The post SPARK Equity Award Grants Round 2 appeared first on SPARK PE.

David Kahan, Ph.D., is Professor and Associate Director, School of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences, San Diego State University (dkahan@sdsu.edu)

Regardless of level or type, most schools have websites that are functional and readily accessible to the public. Thus, they are important vehicles by which schools can share relevant information about their physical activity programs, policies, and values. Because websites can be modified quite readily, information posted on them can be updated regularly (including daily) and it can be targeted to reach specific audiences (e.g., a single class, grade level, team; families; prospective students and families; community members; and other constituents). Additionally, with circumstances of COVID-19 being so highly variable, the use of school websites to provide information that is current is especially important.

During the past two years we have done systematic, line-by-line, analyses of the physical activity and physical education (PE) content that was posted on nearly 4,000 public charter, private, and Jewish day school websites in the United States. In general, we found that schools mentioned their physical activity programs infrequently, and when mentioned, the information typically lacked detail. Compared to other school programs where students could accrue health-promoting moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), (e.g., recess, intramurals, interscholastics, and before- and after-school recreation programs), PE was mentioned most often. Nonetheless, the schools rarely provided comprehensive information about the objectives and curricular content of their PE programs, lesson frequency and duration, and the specialty qualifications of their instructors. Overall, the information we collected varied tremendously from school to school, with private schools more likely than public schools to mention PE, that they had interscholastic sports and other extracurricular programs, and that they employed a PE specialist.

We view websites as public ‘windows’ into what a school deems to be important. Thus, we believe websites are critical assets for providing relevant and up-to-date information (especially when compared to brochures, mailers, and handouts). Thus, we encourage schools at all levels and types to examine their websites and to assess the messages they may or may not be providing about physical activity and about PE policies and practices. We think school websites should be individualized to especially target the students and the communities they serve. With this in mind, our list below identifies some potentially relevant topics/sections for local website designers to consider.

Presentation matters! Thus, we suggest showcasing pertinent information in attention-grabbing formats such as shown in the example below for a hypothetical elementary school:

1. Overall

-The important contribution of physical activity engagement to students’ health and their physical, emotional, and cognitive development.

-The relationship between physical activity engagement at school and students’ fitness levels and academic achievement.

-National physical activity recommendations.

-How the school supports/includes diverse physical activity programs (e.g., as recommended by the Centers of Disease Control and Comprehensive physical Activity Programs).

-How parents/guardians can help support children accrue recommended MVPA (e.g., create safe activity settings, provide active toys/equipment, prompt and reward activity engagement, participate with their children and model physical activity engagement themselves).

2. Physical Education Programs

-How the school PE program aligns with both state and district guidelines for quantity and quality.

-Posting the national, state, and district physical education standards.

-Which curriculum (e.g. SPARK) is being implemented, including its goals, how it was validated, and how lessons vary among grades and class levels. https://sparkpe.org/what-is-spark/

-Information about policies related to attendance, dress, grading, homework, locker room, and participation

3. Other Physical Activity Programs

-Specific information on programs such as active transportation (i.e., “walking” school bus, biking to school), recess, intramurals, interscholastics, and leisure time opportunities before and after school (e.g., scheduling, costs, eligibility requirements).

4. Management

-How to access updated information on currently operating programs (e.g., for last minute cancellations).

-How to obtain additional program information (e.g., emails, phone numbers).

-Credentials of school staff that support their ability to implement PE and other programs.

-How to contribute (e.g., volunteer, make donations) in order to support physical activity programs and facilities.

Stay tuned to SPARK for more information and resources to SPARK Up Your School Website!

