As I went through my formal training, I soon discovered that a physical education teacher isn���t there just to train and inspire athletes; teaching a quality physical education program is about inspiring every child. By the time I finished my degrees in kinesiology and education, I knew I wanted to teach in ways that would positively impact every student���and inspire a love for movement along the way.

Our bodies need movement. It���s as vital to our health as good nutrition and clean water. Today���s physical education teachers are responsible for guiding all students along their physical literacy journeys and to give them the tools to incorporate the health-affirming, mood-boosting and social benefits of movement into their lives.

This process doesn���t look the same for everyone, so a quality physical education teacher learns to work with students individually to help them develop the skills to move their bodies in the ways that feel good to them. When physical education is modified to be accessible, meaningful, and fun, every student can build the confidence, competence and motivation to see movement as part of a healthy and joyful lifestyle.

What is inclusive physical education?

Inclusion is an integral part of a quality physical education program, yet some teachers struggle to support students with disabilities as they have limited training in those disabilities. Inclusive physical education is a teaching strategy used in general physical education programs. It creates an environment for all students, regardless of their skills, abilities and disabilities, to be successful.

In inclusive programs, no one sits on the sidelines. Everyone gets a chance to participate, no matter their physical abilities, cognitive capabilities or motor skills. It promotes cooperation, acceptance and empathy, and gives students opportunities to find commonalities and develop relationships with others.

Years ago, physical education classes tended to cater to (and reward) the strongest, most competitive students. Today, a high-quality physical education program, which, like any other subject,�� has standards and assessments, is focused on learning, not performing.

Students aren���t necessarily there to memorize the rules of a sport or win a game. They���re there to understand how their bodies move and why they need to move, and to find feel-good ways to get moving���however that looks for them.

Getting started with inclusive physical education

Fortunately, there aren���t many barriers to implementing inclusion in your physical education programs. Most inclusive modifications don���t cost a dime. All they require from teachers is a willingness to expand their knowledge and a commitment to differentiated instruction���both of which are hallmarks of all quality educators.

A quality program involves differentiating instruction to meet your student’s needs, interests and abilities. The goal is for all students to participate in activities where they all have opportunities to participate, learn, and be successful.

Teachers can begin adapting their programs by focusing on five elements to get everyone participating and learning: instruction, rules, or cues; actions; time and tempo; boundaries; and equipment. It���s all about offering options.

For example, an inclusive physical education classroom might set different rules for various groups of students. If you have a student who has limited accuracy and coordination you can use stationary or suspended objects, larger balls or even deflated balls to allow for more control. If students have limited strength you can lower nets or goals, attach an implement to their wrist with a strap or allow them to sit rather than stand.

Other modifications might be to remove time limits for certain activities or slow the pace down to allow for better motor control. When you have a student with a visual impairment you can use brightly colored tossables, include a tee for striking, provide a constant sound source, or even attach a bell or continuous beeper to a ball.

Different types of equipment can also help students achieve a goal or grasp a new concept. For example, using a bigger racket with a shorter handle makes it easier to hit an object, as students have more control of the implement���or working with a pool noodle in place of a jump rope can slow the motion down enough to make the movement achievable. Sometimes simply giving students a choice of equipment lets them participate in more activities and allows them to experience those ���I did it!��� moments of joy when they master something new.

The biggest challenges can be awareness and training. Most physical education teachers are trained in the mechanics of movement and not necessarily the ins and outs of working with students with specific disabilities. But there���s a wealth of free workshops and resources, like webinars, articles, and blog posts from trusted sources, like the National Consortium for Physical Education for Individuals with Disabilities, SHAPE America, and the International Federation of Adapted Physical Activity.

Joining local or online communities of fellow educators is also a great way for teachers to get inspired, learn new ideas, and pick up modification techniques. Following hashtags such as #Physed, #AdaptedPE and #InclusivePE is a good way to find such communities, as is joining Facebook groups focused on adapted or inclusive physical education. State and local groups are also great places to find communities to join.

How administrators can support inclusive physical education

There���s every reason to start small and simple with inclusive physical education. Any incremental shift in instruction will benefit students. But there���s no reason to keep your vision for inclusion small. Once administrators know that the opportunity for change exists���and how few barriers there are to support the goal of inclusion and physical literacy for every single student���they can become valuable allies in accessing more resources.

