Hey all!
My name is Mary O'Neil, I am a fifth year education student at the University of Lethbridge. I have always had a passion for physical activity, I swam at the varsity level for three years and it provided me with so many opportunities and enriched my life in many ways. I believe many behavioral issues could be lessened through the inclusion of physical activity breaks during class time. In 2005 the Alberta government implemented the DPA initiative, teachers were asked to ensure that students got thirty minuets of physical activity outside of recess each day. I researched quite a bit and found lots of supportive information on DPA up until 2008 after that the information stops. The initiative is still in the curriculum but there is little to no information after 2008.
So what happened to DPA? I graduated high school in 2009 and remember when DPA was implemented in schools, I was in grade nine and we got to sign up for different DPA sessions. It felt very forced and I think a less structured approach might be better although I did enjoyed the Physical Activity and learned yoga. After grade nine the programs stopped and I defiantly did not receive 30 mins of Activity in the school day. I have done two practicums in two different schools in grades 2 and 5, in neither of these schools did I see DPA of thirty mins. Each class had gym class a few times a week and that was it. I knew about the DPA initiative and asked the teachers why it was not happening, they said what much of the research has told me: there is no time and no facilities, the teachers already have too much material to cover without loosing half and hour a day.
AS a future teacher I see so many benefits to DPA, perhaps I am naive but I think a ten minuet dance break would re-focus and re-charge many students!! Although we may not be able to eradicate childhood obesity with thirty mins of limited activity it cant hurt! So I have made this site and blog to help breath life into the DPA initiative, I encourage you to comment your success and failures, check out the "Awesome Activities" page to find some great ideas and inspirations. If your still a skeptic check out the "Benefits of DPA" page to take a look at a few studies that say DPA at the very least can refocus a classroom.
Cheers!
Mary
My name is Mary O'Neil, I am a fifth year education student at the University of Lethbridge. I have always had a passion for physical activity, I swam at the varsity level for three years and it provided me with so many opportunities and enriched my life in many ways. I believe many behavioral issues could be lessened through the inclusion of physical activity breaks during class time. In 2005 the Alberta government implemented the DPA initiative, teachers were asked to ensure that students got thirty minuets of physical activity outside of recess each day. I researched quite a bit and found lots of supportive information on DPA up until 2008 after that the information stops. The initiative is still in the curriculum but there is little to no information after 2008.
So what happened to DPA? I graduated high school in 2009 and remember when DPA was implemented in schools, I was in grade nine and we got to sign up for different DPA sessions. It felt very forced and I think a less structured approach might be better although I did enjoyed the Physical Activity and learned yoga. After grade nine the programs stopped and I defiantly did not receive 30 mins of Activity in the school day. I have done two practicums in two different schools in grades 2 and 5, in neither of these schools did I see DPA of thirty mins. Each class had gym class a few times a week and that was it. I knew about the DPA initiative and asked the teachers why it was not happening, they said what much of the research has told me: there is no time and no facilities, the teachers already have too much material to cover without loosing half and hour a day.
AS a future teacher I see so many benefits to DPA, perhaps I am naive but I think a ten minuet dance break would re-focus and re-charge many students!! Although we may not be able to eradicate childhood obesity with thirty mins of limited activity it cant hurt! So I have made this site and blog to help breath life into the DPA initiative, I encourage you to comment your success and failures, check out the "Awesome Activities" page to find some great ideas and inspirations. If your still a skeptic check out the "Benefits of DPA" page to take a look at a few studies that say DPA at the very least can refocus a classroom.
Cheers!
Mary
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