At Crocker Middle School in California, 6th-8th grade students are experiencing the world of fitness, health, and wellness during physical education classes. The physical education department fosters a dynamic PE experience, knowing that middle school is a pivotal time for students to learn, develop, and grow.
Throughout the three years of middle school PE, Crocker students are exposed to various physical activities paired with cognitive and health components that develop the complete picture of healthy living. In addition, Crocker incorporates data and goal setting to help students take an active role in their fitness and health journey. Altogether, the physical education program supports middle school students during a critical time of development and change.
Check out 5 keys to Crocker Middle School’s physical education success.
#1 – Building A Foundation Of Fitness At Crocker Middle School
At the center of the Crocker Middle School PE program is a commitment to create quality movers. PE teacher Josh Bowie says that within every grade and class, physical education is rooted in foundational fitness and quality movement mechanics,
“From day one, we work to introduce the foundational movements of squat, lunge, hinge, press, and pull that translate to all other types of fitness and exercise.”
While PE teachers will vary the intensity and expectations of foundational movements based on grade level and experience, Josh explains that the foundation of fitness helps to build confidence, comfort, and consistency in PE,
“We use PLT4M’s curriculum and resources with the Intro To Fitness program so that every student shares a common language and understanding about form and technique that helps them grow within the world of exercise.”
To do this, Crocker has large portable Smartboards that display different content and materials to help deepen instruction and learning.
Example video from PLT4M’s Intro To Fitness Program introducing the air squat.
#2 – Exposing Students To Lifetime Fitness Opportunities
With a consistent focus on foundational fitness, Crocker PE teachers also work to expose students to various lifetime fitness opportunities and activities. Josh describes how the PE teachers at Crocker work hard to vary and change the different types of sports, games, and activities they introduce students throughout middle school,
“We do a lot of different and fun activities like juggling, tag rugby, yoga, climbing ropes, dance, gymnastics, softball, soccer, volleyball, basketball, and more.”
Josh says that the Crocker PE program is constantly evolving to introduce new and different units to students,
“Our goal is always to adapt and change, which is one reason we love PLT4M because they have evolved and changed with us. PLT4M listens to requests from teachers and is always adding new materials. We see PLT4M as our first place to find quality resources and content for new units.”
Example video from PLT4M’s games and activities section breaking down a volleyball bumping drill.
# 3 – Incorporating Health & Wellness Topics
Beyond physical activity and exercise opportunities, Crocker also prioritizes incorporating health and wellness topics through students’ middle school PE journey. Josh explains that both during the dedicated 7th grade health semester and during other physical education classes, Crocker has pushed for putting together the complete picture of health and wellness,
“For example, there is a comprehensive anatomy and physiology component. But we also work to incorporate and introduce nutrition, which is such an important aspect of overall health and wellness.”
And as Crocker PE teachers continue to evolve their approach, Josh says that they have eyes set on new and responsive curriculum,
“There is so much pressure on students, so units within PLT4M like Sleep provide other opportunities to tie in all the pieces of total wellness to help manage busy lives. We are excited to keep involving more of these different units within our curriculum.”
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# 4 – Empowering Crocker Middle School Students With Data & Feedback
While Crocker has tapped into PLT4M for curriculum, Josh says one of the biggest advantages of the added technology in physical education is the data component,
“It is really important that the students know where they are and own their fitness and health.”
Crocker utilizes a wide range of fitness assessments within PLT4M so that students can see where they are at and the progress they have made over the years. Josh says that this recognition and insights create another crucial layer for empowering students,
“It is powerful to show an 8th-grade student all of their data over the last 3 years so they can see just how far they have come in anything from the one mile to the pacer or anything else we have assessed over the years.”
Beyond showing individual data and progress, Josh explains how many of the students get an added boost of excitement with live leaderboards,
“The students are always asking us to make different leaderboards so that they can see where they are at and push a little harder with some friendly competition. It is another great layer of what we can do with technology.”
# 5 – Focusing On Goal Setting
Beyond students just seeing past and present data, Crocker PE students take it a step further by setting goals and working towards them. Using different fitness metrics, students start to set percentage-based goals to work towards consistently improving throughout their middle school career. Josh describes this as the final piece that puts it all together,
“With all the work we do in fitness and in the cognitive components, we tie it together with goal setting. What does a student want to improve, and how can they do it?”
Through goal setting, Crocker is helping build real-world skills that support middle school students as they become young adults and forge their own path of lifetime fitness and health.
Key Takeaways On Crocker Middle School PE Success
Crocker Middle School has embraced the power of physical education for middle school students. Josh credits his fellow PE teachers, administrators, parents, and community for supporting the program over the years,
“Our entire community recognizes the power of fitness, health, and wellness. And the best part is our students embrace class and work hard and have fun simultaneously.”
While many view middle school physical education as a challenging and awkward phase for students, Crocker Middle School has transformed this experience into one of empowerment and success. By focusing on inclusivity, diverse activities, and positive reinforcement, Crocker Middle School creates an environment where students feel supported and motivated.
Instead of the typical stress associated with middle school PE, students at Crocker develop confidence, build lifelong skills, and enjoy a range of physical activities tailored to their interests and abilities, turning a potentially daunting experience into one of growth and achievement.
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