Here is a question I often ask myself:
How am I making my curriculum more diverse?
I initially asked myself this question when I was reading some opinions on classes like "African American Literature" and "Native American Literature." A common refrain from certain groups can sound like: "Why is a class like that necessary?" or "Why isn't there a 'White American Literature' class?"
The answer is pretty simple. There are already a ton of classes that focus on white literature. Those classes are most general surveys of literature/English classes. If you look at the curriculum, most of the authors of the works discussed are often white males. White is the default in a lot of these general classes, which creates a need for spaces where minorities accomplishments can be celebrated. If a course's work is being designed, the designers need to be more cognisant of what is included in that curriculum. A class's content needs to better reflect the diverse backgrounds and cultures of its students.
Using my powers of reflection, I asked myself, "How can I apply this to Physical Education?" It is certainly a head scratcher. Especially, when one of the coolest things about physical education is that the language of movement transcends a lot of barriers. Throwing a ball is universal. Running faster than someone else is universal. So many of the concepts in Physical Education are universal. But, the vehicles we use to teach these concepts may not necessarily be so, a lot of those vehicles being sports. Using your power of reflection, can you see how maybe your curriculum may not be as diverse as you thought?
Now, I do not have a definitive answer on how to better diversify my curriculum. But, I have some ideas:
-Don't focus on the Big 3 sports
The Big 3 Sports to me are the money makers at any college, football, basketball, and baseball. I believe these three sports are so prevelant in American culture, that as a physical educator, I do not need to spend a lot of time on them during my class. I especially feel that way for football. I do not think it is a good game for Phys Ed classes, and that is with the focus of having our students becoem actively engaged in physical activity for their lives. I played football in high school, and I have played a total of 2 pick-up games since I graduated. With lifelong movers in mind, I think basketball has the most value considering how easy it is to get a pick-up game going at a local gym or park.
-Showcase games from around the world
During my undergrad, the majority of my classmates, including myself, figured that a good way to include multicultural topics into our classes were to include dances from around the world. Which it is a good way to include some different cultures, but only has value if you discuss the cultures associated with the dances. That would cut into precious activity time if you did that! I think a better way to include other cultures is to feature games popular in other places around the world. One I plan on including in the future is Ga-ga Ball. This is a dodgeball game that originated in Israel and has recently started gaining mainstream popularity.
-Design activities to be inclusive
This one is a pretty easy one. Most teachers do this already in how they differentiate their activities for their students. But, something I want to always keep in mind is can this activity be played by everyone? No one should be sitting out of your activity because they cannot do it (obvious health concerns aside). When designing your lesson, are you keeping in mind how to accommodate those with disabilities? Can everyone use the equipment you've selected? Would they experience more success with different equipment? Different rules? I am still searching for the perfect activity where I do not need to worry about accommodations. I would love to play a game that is 100% inclusive!
These are just some thoughts I have been having for a while now and wanted to share. If you have any solutions on how to better diversify your Phys Ed curriculum, please share them with me! I would love to hear them!
-Buddy
The answer is pretty simple. There are already a ton of classes that focus on white literature. Those classes are most general surveys of literature/English classes. If you look at the curriculum, most of the authors of the works discussed are often white males. White is the default in a lot of these general classes, which creates a need for spaces where minorities accomplishments can be celebrated. If a course's work is being designed, the designers need to be more cognisant of what is included in that curriculum. A class's content needs to better reflect the diverse backgrounds and cultures of its students.
Using my powers of reflection, I asked myself, "How can I apply this to Physical Education?" It is certainly a head scratcher. Especially, when one of the coolest things about physical education is that the language of movement transcends a lot of barriers. Throwing a ball is universal. Running faster than someone else is universal. So many of the concepts in Physical Education are universal. But, the vehicles we use to teach these concepts may not necessarily be so, a lot of those vehicles being sports. Using your power of reflection, can you see how maybe your curriculum may not be as diverse as you thought?
Now, I do not have a definitive answer on how to better diversify my curriculum. But, I have some ideas:
-Don't focus on the Big 3 sports
The Big 3 Sports to me are the money makers at any college, football, basketball, and baseball. I believe these three sports are so prevelant in American culture, that as a physical educator, I do not need to spend a lot of time on them during my class. I especially feel that way for football. I do not think it is a good game for Phys Ed classes, and that is with the focus of having our students becoem actively engaged in physical activity for their lives. I played football in high school, and I have played a total of 2 pick-up games since I graduated. With lifelong movers in mind, I think basketball has the most value considering how easy it is to get a pick-up game going at a local gym or park.
-Showcase games from around the world
During my undergrad, the majority of my classmates, including myself, figured that a good way to include multicultural topics into our classes were to include dances from around the world. Which it is a good way to include some different cultures, but only has value if you discuss the cultures associated with the dances. That would cut into precious activity time if you did that! I think a better way to include other cultures is to feature games popular in other places around the world. One I plan on including in the future is Ga-ga Ball. This is a dodgeball game that originated in Israel and has recently started gaining mainstream popularity.
-Design activities to be inclusive
This one is a pretty easy one. Most teachers do this already in how they differentiate their activities for their students. But, something I want to always keep in mind is can this activity be played by everyone? No one should be sitting out of your activity because they cannot do it (obvious health concerns aside). When designing your lesson, are you keeping in mind how to accommodate those with disabilities? Can everyone use the equipment you've selected? Would they experience more success with different equipment? Different rules? I am still searching for the perfect activity where I do not need to worry about accommodations. I would love to play a game that is 100% inclusive!
These are just some thoughts I have been having for a while now and wanted to share. If you have any solutions on how to better diversify your Phys Ed curriculum, please share them with me! I would love to hear them!
-Buddy