As students grow to become independent adults, there is a natural shift in priorities towards obligations, responsibilities, and a career. As priorities change, for many, physical activity and a healthy lifestyle can fall to the wayside. As an adult influence on students’ experience with health and fitness, physical education teachers can play a key role in encouraging students to make movement a priority throughout their lives.
Engaging Students in Physical Education
Time and energy seem to be in nearly endless supply during the younger years of a students’ life. Before schoolwork, peer pressure, a potential part-time job, and extracurricular activities fill their schedules, many students are excited at the opportunity to be active.
Read More: What Are the Goals of Physical Education?
Secondary students, and teens especially, are confronted with many different opportunities and responsibilities that can be difficult to juggle. Being a source of motivation and a positive influence on their motivation to remain physically active throughout their lives can be a valuable part of your role as a PE educator.
Read More: Healthy Goal-Setting and Recognizing Student Success in PE
3 Ways to Motivate Students to Form Lifelong Healthy Habits:
Serving as a role model for your students offers them a positive image to reference when they are prioritizing their health. These three motivation tactics are just a few of many different ways that you may be able to positively influence students’ habits and lifestyle down the road.
1. Be an Example of Consistency & Enthusiasm:
DO: Make healthy activity and diet choices, talk about the importance of a consistent and healthy diet with your students.
AVOID: Giving excuses for times you slipped up, or complaining about being pressured to make healthy lifestyle choices to your students.
2. Showcase a Wide Variety of Ways to Be Active in Class:
DO: Encourage students to try new things outside of class and incorporate a range of activities into class time.
AVOID: Sharing opinions or making comments about how some forms of physical activity are “cooler” than others.
3. Discuss the Physical & Emotional Benefits of Movement:
DO: Share positive statistics and experiences that stem from making healthy lifestyle decisions.
AVOID: Using statistics and negative examples to scare students into making healthy choices.
More PE Ideas and Inspiration
If you’re looking for more great ways to engage with your students or get inspired to make this the best year yet, be sure to explore the other blogs on the Physical Education category page.
Also take a moment to check out the online store and find thousands of high-quality and innovative PE and sports equipment products. Whatever the goal, you’ll find what you need in one place at School Specialty.
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