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Episode SIX introduces Leticia Cariño, an Elementary (PYP) Physical Educator in Abidjan in the Ivory Coast. In this episode, we discuss opportunities and challenges related to implementation and how the way we implement MPE is contextual. Leti shares several reflective strategies she uses with her learners and how she uses those reflections to shape her instruction to meet her student's needs. 

Leticia Cariño is a passionate physical educator from Spain, dedicated to promoting health and well-being among her students. Currently, she teaches Physical Education (PE) in the Primary Years Programme (PYP) at the International Community School of Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. Previously, Leti spent 7 years at an international school in Cambodia where she first became interested in the ideas of the Meaningful Physical Education framework. Leti shares her ideas on her blog Inspired by Movement to see examples of the way Leti applies the framework as discussed in the episode, check out a few of her blog posts linked below. 

Links from Episodes

• Inspired by Movement - Individual Pursuits & The Meaning PE Framework
• Inspired by Movement - MPE Inquiry into Movement & Gymnastics 
• Meaningful Physical Education: An Approach for Teaching and Learning (Amazon)

Re: "Fan Mail" 

• Meaningful PE Strategies (Google Doc)
• Learning About Meaningful Physical Education (LAMPE) Website 

Thanks to Isaiah Gleddie for the guitar pieces, SSHRC for some funding and our guests for sharing!

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Episode FIVE introduces Andy Milne and Megaera Regan, two outstanding Physical Educators from the United States. In this episode, we discuss the interest in Meaningful PE through their engagement in online discussions through social media, reflective practice, the new SHAPE America standards and as usual, we conclude the episode with some great advice from our guests. 

Andy Milne has been a health and physical educator for the past 29 years and currently teaches in Illinois. He has been recognized for his innovative use of technology in the classroom and in 2017 was named SHAPE America National Health Education Teacher of the Year. Andy runs the #slowchathealth blog site that seeks to amplify the voice of health and physical education teachers across the globe. 

Megaera Regan is a retired physical education teacher from the Port Washington School District in Long Island, New York. Megaera is the 2020 SHAPE America PE Elementary Teacher of the Year and 2018 New York State AHPERD (NYSAHPERD) Elementary PE Teacher of the Year. Currently, Megaera works with future PE professionals through Southern Connecticut State University. 

Links from Episode

• Meaningful Physical Education: An Approach for Teaching and Learning (Amazon)
• Andy’s Blog - Backpocket Question Guide
• Andy’s Blog - Autobiography Assignment
• SHAPE America National Standards

Thanks to Isaiah Gleddie for the guitar pieces, SSHRC for some funding and our guests for sharing!

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In this special episode, Dr. Tim Fletcher re-joins the podcast to discuss impressions and takeaways from the first 8 episodes of the Meaningful PE podcast. Other discussion topics include the role of practitioner reflection on their vision for PE, and whether or not MPE is suitable for those who already have found their PE experience meaningful. The episode concludes by setting resolutions of how each of us hopes to continue to explore and pursue ideas related to MPE in 2025. 

Thanks to Isaiah Gleddie for the guitar pieces, SSHRC for some funding and our guests for sharing!

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In this bonus episode, Dr. Risto Marttinen, Associate Professor of Physical Education at George Mason University and host of the Playing with Research in Health & Physical Education podcast joins the show to talk about, well, podcasts! In this conversation, we discuss the changing landscape of the podcast world and the place of podcasts in academia, professional development and teacher education.

Links from Episode

Playing with Research in Health & Physical Education (Risto’s Podcast)

Listening.io (PDF to Speech)

Conferences Referenced in Episode 

AIESEP Conference, St. Petersburg, Florida

PHASE Conference (Asia)

PHE Canada Conference, Niagara Falls, ON

Thanks to Isaiah Gleddie for the guitar pieces, SSHRC for some funding and our guests for sharing!

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Episode FOUR introduces Kyle Beattie and Riley Derksen - both part of the class of 2022 in the HPE MEd Cohort here at the University of Alberta who teach in Alberta and Saskatchewan respectively. Our discussion dives into the practicalities of teaching through a Meaningful PE lens, changing philosophies, shifting practice, meeting ALL students where they’re at, authentic reflection and more. 

Kyle L. Beattie,  MEd, is an Associate Principal at a grade 7-12 school in rural Alberta. He has spent most of his career teaching Physical Education, other subjects in grades 7 to 9 and promoting youth sport in his community.  

Riley Derksen is a public school high school physical education and health teacher in Saskatchewan. At her school she is a part of the learning council and is the physical education department head. She completed her Kinesiology and Education degrees at the University of Saskatchewan. She has also completed her masters in physical education and health at the University of Alberta. She is passionate about growing as a teacher and infusing the meaningful physical education framework in her classes!

Links:

• “Back to School” - Class of 2022 Book (Amazon) - Christmas special - two books (also the 2020 Cohort book - "Our Journey") for only $19.95 CAD (about $14 USD or $13 EUR)!
  • Kyle’s Chapter (3) and Meaningful PE paper (PHEnex Journal)
  • Riley’s Chapter (5)
• Joey’s podcast on student feedback (and lots more!) can be found on his website: The Physical Educator.
• HPE MEd Cohort website

Thanks to Isaiah Gleddie for the guitar pieces, SSHRC for some funding and our guests for sharing!