SELECTED REFERENCES

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). CDC Healthy Schools, Physical Education and Physical Activity. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/physicalactivity/index.htm
2. Kahan, D., McKenzie, T. L., & Khatri, A. (2019). U.S. charter schools neglect promoting physical activity: Content analysis of nationally representative elementary school websites. Preventive Medicine Reports, 14, Article 100815. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2019.01.019
3. Kahan, D., & McKenzie, T. L. (2019). California districts and schools underutilize websites to demonstrate compliance to a physical education lawsuit. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 89, 712-719. https://doi.org/10.1080/02701367.2019.1623855  
4. Kahan, D., & McKenzie, T. L. (2019). Physical education and physical activity policies as described on California charter school websites. Health Behavior and Policy Review, 6(5), 509-521. DOI: https://doi.org/10.14485/HBPR.6.5.9
5. Kahan, D., & McKenzie, T. L. (2020). School websites: A physical education and physical activity content analysis. Journal of School Health, 90(1), 47-55. Article DOI: 10.1111/josh.12851
6. Kahan, D., & McKenzie, T. L. (2020). Website representations of physical education and physical activity: Comparison of public charter and private schools. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport. Online July 13.DOI: 1080/02701367.2020.1761934

The post SPARKING UP YOUR SCHOOL WEBSITE appeared first on SPARK PE.

The goal of advocacy is to actively support a cause by educating others. In the PE world, that means standing up for our programs by sharing the importance of quality Physical Education and Health programs in schools, promoting the benefits for student health and academic achievement, and continuing to fight for support to ensure there are resources and funding available for physical education and health for years to come.

When representing our profession, we need to advocate by breaking down barriers, talking to the right people, and sharing accurate, relevant evidence to support our cause. What steps do we take? What can we do? There are 4 areas of advocacy we should consider as we look for support for our Physical Education and Health programs.

Individual Role

• Educate yourself. What is the importance of PE to you? What are the benefits for students? Are there any policies in your district or state? What are the current issues, federal, state, and local legislation and guidelines?
• Develop an understanding of what a quality PE program looks like. Create and teach meaningful lessons, build positive relationships with students, and promote activity outside of class.
• To stay current with best practices and the latest trends, read professional articles and journals, join state and national PE organizations, and join PE groups on social media.

School/District Level

• Engage your administrators. Invite them to visit your class and educate them on what a quality PE program looks like. 
• Look for others in your district who can help you advocate and collaborate with staff members at your school to help your cause and theirs.
• Encourage students to advocate through making posters, posting on social media, etc.
• Present and share information at faculty meetings and professional development days.
• Make a bulletin board at school highlighting your lessons and student work.
• Register your school for fundraising and health promotion events like health. moves. minds., jog-a-thons, etc.
• Provide a presentation to the school board highlighting the need for quality PE and showcasing your program’s accomplishments.

Parents and Community

• Share information with your local community through school events, fundraisers, your class or school website, newsletters, and on social media.
• Present at a PTA meeting or local community organization (Rotary, Kiwanis, etc.) who can help with funding and advocacy.
• Form partnerships with community organizations.
• Write an article for the paper, start a blog, or post information on social media.
• Engage parents by sharing what you do through emails, newsletters, and bulletin boards.
• Plan a family fitness night or a “Take Your Parent to PE Week” event.

State/National Level

• Participate in state and national legislation initiatives, including advocating for more ESSA funding.
• Provide support at local, state, and national meetings and events (conferences, Speak Out Day, etc.).
• Write to your state and local legislators.
• Research advocacy tools on the SHAPE America website.

Everyone can advocate whether it is at the local, state, or national level. We should all make our voice heard and fight for our students. Let’s do our best to promote our profession and meet the needs of all students. For additional resources visit sparkpe.org and learn more about our curriculum, research, and grant finder to help support your program.

The post Your Role in PE Advocacy appeared first on SPARK PE.

So what is EDS? It’s a group of conditions that revolve around collagen defects. There are a dozen or so variants, each with a lot of variability within. Some people can function with little issues, while others can’t get out of bed (some have even dislocated joints doing this simple daily task). It’s important to note that physical activity and any sensory input (i.e. light, noise, smells, etc.) can make our symptoms and secondary conditions flare up (Spoon Theory).

Personally, I have the hypermobility variant, and it affects everything in my body (body parts are less durable and move in ways they shouldn’t). Here are some examples of how EDS affects different systems of the body:

• Neurological: memory and recall issues.
• Digestive: slowed movement.
• Cardiovascular: blood vessels overstretch (can cause Postural Orthostatic Syndrome); valves can be damaged; blood vessels break easy.
• Immune: it can overreact to literally anything (Mast Cell Activation Syndrome).
• Musculoskeletal System: constant fatigue and soreness.
• Respiratory: breathing is more difficult.
• Skin: all body tissue cuts and bleeds easy.

