Enjoyment: My physical journey
In my childhood I participated in various physical activities inside and outside of school. On the weekends my day was filled with a variety of physical activities like archery, indoor tennis, Judo, and dance. I loved going to my local community centre and learning how to play the games, and challenge myself with the different movements. I took advantage of the four seasons and participated in skiing, figure skating, outdoor tennis, badminton, and swimming. Often, I would be accompanied by friends or family members. It was not only a chance to be active but to socialize and have some friendly competition. In elementary school I was part of the mixed and girls’ volleyball teams. I absolutely loved being part of a team, working towards the goal of beating other schools and winning tournaments. Although this goal was not always achieved, I enjoyed the friendship and competition.
These activities ceased when I entered secondary school. A major factor of the sudden decrease of activity was my confidence and self-esteem. It was easier for me to hide behind the books and focus on my academics instead of putting myself out there to be scrutinised by myself and my peers. In my teenage-hood I prioritize my academics over my health and well being. It reached a point in post-secondary where I had a moment of realization that I needed to take care of my mental health and physical health. I was completely disconnected by my social groups and that negatively affected me. Since then I make sure that I am take a moment to check-in with myself and be active. Now a part of my physical journey is finding something consistent and enjoyable to bring back that childhood love of movement and play.
Now, as a pre-service teacher, I am gaining an understanding of the mental health and academic benefits of physical activity for my students. As Dr. John J. Ratey (2012) explained in his TEDx Talk, daily physical activity helps students focus and excel in academics. This is supported by PartcipACTION (2018), in which physical activity is related to improved brain plasticity, stress management, coping with anxiety, and self-esteem. In addition, relating to my physical journey, I want to promote consistent and lifelong commitment to healthy living. In the primary and junior grades, I want to foster an appreciation and understanding of why we need to move. When my students are engaging in physical activity they are being challenged but also experience enjoyment. Lorusso, Pavlovich, Lu (2013), described enjoyment as “a broader term that refers to deeper feelings of pleasure that may be longer lasting.” (p. 14). Equally important, in the junior grades a safe and supportive classroom climate when body image and confidence may begin to dwindle. For me, drawing upon my previous experiences of enjoyment of being physically active as well as the social support was the encouragement I needed to reignite living a holistically fulling and active life.
Lorusso, J. R., Pavlovich, S. M., & Lu, C. (2013). Developing student enjoyment in physical education. Physical & Health Education Journal, 79(2), 14.
ParticipACTION. (2018). Canadian kids need to move more to boost their brain health: The ParticipACTION Report Card on Physical Activity For Children and Youth https://www.participaction.com/sites/default/files/downloads/2018_participaction_report_card_- _highlight_report_0.pdf
Run, Jump, Learn! How Exercise Can Transform Our Schools (Dr John Ratey, TED Talk) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBSVZdTQmDs
