P.E

Welcome back to school for all the students and to all the families/carers and support for children within our school. 

As I explained to the students this week; as teachers, we have expectations around learning and behaviour. All classroom teachers will have similar expectations on behaviour but in P.E I have one rule with 3 parts:

 Stop/Look/Listen, be respectful to your classmates and their learning and always find ways to challenge yourself and your learnings. 

I have been teaching for over 25 years with 7 years as a Physical Education teacher and I have one mantra that I often tell all the children:

“You can learn slowly over time, or you can learn a lot in a short time”. This is about motivation and finding the things that you love. I also tell the children that anyone can be an elite athlete if that is their desire…. It is mostly hard work, repetition, skills and good coaching. Lastly, sport encompasses and reflects so much of who and what we are as humans and our need for physical expression, it can be football, dance, gymnastics, or chess but it is about finding a way to express yourself in your body. 

The new Foundation students epitomise that need as they look forward with joy in expressing themselves in movement, I certainly respect and tread lightly with them on that journey. The 1/2s are full of questions and needs to learn more about their bodies as they grow and develop these skills. The 3/4 children's compacity to learn is innocent and timely as they find joy in their ability to process and understand the complexity of physical knowledge. The 5/6 children the beginning of physical strength prowess and understanding what they can do as a team and as an individual. 

My job begins with trying to make all the children find a place for sporting activity in their life so that it becomes part of who they become. Scientific evidence clearly states that physical activity adds to our brains' chemical balance and development; that sport is a game of chess with strategy and conflict, and it has emotional intelligence. 

Every child should have the opportunity to feel that joy in physical activity and it is my aim to make that journey something that they can have for their whole life. 

Keith Howden - who is 78 years old and teaches the children Athletics and Basketball through the year - is a splendid example of why you should do sport and remain active. The children are lucky that TPS values sport in the curriculum and it is my privilege to teach all your children to the best of my ability. 

Note: If there are parents/carers who would like to share any of their sporting skills I have an open-door policy and always welcome parent involvement in my program. 

The term begins with swimming, followed by cross country and athletics later in the year. If you have any questions about your child or my program, I am happy to chat and share what knowledge I have!! 

Thanks Everyone 

Leigh Collins Physical Education.