You may be thinking “why would someone in this condition” participate in race, a SPARTAN race at that! Simple, I wanted to raise awareness for this condition and any others where the pain may not be visible to others. While we EDSers are really messed up, it’s mostly on the inside. Many of us in the community have had our non-visible symptoms dismissed by doctors, friends and family, employers and coworkers, etc. And if I am honest with myself, I probably would have done the same if I did not have the condition. This has led me to be less judgmental of others (i.e. not getting angry at someone parking in a handicap space even though they look like they don’t need it), and not assume I know everything going on with others (I also wrote Assumptions – My Health, My Family, and Your Students).

Luckily for me, I’ve been physically active my whole life and have participated in a wide range of activities. This resulted in two things. One, I built a decent “savings account” of muscle that has probably given me 5-10 years of additional functionality. Two, I developed physical literacy that has allowed me do things more efficiently and rely on technique rather than brute strength.

Here are some examples of obstacles and how physical literacy helped during the race:

• Up and Over Beam: I lifted myself onto the beam and then let gravity do the remaining work of getting me over (my first time ever trying this).
  • Hercules Hoist: I dropped my weight at the same time as pulling down on the rope, using my legs to brace and keep balanced.
  • A-frame: I walked up and down it like it was staircase, keeping my center of gravity over each shallow step.
  • Vertical Cargo Plus: I kept 3 points of contact and would push/pull synchronously.
  • Atlas Carry: With the heavy boulder being carried in front, I maintained my balance by leaning back and keeping my center of gravity over my feet.
  • Slip Wall: I grabbed the rope and leaned as far back as possible, almost perpendicular, and then walked up.
  • Inverted Wall: I threw my weight backwards and used the opposing forces to maintain position while using my feet the climb.

And physical literacy is not just for races or sport, it’s for everyday living! Skills that we learn from various activities transfer to daily activities. Here are a few examples (also see this video “Adult Fails”):

• Catching things we dropped or thrown at us.
  • Dancing at special events such as weddings.
  • Moving belongings when you change your place of residence.
  • Avoiding bumping into people in high traffic areas.
  • Regaining your balance after tripping.
  • Escaping a disaster.
  • Protecting yourself if assaulted.
  • Home/yard work.
  • Taking care of and playing with children.
  • And so much more that we don’t realize.

Physical Education isn’t about making athletes, it’s about preparing children to live active, healthy, and functional lives. We all run different races in life, and it’s important to be ready.

The post You Never Know When Physical Literacy Will Come in Handy appeared first on SPARK PE.

Let’s begin with a question, Do you want to be a really GREAT teacher for your students, parents and administration at your school?  If so, what does a great teacher look like and sound like? What does that mean in terms of your program, your content selection, and your instructional style? I believe truly great teachers have the following 5 “Human Resources” arrows in their quivers:

1. Preparation and Organization: 

We all know the value of this, yet many of us could benefit from a P and O tune up. Who’s the most organized teacher on your staff? How does he/she prepare the learning environment, units, and lessons? What protocols does the teacher establish at the beginning of the year and how does he/she reinforce them as the months go by? Does the teacher utilize technology to streamline and simplify roll taking, assessment, grading? Is it possible to observe him/her teach a lesson that showcases the teacher’s organization and planning? 

Gather information from this preparation/organization mentor.

2. Subject Matter Expertise: 

Physical educators must be exceptional instructors in a myriad of individual sports, team sports, track and field, dance, aquatics, martial arts, group fitness, just to name a few. Add to that a deep knowledge of the standards, and don’t forget to layer on a need to understand teaching progressions that extend skill basics like throwing and catching, to sophisticated games like cricket, football, ultimate, and more.

Could you benefit from learning how to teach Pilates, Functional Fitness, or intermediate Hip Hop? Taking classes is an obvious answer, but let’s try something a little different. Invite someone from your school family/community to teach a class(es) for your students in a subject area you’re not familiar with and/or comfortable teaching. Ask your guest instructor if you could videotape the class for review later and ask if she will watch it with you. Have an excused student point an iPad/videocamera (on a table or similar) at the teacher while YOU participate with your students. A good rule of thumb to enable fast learning of a kinesthetic subject is to:

1. Participate during a lesson just as a student would at least twice. 

2. Team-teach – you lead a couple segments you’re most competent with and assist the main instructor.

3. Team-teach – you lead most of the class and the expert assists you.

4. Watch yourself on videotape and solicit feedback from the mentor teacher. 

Gather information from this subject matter mentor.