In larger schools and districts, physical education coordinators can be the engine of change, acting as champions for inclusive practices by ensuring their teachers have the education and materials they need to succeed. School leaders can help teachers and coordinators seek out and apply for grants for more training and specialized equipment. Remember, these items don���t have to be exclusively reserved for physical education classes���they can also be used in other classrooms, at recess and in afterschool programs.

But how do you get buy-in from administrators? One thing that may impact higher-level support for inclusive physical education is people���s attitudes toward physical education. We���re all affected by our own childhood physical education experiences, which can be radically different. So start a conversation with administrators. Present research, share knowledge, invite feedback.

But the best way to educate school leaders is to offer them the chance to see what an inclusive and quality physical education program looks like in action. Show them how some basic modifications make movement accessible to everyone. They���ll see first-hand that inclusive, differentiated instruction works in the gymnasium like in any other classroom to boost engagement, learning and self-discovery.

Today���s focus on inclusion and physical literacy is about celebrating what each student���s body is capable of and allowing them to build skills that boost their confidence and motivation. With some simple shifts, an inclusive physical education program opens the door to a lifetime habit of physical activity by working with each student on building their personal movement vocabulary.

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Based on my own experiences, whether it���s playing collegiate tennis and volleyball, cheering on my sons, or as a mental performance coach for high-level student-athletes, I���ve discovered some effective methods to support both parents and their students. My role as head of athletic and personal development at especially has opened up the world of education and youth sports and not only provided me with a deep understanding of the space but has also empowered me with the knowledge to effectively guide parents in supporting their children.

Here are the strategies I���ve learned for educators to effectively collaborate with parents to create the best outcomes for kids:

1. Encourage a growth mindset

Encouraging students to embrace constructive criticism is vital for their development and their ability to overcome challenges. Instilling a growth mindset, where feedback is viewed as a tool for improvement rather than criticism, is invaluable. Educators and leaders should provide feedback on areas within the student’s control and pair it with positive reinforcement.

They should also encourage parents to praise the work and effort within their kid’s control with comments such as, ���I saw all the focus and effort you put into the game today,��� rather than ���You are so talented.��� Emphasizing effort and resilience builds a strong foundation for students to succeed in sports and academics.

2. Emphasize resilience

When students face setbacks, such as losses or injuries, parental support is pivotal in how kids recover from those experiences. Encourage parents to give their children space to process emotions and engage in reflective conversations once they feel ready. High emotions are often not conducive to productive conversations.

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It is important to emphasize that self-worth and identity are not wrapped up in winning or losing but are reflective of personal effort and growth. By promoting resilience and learning from challenges, kids develop vital life skills beyond the sports arena.

3. Stress the importance of sideline Etiquette

Educate parents on the impact of their behavior during games. Supporting student-athletes from the sidelines means more than just cheering them on, it means supporting everybody else on the field too. Encourage positive cheering and constructive support while discouraging negative comments or criticism towards players, coaches or officials.

Parents must try to maintain a fun and supportive environment that enhances their children’s enjoyment and long-term participation in sports. In fact, 70% of kids quit sports because it stops being fun, whether because of parental pressure, burnout or stress. Sports are competitive, but at the end of the day, they should still be fun for everyone.

Ultimately, working together with parents as educators can enhance the experience and outcomes of youth sports for kids and parents. As educators and parents, our goal is to support students in pursuing their passions and ensure they enjoy doing so. As an educator, your guidance and collaboration with parents are vital to supporting kids in their sport and, most importantly, in the game of life.

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“It’s a perfect setup,” Spence says. “It���s not just an outreach to members of the community who are already in the schools, it���s an outreach to those who are beyond.”

Many of the K8 district’s students participate in the recreation department program, which the district has run for 20 years. And the community connections are further solidified by the activities offered to seniors and preschoolers. Older residents can take chair boxing and chair yoga while activities geared toward the community’s youngest can fill in childcare gaps, Spence explains.

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“It’s an opportunity for our seniors to be involved and feel more connected to the school district,” he notes.