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In this bonus episode, Dr. Scott Kretchmar joins the podcast to discuss how teachers can lead their students on a journey toward joy & meaning.  Dr. Kretchmar is a Professor Emeritus of Exercise and Sport Science at Penn State University. He has written extensively on the role of games and play in human evolution. His work has featured prominently in the development of the Meaningful Physical Education framework, especially pertaining to the features of joy and delight. In this episode, Dr. Kretchmar discusses how teachers can “grow playgrounds” through the formation of good habits, time, adventure, and creating some ‘delicious uncertainty’ through competition. 

Links from the episode:

• Butler & Griffin (2005) Teaching Games for Understanding
• Kretchmar (2000) Moving and Being Moved: Implications for Practice
• Kretchmar (2008) The Increasing Utility of Elementary School Physical Education

Thanks to Isaiah Gleddie for the guitar pieces, SSHRC for some funding and our guests for sharing!

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Episode THREE Introduces - Jodi Harding-Kuriger. In this episode, Jodi dives into her dissertation research which focused on using Group Concept Mapping (GCM) to unpack what secondary students find most meaningful about physical education. Jodi shares ideas of how teachers can apply the ideas of GCM to better understand how to meet the needs of their students. 

Jodi Harding Kuriger, PhD, is a dedicated Health and Physical Educator with a passion for promoting the love of movement. Currently coordinating grade 4-6 Arts, Hockey and MultiSport academies in Maskekosak (Enoch Cree Nation) while balancing an active lifestyle with her husband, Mike, and three energetic children. Committed to lifelong learning and professional development, Jodi’s research foci include meaningful PE experiences, group concept mapping, and research as service with Indigenous communities.

Show Notes:

• Jodi Harding-Kuriger (Dissertation, 2023) Conceptualizing meaningful physical education: A secondary school study
• Harding-Kuriger, Gleddie, Ni Chroinin & Lessard (2024). Using Group Concept Mapping to Conceptualize Meaningfulness in Physical Education with Secondary Students. Journal of Teaching in Physical Education.
• groupwisdom.com the Group Concept Mapping platform that Jodi used in her research.
• AIESEP 2024 Poster Presentation
• Meaningful Physical Education: An Approach for Teaching and Learning (Amazon)

Thanks to Isaiah Gleddie for the guitar pieces, SSHRC for some funding and our guests for sharing!

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In this episode, Dale Roth & Court Rustemeyer, two Outdoor Educators from Alberta (Canada), join the show to discuss their philosophy related to Outdoor Education and how they facilitate meaningful experiences for students in the outdoors. Topics of discussion include the role of reflective practice in facilitating meaningfulness, as well as 'features' of meaningful outdoor experiences; a connection with nature, belonging, and a sense of adventure.

Connect with Court on X (@Rusty1122)
Connect with Dale on X (@RothDale)

Links from the episode:

• Global Environmental, & Outdoor Education Council (GEOEC) for the event mentioned by Court after the episode.
• Hill & Flemons (2023) Creating space for meaningful physical activity at home: women’s stories of social interaction, micro-adventure, and the joy of feeling strong
• Metheny (1968) Movement and Meaning
• Arnold (1979) Meaning in Movement, Sport & Physical Education

Thanks to Isaiah Gleddie for the guitar pieces, SSHRC for some funding and our guests for sharing!

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Episode TWO introduces -  Anita MacDougall and Mel Trojanovic. In this episode, Anita and Mel share how they think about and enact meaningful PE has evolved, the metaphors they use to make sense of the meaningful PE framework, and all the successes and challenges along the way. As Champion teachers in Ontario, Mel and Anita conclude the episode with advice for those interested in implementing MPE in their contexts. 

Anita MacDougall has been a teacher in Ontario for the past 24 years, the most recent 12 have been spent teaching Physical Education at the Elementary and Middle School level. Anita was the 23/24 recipient of PHE Canada’s Teaching Excellence award. Anita is a Champion of Meaningful PE, and works alongside teachers hoping to facilitate for meaningful experiences for their students. 

Mel Trojanovic has been a physical educator in Ontario, Canada for 28 years, teaching students from Kindergarten through Grade 8. She has had the opportunity to present and develop physical activity resources throughout her career with her local school board and provincial organizations including CIRA Ontario and OPHEA. Mel is a Champion of Meaningful PE, and the author of Chapter 3: Meaningful Physical Education and Immigrant Newcomers in the Meaningful Physical Education book (see show notes).

Show Notes:

• Learning About Meaningful Physical Education 
• Meaningful Physical Education: An Approach for Teaching & Learning

Thanks to Isaiah Gleddie for the guitar pieces, SSHRC for some funding and our guests for sharing!

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This first ever BONUS Episode of the Meaningful Podcast Experience features Sarah Succee and Lila Berg - recent grads of the HPE MEd Cohort here at the University of Alberta. The conversation ranges from their Cohort experiences and advice, Sarah's duoethnography research on burnout as a badge of honour, Lila's research on PE advocacy and much more!

Links:

• Health and Physical Education MEd Cohort website
• Sarah's MEd thesis (forthcoming)
• Lila's paper (forthcoming)

Thanks to Isaiah Gleddie for the guitar pieces, SSHRC for some funding and our guests for sharing!

To contact us:

[email protected]

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