3. Instructional Expertise: 

A great lesson plan in the hands of a mediocre teacher is likely a mediocre lesson. A mediocre lesson plan in the hands of a great teacher is very likely a great lesson. We all know that WHAT you teach is important, but HOW you teach it makes all the difference in terms of student engagement and learning. 

Who is that teacher(s) at your school that is consistently creative, empowering students, and incorporating useful technologies? Who might watch a videotape of your instruction and give you useful feedback? Personally, I believe the best thing any of us can do as teachers is to view a videotape of ourselves with a mentor and a good assessment tool to guide the process. My colleagues and I at SPARK wrote a number of these over the years, and they accompany SPARK programs Pre-K through High School and After School.

Gather information from this instructional mentor.

4. Relationships with Students and Parents: 

Great teachers develop loving and respectful relationships with their students and their parents. They frequently communicate about what students are learning, doing, and achieving in their classroom. One of my favorite sayings is, “Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to go to the well.” Have a group of parents that know you and your program best and are willing to support you if/when you need it. 

Use these relationships to better understand the community you teach in. For example, in a school district about 5 miles away from me, there was a much publicized and contentious lawsuit against a supplemental physical education program that was being provided to the elementary schools (free) by an outside non-profit. It was a variation of Yoga, modified to be developmentally appropriate for children. Eventually, after great expense a judge finally ruled the Yoga classes could continue – they were not religious in nature. I sometimes wonder if the divisive and costly issue would have been avoided if the unit was simply called, “Power Stretching”…

As an Athletic Director, Head Coach, and PE Department Head, I would interview prospective teachers, coaches, and employees who would come in contact with kids. During the vetting process I always hoped to hear, “I love kids.” Great teachers love their students and care deeply about their development and futures. When love and caring comprise the foundation, students try harder. They want to do well for the teacher that is their champion. 

Great teachers adapt to the way individual students learn, they don’t try to wedge students into one or two narrow teaching styles or strategies. Teachers that differentiate learning show they care about individuals and their needs. This establishes an atmosphere of respect for each young person and fosters positive relationship building.

Gather “great teaching capital” by building relationships with your students and parents.

5. Social Media Utilization:

A few years back I asked physical educators, “What is your favorite PE resource?” The most common answer was Twitter and Voxer, because of the people they met there. Once again, the “Human Resource.”

If you are a physical educator and have not yet tried either of these networks, I strongly encourage you to do so. They’ll connect you to colleagues in your community, your state, your country, and your world. You can ask for help, (e.g.) “My gym is closed for repairs next week and I’m in a tiny classroom with 45 3rd graders. I need ideas!” Or you can post a video of a lesson segment you did that was particularly creative and successful; then enjoy the feedback you receive. You can have a conversation with like-minded people you’ve never even met and discussed topics like standards-based grading, or what’s the best way to assess a particular national standard at a grade level. 

Via Twitter and Voxer you begin building a PLN – Professional Learning Network – and Gather valuable resources such as: lesson plans, professional development (free PD is plentiful), the latest apps, tools for advocacy, and much more. There are many more social media sites of course (e.g., Instagram, Facebook, etc.), and they all offer PLN opportunities.

Gather subject matter knowledge, instructional expertise, technology tools, and a supportive PE network by engaging in social media.

My top 5 is by no means complete or comprehensive. What would you add? 

The post The G in Professional Growth Stands for Gather appeared first on SPARK PE.

The idea of SPARK began as a gleam in my eye in 1987 when I was a young researcher in the Department of Pediatrics at UC San Diego. I had decided to devote my research career to improving physical activity, and I was ready to write my first big NIH grant proposal. I wanted to come up with a physical activity intervention approach targeting children or adolescents that would have the potential to affect as many children as possible. It was obvious that physical education was the biggest physical activity intervention for youth. Because PE could potentially impact virtually the entire population of youth throughout their school careers, I decided it was the best focus for the study.

