Advocacy in Physical Education

Advocacy, what is it and who is responsible for it? Communication for the purpose of influencing others about an idea, issue, or concern that is of interest to you

Types of Advocacy Macro Level: Micro Level:

Begin in your own gym If you don’t have a program that effectively promotes learning then you don’t have anything for which to advocate! – effective teaching – use assessment – lesson plans – four learning domains – alignment with standards

Ask yourself the following on a daily basis: 1.What did my students learn today? 2.Did I prepare a quality lesson that advanced student learning? Or did I “roll out the ball”? 3.Have I contributed to the establishment of a progressive and student-centered curriculum? Or do I teach only what I like? 4.Did I assess student learning and have I used those results to inform students, myself, and others? Or do I only use assessment for grading?

Program Advocacy involves your administrator! Invite administrators to your class Educate about current best practices Have an assessment plan Provide appropriate observation tools Keep communicating with your administrator

Start Small Get contact information for all students and their guardians Create a student birthday calendar Prepare a webpage and/or newsletter Always have a quality lesson Invite parents and administrators Try to integrate other curricula into P.E..

Start Small Be friendly with everyone Visit other teachers’ classrooms Invite the principal to join the physical education faculty meetings Attend other school events

Keys to advocacy 1. Clearly define goals and objectives – Goals: – Objectives: (SpecificMeasureableAttainableRealisticTimebound)

Keys to advocacy 2. Identify your target audience WHO are we advocating to? Cultivate coalitions with as many entities as necessary

Keys to advocacy 3. Gather data for your message Physical activity Facts Target your message Refine your message

Keys to advocacy 4. Create a persuasive message Define the problem or situation Use bulleted points “5 minute” rule, “elevator pitch” Avoid inflammatory words Answer this: why should my child take physical education?

Keys to advocacy 5. Identify potential action strategies 6. Review and Revise

Resources ces/toolkit/ ces/toolkit/ ces/ ces/ Action for Healthy Kids American Heart Association Centers for disease control and prevention: healthy youth