Teaching Health and Physical Education in Early Childhood and the Primary Years offers a practical resource for pre-service teachers that covers Health and Physical Education (HPE) in child development from birth to 12 years of age whilst linking to the Early Years Learning Framework and the Australian Curriculum. Practical and engaging, the text examines the importance of HPE for children and how this can be taught effectively in early childhood settings and schools. Covering fundamental movement skills, sports specific skills and game-based pedagogies, the book will have implications for a range of disciplines including the sport sciences, human movement studies, health and education, social policy and physical education. Supported by a range of learning materials such as critical investigations, case studies and videos, Teaching Health and Physical Education in Early Childhood and the Primary Years provides students with the knowledge, and understanding to enhance wellbeing and equip them with the skills to inspire a healthy lifestyle in the children they teach.

In early childhood education, children find in their own body and movement the main way to get in touch with the reality that surrounds them and, therefore, acquire knowledge about the environment in which they grow and develop. Undoubtedly, the progressive discovery of the body itself as a source of feelings and sensations, as well as exploring the different possibilities of action and bodily functions, constitutes necessary experiences on which children's thinking is built. Furthermore, the affective relationships established in psychomotor education situations, and particularly through play, are essential for the emotional development of children. Physical Education Initiatives for Early Childhood Learners offers globalized educational practices, didactic approaches, and proposals for intervention around motor development in the children ages 0-6 years. The book specifically explores laterality, coordination, relaxation, rhythm, etc. and how these are achieved through games, music, and motor stories. This book is ideal for early childhood educators, physical education teachers, administrators, daycares, preschools, early childhood learning centers, researchers, academicians, and students interested in physical education’s role in early child development.

This book focuses on improving well-being among young children. It provides a theoretical base explaining why physical activity is important, and offers practical strategies for increasing health and well-being in early childhood settings. It takes ancient wisdom on the mind and body connection, applies it to the youngest children, and supports it with current empirical and international evidence—all with an eye toward improving wellness across the lifespan. The many topics discussed in the book include children’s motor skills, movement, interaction, physical literacy, the use of video games, dog ownership, developmental delays, as well as strategies to improve physical activities in the classroom and broader contexts. In recent years, children’s health has become a priority worldwide. Topics such as “screen time” “sedentary behavior” and “childhood obesity” have become important issues everywhere- in the news, in schools, in community and commercials settings, and among health care providers. Limiting sedentary behavior, increasing physical activity, and maintaining a nutritious diet are three fundamental needs during early childhood. Preschool years are a time when children begin to explore the world around them, and develop more vivid understandings of their surroundings. As this book shows, the early years may be the best time to teach wellness concepts and assist young children in establishing healthy lifestyle habits.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of skills and theory required to teach health and physical education in Australian schools.

Physical inactivity is a key determinant of health across the lifespan. A lack of activity increases the risk of heart disease, colon and breast cancer, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, osteoporosis, anxiety and depression and others diseases. Emerging literature has suggested that in terms of mortality, the global population health burden of physical inactivity approaches that of cigarette smoking. The prevalence and substantial disease risk associated with physical inactivity has been described as a pandemic. The prevalence, health impact, and evidence of changeability all have resulted in calls for action to increase physical activity across the lifespan. In response to the need to find ways to make physical activity a health priority for youth, the Institute of Medicine's Committee on Physical Activity and Physical Education in the School Environment was formed. Its purpose was to review the current status of physical activity and physical education in the school environment, including before, during, and after school, and examine the influences of physical activity and physical education on the short and long term physical, cognitive and brain, and psychosocial health and development of children and adolescents. Educating the Student Body makes recommendations about approaches for strengthening and improving programs and policies for physical activity and physical education in the school environment. This report lays out a set of guiding principles to guide its work on these tasks. These included: recognizing the benefits of instilling life-long physical activity habits in children; the value of using systems thinking in improving physical activity and physical education in the school environment; the recognition of current disparities in opportunities and the need to achieve equity in physical activity and physical education; the importance of considering all types of school environments; the need to take into consideration the diversity of students as recommendations are developed. This report will be of interest to local and national policymakers, school officials, teachers, and the education community, researchers, professional organizations, and parents interested in physical activity, physical education, and health for school-aged children and adolescents.

