity align strongly with the SEL framework; 2) the structure and design of the TPSR based program was an important ingredient in the school’s overall approach to supporting SEL among students; and 3) a number of SEL outcomes were identified as a result of participation in this program. I chose to use this resource because I intend to use the TPSR model to guide my unit planning and practice because of the strong connections to SEL. I believe that this framework has been formative of my teaching philosophy and led me to this inquiry question.

Significant quote: “If we are putting resources into helping kids develop social responsibility and being personally responsible for what they do, are we building a system around them that helps them to do that?”

School-Based Interventions

Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R.P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. B., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students’ social and emotional learning: a meta-analysis of school-based interventions. Child Development, 82(1), 405-432.

The purpose of this meta-analysis was to study many different SEL programs to better understand whether the programs are successful and in what ways they benefit students. Because this study is a meta-analysis of SEL programs delivered in many different contexts, the findings are potentially more valuable and reliable than those from a single program or example. The researchers found that compared to controls, participants in SEL interventions demonstrated significantly improved social and emotional skills, attitudes, behavior, and academic performance that reflected an 11-percentile-point gain in achievement.

Significant quote: “Unfortunately, many students lack social-emotional competencies and become less connected to school as they progress from elementary to middle to high school, and this lack of connection negatively affects their academic performance, behaviour, and health.”

Inquiry – Context and Importance

Question: How can social and emotional learning be effectively integrated into daily practice by physical educators?

Context: 

Because the goal of physical education is to encourage students to be healthy and active for life, course content must be delivered in a way that is applicable outside of the gymnasium and the school environment. To me, social and emotional skills are the most transferrable pieces of knowledge that students learn in physical and health education. In order to form and maintain healthy relationships, perform well in job interviews and work environments, and contribute positively to one’s community, people need well-developed social and emotional skills. Physical education settings offer a unique opportunity for this type of learning because, unlike many other classes, students’ performance and ability can be observed visually, and there is ample time spent working in partners or teams, leading to many opportunities to practice regulating emotions during interactions with others. This makes it an ideal context to develop social and emotional skills such as emotional self-regulation and solving disputes respectfully (Jacobs, Knoppers, & Webb, 2013). Participation in physical activity correlates to mental health and emotional well-being (Lu & Buchanan, 2014), which further strengthens the link between physical education and SEL.

Social and emotional skills are relevant to students because they are transferable to contexts outside of the school environment. Students without social and emotional skills are more likely to experience challenges in and out of school, including poor grades, disengagement from or dropping out of school, unemployment, substance abuse, and violence (Lu & Buchanan, 2014). Skills that help students avoid these challenges and behaviours can be learned, such as respect, empathy, and responsibility (CASEL, 2017). Teaching these skills in schools is a way to promote community health and economic stability by supporting students’ healthy social and emotional development and increasing engagement and positive behaviours that influence their chances of success (Durlak et al., 2011).

Social and emotional learning is relevant to teachers who strive to build classroom environments that are safe and inclusive. It can be a foundation upon which the classroom environment is built, and can be used as a guiding framework for classroom management and conflict resolution (CASEL, 2017). Teaching emotionally competent behaviour can contribute to a supportive and enjoyable learning environment (Lu & Buchanan, 2014), and can support relationship building between students, teachers, and the community (CASEL, 2017).

Through personal experience working with youth and recent classroom observations, I have heard many youth and adults say that anxiety is an increasingly common barrier to social interaction, conflict resolution, and even attending school or finding employment. I learned through conversations with teachers at alternative education programs that many of their students are afraid of graduating and facing the real world, and have difficulties forming friendships because they have not learned behaviours consistent with appropriate social interactions. My work with these same youth in designing and implementing children’s recreation programs showed me the influence a supportive learning environment can have on motivation and achievement. Teaching in a way that is nurturing and sensitive has always brought me the most success and positive outcomes, especially when working with children and youth who face barriers like poverty, racism, or intergenerational trauma, and with children and youth with disabilities like anxiety, FASD, or ADHD. This style of teaching feels natural and authentic to me, and it seems to be encouraged in elementary school settings while being largely ignored at the secondary school level.If social and emotional learning was supported on an everyday basis, both within physical and health education and across subject areas, I believe youth would be more able to connect with others and cope with challenges, and therefore more likely to be healthy and active for life.