A strong relationship with the community benefits the district at all times but can also be leveraged when the district asks for financial support. In April, residents will vote on to allow Waterford to exceed the state-imposed revenue limit by $4 million to retain staff, maintain high-quality instruction and keep buildings secure.

The rec programs are especially beneficial in engaging residents who don’t have children in the schools. And they give educators another avenue to stay in touch with all of the district’s constituents. “We can���t simply step outside and start yelling things and expect people to listen,” Spence explains.

“It can’t just be the take,” he adds. “It has to be some of the give. I feel we have a nice balance of give and take that allows the community to feel like we’re not a just school randomly asking for support.”

He advises another superintendent against waiting until a referendum is on the ballot to try to forge bonds with the community. A key part of Spence’s outreach strategy is making presentations to community groups multiple times a month.

“My goal is to make sure that the community feels just as welcome in our school as we do in their businesses and other areas,” he explains.

One of the things Spence is most excited about is Waterford’s recently adopted strategic plan, which includes the following mission statement: “Together we inspire, challenge and support every child to thrive, explore their passions and develop their potential, paving the way for a future of endless opportunities.”��

Circling back to the concept of community connections and the recreation department, Spence asserts that the district cannot achieve its goals without strong partnerships with parents. “We have to push ourselves to not just be static and to not be idle in what we do, but to always find the better, to find the great,” he concludes. “It’s not just about a student feeling that they’re getting a good education, they feel like they’re getting all these experiences and exposures, and that they’re ready for high school and beyond.”

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is a move to “save women’s sports,” says the measure’s sponsor, Rep. Greg Staube of Florida. The bill, which is pretty much certain to flounder in the Democrat-controlled U.S. Senate, sought to require schools to abide by the Title IX recognition of a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth in determining eligibility for athletics programs.

“Parents do not want biological men in locker rooms with their daughters, nor do they believe its equitable that a male can compete with women in female athletics,” Staube said in . “That is the whole purpose behind the creation of Title IX.”

The House GOP is following in the footsteps of a large number of state legislatures that have pushed similar bans, with the big difference being that those measures are now law. Several states have also enacted new restrictions that prevent transgender students from using the bathroom that matches their gender identity.

President Joe Biden has said he would veto any bans on transgender athletes. Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Education proposed updated Title IX regulations that would bar schools from imposing wholesale restrictions on what sports transgender athletes can play. The Title IX proposal would allow schools to set specific policies���based on sport, grade and level of competition���to ensure fairness and safety.

“Elementary school students would generally be able to participate on school sports teams consistent with their gender identity where considerations may be different for competitive high school and college teams,��� the department explained.

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Instead, they’ll have the ability to adopt specific policies based on sport, grade and level of competition to ensure fairness and prevent potential sports-related injuries. For example, the department said it expects to see younger students participating in sports since they’re just learning, whereas a collegiate team is focused on competitive success.

“That’s one reason why the Department expects that, under its proposed regulation, elementary school students would generally be able to participate on school sports teams consistent with their gender identity where considerations may be different for competitive high school and college teams,” according to a release issued by the department Thursday.

“One-size-fits-all policies that categorically ban transgender students from participating in athletics consistent with their gender identity across all sports, age groups, and levels of competition would not satisfy the proposed regulation.”

And in cases where schools seek to restrict participation based on a student’s gender identity, the department will look into why and how the criteria were imposed, an Education Department official said Thursday.

“The federal civil rights law is the law of the land,” a senior department official said in a call with reporters Thursday. Failure to comply may result in the department withholding federal funds to “ensure no federal dollars are spent to discriminate against students in school.”

The proposed regulations come one day after to restrict transgender athletes from competing in school sports.

“I wish it was 1960, and, you know, little Johnny’s a boy and Mary’s a girl, and that’s how it is, period,” Republican state Rep. John Eplee said during a committee discussion of a bathroom bill this month.

The proposed regulations will be open to public comment for 30 days. While the department anticipates the , the senior official did not state when these new rules will take effect.

“Every student should be able to have the full experience of attending school in America, including participating in athletics, free from discrimination. Being on a sports team is an important part of the school experience for students of all ages,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona in a statement.