This book encourages effective teaching and learning in primary physical education, supporting the reader in meeting the QTS Standards and beyond. It explores the importance of PE for children′s learning and advocates a developmental approach to teaching; it also examines a model of professional practice based on personal reflection and self-appraisal, and emphasises the importance of continuing professional development. A rich selection of practical activities is provided, which cater for children′s learning needs across the primary years. Content is related to current agendas and issues, including the Primary National Strategy, Excellence and Enjoyment, Every Child Matters and the forthcoming Olympics.

In elementary schools across the United States, many teachers tasked with teaching health education or physical education have not had training in these areas. Health and Physical Education for Elementary Classroom Teachers: An Integrated Approach, Second Edition, is the perfect resource for these educators. It covers both health and physical education while giving current and preservice teachers the skills to deliver appropriate lessons to their young students. In this second edition, Retta Evans and Sandra Sims, respected educators and physical education advocates, provide everything teachers need in order to seamlessly incorporate health education and physical education into an integrated curriculum. Based on national health education, physical education, and state-specific academic standards, this is a guide that will help teachers empower elementary students to become healthy and active. A new chapter dedicated to contextual considerations of the learner will guide teachers to better understand factors that may affect learning and give them ideas for changing students’ health behaviors. The new edition’s ancillary products, offered through HKPropel, allow teachers to put concepts from the text into use with their students. Instructor ancillaries include the following: Sample syllabus Chapter resources, including an overview, outline, and review questions with answers Approximately 25 chapter questions, using various levels of Webb’s depth of knowledge framework, to help in creating quick assessments of student learning or in building custom tests Approximately 200 slides to reinforce key points Also new to this edition are related student resources delivered through HKPropel, which include lab exercises that allow education students to practice the material they are learning and design their own standards-based lesson plans that integrate health and physical education. Learning activities and key terms with definitions align with each chapter in the text. The resources also include sample integrated activity plans for each of the five physical education standards and each of the eight health education standards. Health and Physical Education for Elementary Classroom Teachers is organized into two parts. Part I focuses on the foundational knowledge needed for teaching health and physical education. It addresses risky behaviors relevant to today’s generation of students, the impact of children’s physical growth on learning and decision making, and the characteristics and benefits of a high-quality physical education program. It also includes the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child model as a way to facilitate school-wide collaboration that connects education to wellness. Part II emphasizes the strategies necessary for incorporating health, physical education, and physical activity into the curriculum and school day. It discusses how teachers can become advocates of healthy and active schools, identify habits that promote everyday health in the classroom, and incorporate physical activity and the national standards into each school day. It also presents teaching methods, assessment tools, and evaluation strategies to ensure teaching success. Note: A code for accessing HKPropel is not included with this ebook but may be purchased separately.

Children are already learning at birth, and they develop and learn at a rapid pace in their early years. This provides a critical foundation for lifelong progress, and the adults who provide for the care and the education of young children bear a great responsibility for their health, development, and learning. Despite the fact that they share the same objective - to nurture young children and secure their future success - the various practitioners who contribute to the care and the education of children from birth through age 8 are not acknowledged as a workforce unified by the common knowledge and competencies needed to do their jobs well. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 explores the science of child development, particularly looking at implications for the professionals who work with children. This report examines the current capacities and practices of the workforce, the settings in which they work, the policies and infrastructure that set qualifications and provide professional learning, and the government agencies and other funders who support and oversee these systems. This book then makes recommendations to improve the quality of professional practice and the practice environment for care and education professionals. These detailed recommendations create a blueprint for action that builds on a unifying foundation of child development and early learning, shared knowledge and competencies for care and education professionals, and principles for effective professional learning. Young children thrive and learn best when they have secure, positive relationships with adults who are knowledgeable about how to support their development and learning and are responsive to their individual progress. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 offers guidance on system changes to improve the quality of professional practice, specific actions to improve professional learning systems and workforce development, and research to continue to build the knowledge base in ways that will directly advance and inform future actions. The recommendations of this book provide an opportunity to improve the quality of the care and the education that children receive, and ultimately improve outcomes for children.

Written by a team of experts, Health and Wellbeing in Childhood is an essential resource for students, educators and carers.