Because I had no expertise in PE, I invited Dr. Thom McKenzie to join the effort. I knew Thom had many skills related to sports, measurement, and PE that complemented my strengths. Fortunately, he accepted, and we began to develop the proposal. I would not realize until a few years later that Thom was among the very best PE experts in the country (and the world). My good fortune of finding an ideal collaborator early in the process became a rule I tried to follow throughout my career. Getting the right team is essential, and bringing in expertise outside of my own discipline is generally preferable.

We agreed on several ideas that drove the design of the intervention and the study.

• There was much room for improvement in PE, so a new PE program was justified.
• Evaluations of PE programs were rare, and it was clear a major study could provide valuable evidence.
• The PE program would be designed primarily to enhance students’ health, but it had to be consistent with existing standards so it could be adopted anywhere.
• Physical activity was the heart of the program. The program would be designed to maximize physical activity both during PE class and out of school. Other goals of PE, such as teaching sport skills and social skills, would be done using physical activity whenever possible.
• PE classes would be inclusive of all skill and fitness levels, provide positive experiences with PE and physical activity, and be feasible for classroom teachers to implement with a modest amount of training. What I call “PE malpractice” was eliminated: no using activity as punishment, no students choosing teams, no using students as targets, no elimination games, and minimal standing in line.
• “PE homework”, or what we call Self-Management Training, was developed to promote physical activity outside of school. Students were taught to set their own goals, parents were involved, and there were small incentives.
• We decided to target elementary schools, because the PE situation was dire, with many (most?) PE classes taught by classroom teachers with little or no training in PE. We thought we could make a big difference if we could prepare classroom teachers to deliver active, fun PE. These ideas led to our study design with 3 conditions: (a) usual PE taught by classroom teachers, (b) SPARK PE taught by trained classroom teachers, and (c) SPARK PE taught by PE specialists (the ideal scenario).

Thom and I recruited a larger team of investigators, and we spent a year making decisions about study design, intervention design, measuring outcomes, and developing a relationship with a school district where the study would be conducted. Oh yes, we had to come up with a name, and “SPARK” turned out to be a fun name that is still going strong. The proposal took a year to write because we debated every decision. I think of that year of writing as the “conception” of SPARK.

Surprisingly, the SPARK grant was funded on its first submission. We can think of the funding of the study in 1989 as the “birth” of SPARK. The infancy was spent writing the curricula for SPARK PE, self-management, and teacher/staff development workshops. We also assessed how well the students liked the PE classes (very much!) and developed all the measurement procedures. SPARK’s childhood was conducting the study. When the evaluation results were known, we considered that we had a very positive report card, with multiple positive outcomes, including physical activity, fitness, sports skills, and academic achievement.

We immediately made plans to begin disseminating SPARK to local schools. Because we had no outside funds to support the program, we had to rely on a fee-for-service approach. We had no idea whether school administrators would pay for improved PE, but we soon learned there was a desire to improve PE. Teachers and administrators were aware that most of their PE programs were not serving students well, and they wanted to do better. Since most schools had not spent any money on PE materials or staff development in many years, they were willing to pay for a program with documented positive results. Paul Rosengard, who was the lead PE teacher and trainer during the study became director of dissemination. We worked with the San Diego State University Research Foundation to market, sell, and deliver the program on a non-profit basis.

To our surprise, the “business” grew. I consider the adolescence of SPARK to include the early dissemination efforts and the M-SPAN grant, which stands for Middle-School Physical Activity and Nutrition. The idea of this grant was to improve eating and physical activity on campus only through policy and environment changes. There was no direct classroom education of the students. M-SPAN was also an opportunity to develop and evaluate a health-oriented PE program for middle schools that was designed for PE specialists to implement. The intervention increased physical activity throughout the school day, and the PE intervention also led to students being more active in PE class, even though class length and frequency did not change. So, we began disseminating SPARK middle school PE and the after-school (“Active Recreation”) component as well.

I think of SPARK’s adulthood as starting when we licensed the SPARK name and intellectual property to Sportime (a PE equipment company) that was soon bought by School Specialty Inc. SPARK continued to grow, we added new programs in K-2 PE, Early Childhood physical activity, and High School PE, among others. A national network of talented, certified PE “trainers” was recruited and supported, SPARK moved into the electronic age with electronic curricula and support materials, and SPARK even made partnerships in China and India. SPARK staff have trained tens of thousands of teachers in thousands of schools, and improved the lives of millions of students. We estimate close to 2 million youth every day are active in SPARK PE and other programs.

