Donna Moore: Ask, Listen, Learn in the Classroom
“This isn’t what P.E. was like when I was in school!” As a 31 year Physical Education Specialist veteran, I hear this statement from many adults observing my class. Physical Education has evolved as kids have changed. Exer-gaming is an innovative, exciting addition to my curriculum at Julia Randall Elementary (JRE) School in Payson, Arizona where I teach 3rd – 5th grade students.
When the Century Council contacted me to pilot the Ask, Listen, Learn gaming system, I knew this would create another avenue to get kids moving. Even though many schools choose to use this program in middle school, I feel it is never too early to expose students to a program that encourages them to make healthy choices including saying NO to underage drinking. Developing a strong self-image at a young age encourages students to feel confident & self-assured when they are faced with difficult decisions in today’s society.
During the Ask, Listen, Learn lessons, my gym becomes a video arcade. Ten televisions line the perimeter of the gym with Xavix systems playing the various video games such as “A Trip to School,” “The Eco-Challenge,” “A Dance Lesson” or “Flight Archery.” The kids are so excited about the program that I created an Ask, Listen, Learn score card for students to document each game played and score achieved. Students are in the gym every break during the day to play. As a Physical Educator, this is exciting! Not only are students receiving valuable life lessons, they are elevating their heart rates and improving personal fitness. Needless to say, this unit of instruction is by far one of the most popular and looked forward to each year.
Students and fellow educators at JRE know how passionate I am regarding physical activity, nutrition and their overall well-being. The Century Council has created an incredible game which allows Physical Educators the ability to improve their students’ overall fitness while raising students’ awareness of alcohol; providing them with the tools to say “YES” to a healthy lifestyle and “NO” to underage drinking. Check out our entire school getting up to MOVE and support healthy lifestyle choices!
Thanks Donna for being a longtime supporter of the program, active user of the Ask, Listen, Learngame, and one of The Century Council’s 20 People to Watch! To request a system for your school, please contact Fadi Seikaly at email hidden; JavaScript is required