More from 91心頭: Parents are once again worrying about some familiar school challenges

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Members of River Valley High School’s football team appear to be of black teammates in a video that made its way to Yuba City USD’s administrators last week, CNN reported. The students in the video were suspended from football, which meant the Northern California team no longer had enough players to compete, according to CNN.

���Reenacting a slave sale as a prank tells us that we have a great deal of work to do with our students so they can distinguish between intent and impact,��� Superintendent Doreen Osumi wrote in a statement obtained by CNN. ���They may have thought this skit was funny, but it is not; it is unacceptable and requires us to look honestly and deeply at issues of systemic racism.���

The video shows about a dozen students “pointing and yelling dollar amounts at three Black students standing in their underwear and up against a wall,” . Along with taking disciplinary against some of the players, the Sacramento-area district will develop character training for the team’s coaches and players, according to media reports.

Another district not far from Yuba City after administrators were alerted to “a highly inappropriate group chat thread involving the majority of the Amador High School varsity football team,” Superintendent Torie F. Gibson said in a statement.

The Amador County USD team’s season was suspended on Sept. 17 when the chat initially surfaced. Players allegedly used the phrase “Kill the blacks,” though one player said that was a reference to the color of another team’s jerseys, .

The severity of the allegations prompted administrators to launch an external investigation by an independent investigator as some of the allegations are being referred to law enforcement. Because that probe will take at least a month, all varsity football activities at the high school have been canceled. “Staff and students are entitled to a safe, welcoming, and nurturing environment,” Gibson wrote. “This is our opportunity to live our values and beliefs, and we must act.”

Hazing also cancels high school football

Controversial behavior by high school football players elsewhere has forced administrators to forfeit games and cancel seasons. Repeated hazing incidents captured on video ended the high school football season before it began at the Middletown Area School District in central Pennsylvania in August.

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Cellphone video taken by players this summer showed ���a group of students restraining two of their teammates and using a muscle therapy gun and another piece of athletic equipment to poke the buttock areas of the students who were on the ground,��� Middletown Area School District Superintendent Chelton Hunter said a to the community. The players involved were kicked off the team and the head coach resigned. The season was officially canceled a�� few days later when the district received another video of a separate hazing incident in the same facility.

Football seasons were disrupted but not shut down at two other Pennsylvania districts that investigated hazing reports. The superintendent of one of the districts said he didn’t believe it would have been fair to punish students who were not involved in the incident. In Virginia, two football players in Hanover County Schools were charged on suspicion of assault after a hazing incident that temporarily suspended football season, .

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Cellphone video taken by players on Aug. 11 shows “a group of students restraining two of their teammates and using a muscle therapy gun and another piece of athletic equipment to poke the buttock areas of the students who were on the ground,” Middletown Area School District Superintendent Chelton Hunter said Monday in his to the community about hazing on the football team. The players were fully clothed in the incident, which took place in the team’s “heat acclimation room.”

The players involved were kicked off the team after the district’s initial investigation, which also led to the resignation of the head football coach. At that point, the district decided not to cancel the season because of the impact that would have on players who did not take part in the hazing as well as on the marching band and cheerleading team.

A few days later, after the district received another video of a separate hazing incident in the same facility, the season was officially canceled. “Unfortunately, this video demonstrates that this hazing was much more widespread, and involved many more students, than we had previously known,” Hunter said Wednesday in his to the community.

“We know we must work to address the culture of this team, educate our student body about hazing, and put programs in place to help us ensure that this kind of atmosphere is never allowed to exist in our school facilities,” Hunter wrote.

All of the videos have been shared with local police. The school’s athletic director is now seeking alternative activities for the marching band and cheerleading squad.

Hazing allegations hit other teams

Hazing has also disrupted football season for two other Pennsylvania high schools and at least one in Virginia. 91心頭istrators at Athens Area High School were notified on Aug. 20 of “several incidents … related to hazing, bullying and improper behavior that has caused physical and emotional harm to several student-athletes,” Craig J. Stage, superintendent of the Athens Area School District, .

