Send us Fan Mail

A majority of teachers experience this, but what do we do about it? Apathy doesn’t start as laziness. It starts when good teachers feel drained, unheard, and stuck in systems that keep adding more while taking away the parts of school that actually feel human. I sit down with retired physical educator and lifelong P.E.  advocate Colleen Wegimont to talk about what educator apathy really looks like in schools and why it’s showing up more often in physical education.

We dig into the root causes: burnout from paperwork and shifting initiatives, pressure from standardized testing, lack of funding, and school cultures where special area teachers don’t get the same respect as “core” subjects. Colleen shares what she sees in struggling PE programs and what thriving districts do differently, including listening to teachers, backing them publicly, and supporting meaningful professional development. We also talk about the student side of apathy, including anxiety, bullying fears, phones and social media, and how cutting back on play and specials can quietly remove the joy from school.

In this episode we get practical. You’ll hear strategies PE teachers can use right now: resetting expectations for safety, advocating by inviting parents and administrators to “see it to believe it,” collaborating with classroom and music teachers, and leaning on mentorship and professional organizations to rebuild purpose and community. If you’re a teacher, department lead, principal, or district leader looking for real ways to prevent teacher disengagement and protect quality health and physical education, this conversation offers an honest map forward.

Share this with a colleague who needs a boost, and leave a review so more educators can find the show. What’s one change your school could make this month to reduce burnout and rebuild purpose?

Thanks for listening! 🙏🏼

If you picked up a new idea or felt inspired by today’s episode, I’d love to hear from you and if your interested in being a potential guest on the show; email [email protected] Please take a second to follow the show and share it with another educator who’s passionate and let’s keep the conversation going!” 

🗣️PSA******

P.E Teachers: Are you currently seeking graduate credits or professional development hours toward license renewal?​If so, you can receive $25 off any self-paced professional development course or year-long virtual course from my colleague at  Distinguished PE by using the code "nextlevelpe" at checkout. 

Visit www.distinguishedpe.com to learn more and find the course that’s right for you.