Do your students ever walk into your gym and feel at peace? Do the students in your class accept others as they are? As physical educators, I believe that we can make a big difference in the gym, teaching peace and love through our everyday practices. The purpose of this article is to give you some ways to promote a gentler and kinder classroom, which in turn can promote peace in the home and peace in our world.
We all want to be seen as “precious” in our teacher’s eyes. As my students come to the gym, the first thing they see are the two signs below!
The Power of Greeting and Positive Communication
My expectations are very high for the students to have a happy attitude. They know it and, for the most part, adhere to this expectation! When my students walk into the gym, they arrive at a traditional classroom. They sit down in their squad lines, and I greet them, “Good morning boys and girls!” and they reply, “Good morning, Mrs. Cluley.”
I talk about this at the beginning of the year and really all throughout the year: using people’s names as an act of love. Then, I say our “quiet signal,” which is the following: I say, “Never grow tired,” and the students say enthusiastically, “…of doing what is RIGHT!”
Through these practices, students learn the importance of respect, positive communication, and maintaining a positive attitude.
Leadership Words for World Peace
Next is the all-important “Leadership Words for World Peace.” I call a student (grades 2-5) up to the front of the room to lead the class in these words. The student leads us, and we repeat! We do these words every day, and I often, and I mean often, hear the students saying these words throughout the year, especially, “You go first,” and “My classmate is really good at…”
B = Brave: “Let’s do the right thing!”
R = Respectful: “My classmate is really good at…”
I = Intelligent: “I can do hard things!”
G = Generous: “You go first!” or “What would YOU prefer?”
H = Honest: “I will tell the truth.”
T = Trustworthy: “I will do the RIGHT THING when no one is looking!”
It’s planting the seeds of world peace daily! It carries into the home as well because parents tell me this all the time!
Inspiring Students to Spread Peace and Helpfulness
At the beginning of the school year, I have a project called the “Is there anything I could do to HELP you?” Project. Each student gets a paper with a calendar on it. The students have to say, at home, and at least TEN times over the month, “Is there anything I could do to HELP you?” to a parent/guardian. The parent initials for that day. I asked our PTO to purchase 7 large footballs for me to give away in a random drawing for those who return the paper by the last day of the month.
After the students return this paper to me, I give them another paper, which they are to color and return to me. I then deliver their papers to be displayed in local businesses! Not only are the students promoting peace and helpfulness in their home, but they are also spreading this spirit to the greater world at large with their coloring sheets in local businesses. Who knows who they could inspire?! They are so proud to see their papers in local businesses!
Promoting Active Listening with Students
In my Texas curriculum guide, I have to teach about “listening,” so last year I made up this project called the “Tell me More” project. Listening is truly a skill, and I read an article about three simple words, “Tell me more…” to improve our listening skills. We practiced in class, and the students received a paper requiring them to say “Tell me more” at home at least 10 times, have their parents initial, and return it to me to have their name entered in a drawing for 7 large footballs! Parents loved this project as well!
Building Stronger Communities with Family PE Events
Golden Shoe Day
By the end of September, an event called “Golden Shoe Day” takes place, where all family members are invited to school during their child’s PE time. Families walk or run around our field, to music, with their child, hoping that their child’s class will win “The Golden Shoe Trophy!” I have been doing this event for 25 years! It is a great family day promoting love of family and the importance of exercise. At the end of the day, one grade comes away with the Golden Shoe Trophy, to be displayed in their classroom for the rest of the school year. It’s an exciting and fun way to promote exercising together!
Additional Events Throughout the Year
To continue on with the importance of bringing love into our world, I have two, sometimes three events starting in December:
- Movement with Moms in PE
- Playing with Pops in PE
- “Gigglin’ & Groovin with the Grandparents in PE”
Families love these events, and ALL are welcome to every event. Not all parents can get off work, and I want to accommodate all family dynamics so that everyone may come, play games, dance, feel love, and share love! Including families in PE helps spread love and build togetherness, creating a stronger, more supportive community.
Teaching Humility in PE
Humility is certainly a theme in my gym. Here is one of my walls in my gym, that high school art students drew and painted for me!
We also repeat these HUMILITY words at times:
- Calmness is mastery
- Self-control is strength
- Admit mistakes and take responsibility
- QUICK to speak the good of others
- LISTEN to the ideas of others.
Creating a Culture of Respect
I also have the following in the hallway right outside my gym. “My charity in my words brings peace to our world.”
Beautiful words that I want my students to learn:
- “Nice to see you today!”
- “May I please help you?’
- “Which would YOU prefer?”
- “YOU go first!”
- “Thank you so much!”
Can you imagine if everyone in our world spoke these beautiful words?! I believe that peace CAN start in Physical Education class, if we hold our students to these high standards. It can’t help but seep into their families and our world!
Challenging Students to Lead with Love and Peace
I will end with a poster I made for my gym. Let’s take on our world and challenge our students to be the best they can be by ADDING love and peace to our world by their words and actions!
Promoting peace and love in the Physical Education classroom can have a profound impact on our students, their families, and the wider community. By instilling values of respect, active listening, humility, and positive communication, we can nurture a generation that leads with kindness and compassion.
Let’s continue to challenge our students to be the best they can be, adding love and peace to our world through their words and actions. Together, we can make a difference, one student at a time.
7 Responses
WOW, MARY. CALL ME SOMETIME AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT ALL THESE HONORS.
Mary – we are so proud you are a difference maker in BISD! What a blessing you are to our students, staff, parents, community, and now, through this article, to the whole WORLD! Proud to work alongside you!
How unique! Over and above anything I have ever seen!
I’m so proud to call you family but also to call you a fellow educator. It’s incredible the amazing things you are doing for your community. We are a better world with teachers like you.
Mrs. Cluley is one of the most gracious and loving people I have ever known. The children, as well as those she teaches with, love her, too. Those words and phrases she teaches her students are the words she lives. I am so very thankful to have Mary in our Burkburnett ISD.
I would expect nothing less. She is a life long friend of mine and I love her so much!
I was teaching at Notre Dame Elementary School when Mary joined the faculty. Her compassion, warmth, creativity, and work ethic were evident from the beginning. She continues to flourish. Her contributions to the lives of children and the profession are invaluable.