Although it is logical and desirable that a health program, shown by research to be effective, would become widely used over decades, it is actually a rare outcome. That makes SPARK even more special, and in my fatherly role, it makes me prouder of SPARK, and it makes the whole experience particularly fulfilling as a health researcher.

Now at 30 years, SPARK is a mature adult. We celebrate the positive impact we have had on children’s health, school performance, and quality of life. We are grateful for the dedicated staff and trainers who have made all this happen. We appreciate the teachers, school administrators, health professionals, and concerned parents who have advocated to have active, enjoyable PE in every school, strong PE laws that are enforced, and opportunities for students to be active throughout the school day. The SPARK founders are particularly enthusiastic about our new partner, Gopher Sport. After considering several interested new partners, we selected Gopher Sport as the best prepared to lead SPARK into a healthy and vibrant middle age. As founders, we are pleased that SPARK continues to implement the lessons of the early research, and the evidence base supporting SPARK’s effectiveness is still growing. Over the years, public health has embraced PE, and the PE field increasingly recognizes the importance of what Thom McKenzie calls “HOPE: Health-Optimizing PE”. That was our vision at the beginning, and that remains our vision for the future.

The post SPARK’s 30 Year Anniversary Series, Part 1 appeared first on SPARK PE.

Hearst Foundation – Education Grants

The Hearst Foundations support well-established nonprofit organizations that address important issues within our major areas of interests- education, health, culture, and social service- and that primarily serve large demographic and/or geographic constituencies. Within these areas, the Foundations generally provide endowment, program, and capital grant support. Private nonprofits with significant support from the philanthropic community are favored over those financed through government sources. The Foundations use an open submission process, and proposals are welcomed throughout the year.

View Grant: https://www.hearstfdn.org/funding-priorities/

Daniels Fund

The Daniels Fund is dedicated to funding programs and projects dedicated to improving communities and helping community members to live healthy, productive lives. The Foundation is offering grants to organizations that provide quality youth programs in order to foster increased sportsmanship, confidence, discipline, and teamwork among youths.  The Daniels Fund Grants Program provides grants to nonprofit organizations in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. Grant applications are accepted at any time throughout the year.

View Grant: https://www.danielsfund.org/grants/overview

Goizueta Foundation

The Goizueta Foundation provides support for non-profit organizations in Georgia that empower individuals and families through educational opportunities to improve the quality of their lives. Focus areas include Early Childhood Education, Primary & Secondary Education and Youth and Family Development. If you feel your organization is a fit for this funding, complete out the organizational overview on the Foundation website to be invited to apply for a grant.

View Grant: https://www.goizuetafoundation.org/

Costco Charitable Giving

Costco accepts and reviews funding requests throughout the year on a rolling basis, and organizations are eligible to submit one application per fiscal year (Sep-Aug). Focus on supporting children, education, and/or health and human services

View Grant: https://www.costco.com/charitable-giving.html

21st Century Community Learning Centers

This program supports the creation of community learning centers that provide academic enrichment opportunities during non-school hours for children, particularly students who attend high-poverty and low-performing schools. The program helps students meet state and local student standards in core academic subjects, such as reading and math; offers students a broad array of enrichment activities that can complement their regular academic programs, including recreation and physical activity; and offers literacy and other educational services to the families of participating children. Awards are made to State Education Agencies (SEAs). Local education agencies (LEAs) and nonprofit organization may apply to states for subgrants.

View Grant: http://www2.ed.gov/programs/21stcclc/index.html

The National Education Association Foundation

Learning & Leadership grants support public school teachers, public education support professionals, and/or faculty and staff in public institutions of higher education to fund participation in high-quality professional development experiences, such as summer institutes or action research. All professional development must improve practice, curriculum, and student achievement.  Apply for funding to attend the SPARK Institutes today!

View Grant: https://www.neafoundation.org/for-educators/learning-and-leadership-grants/

The post PE Grant Information appeared first on SPARK PE.