While administrators do not currently plan to scrap the season, both the district and Pennsylvania State Police are now investigating reports of hazing that date back to a football camp at Bloomsburg University, which is also in Pennsylvania, Stage explained. Any students or staff involved will be disciplined and all other coaches and players have been required to participate in hazing- and bullying-prevention training immediately. “We will not be canceling any football games,” Stage said. “We do not feel that it is necessary to take punitive action against football players who did not participate in these incidents, [or] the marching band and cheerleaders who also perform at football games.”

Football has been paused at Mohawk Jr/Sr High School in western Pennsylvania while administrators investigate reports of hazing, this week.

And in Virginia, hazing allegations have led authorities to postpone football games and cancel practices at Mechanicsville High School in Hanover County Public Schools, . The investigation was sparked by an anonymous tip received by the local sheriff’s office, according to the 意庄馨艶壊-禽庄壊沿温岳界鞄.油

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���I must admit, I am not an expert on transgenderism. I struggle to understand so much of it and the science is conflicting. When in doubt, however, I always try to err on the side of kindness, mercy and compassion,��� Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said in his March 22 to the state’s legislature.

Transgender student-athletes have been barred from girls’ K-12 sports in nearly a dozen GOP-controlled states, with the most recent ban becoming law in Iowa on March 3.��Students there can only compete in sports based on the gender listed on their birth certificates. “No amount of talent, training or effort can make up for the natural physical advantages males have over females,��� Gov. Kim Reynolds��. ���Forcing females to compete against males is the opposite of inclusivity and it’s��absolutely unfair.���

‘So much fear and anger’

Fundamental flaws in Utah’s proposal, known as HB11, could��bankrupt the state’s high school athletic association and result in millions of dollars in legal fees for local school districts,��Cox said. Initially, the bill sought to create a commission that wouldn’t place an outright ban on transgender athletes in girls’ sports. The commission’s goal would be to step in if a transgender athlete appeared likely to dominate a sport or posed a physical safety risk.

Cox also cited the following numbers in his letter (no source was named), focusing on the severe emotional distress many transgender students experience:

• 75,000 high school kids participating in high school sports in Utah
• 4 transgender kids playing high school sports in Utah
• 1 transgender student playing girls’ sports
• 86% of trans youths reporting suicidality
• 56% of trans youths having attempted suicide

“Four kids and only one of them playing girls’ sports. That’s what all of this is about,” Cox said. “Four kids who aren’t dominating or winning trophies or taking scholarships. Four kids who are just trying to find some friends and feel like they are a part of something. Four kids trying to get through each day.” He added, “Rarely has so much fear and anger been directed at so few.”

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The state’s legislature will attempt to override Cox’s veto on Friday.��“We care deeply for all students, but we cannot ignore the scientific facts that biological boys are built differently than girls,”��Utah Senate President J. Stuart Adams said in. “Doing nothing is taking a step backward for women.���

Lawsuits filed against transgender athlete bans in other states were cited by Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb in his to the state’s legislature on Monday. He also said the bill “falls short” of providing clarity around K-12 sports because it potentially allowed bans to be applied differently across school districts.

This win wouldn���t have been possible without the thousands of Hoosiers who voiced their strong opposition to state legislators and who showed up at the Statehouse to oppose this harmful bill.

Discrimination has no place in our state.

— ACLU of Indiana (@ACLUIndiana)

He disagreed with the bill’s presumption that high school sports in Indiana are unfair. “It implies that the goals of consistency and fairness in competitive sports are not currently being met,” Holcomb said. “After a thorough review, I find no evidence to support either claim even if I support the overall goal.”

A similar sentiment killed a similar proposal in North Dakota last spring.��Gov. Doug Burgum����in April 2021, saying the state already had ���fairness in girls’ and boys’ sports.��� An attempt to overturn the veto failed.

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The benefits extend from formally organized athletics department programs to more causal fitness activities yet, prior to COVID, fewer than four in 10 public high school students played sports.��Only 23% get the recommended level of daily physical activity, according to Aspen Institute’s Sports & Society Program. Still, most students who play a sport do so through their school.

“Many high schools are unable to deliver sports programs that meet the needs and hopes of students,” the think tank says in a newly released guide, “.”

The top reasons students don’t play are homework and a sense that, outside of recruited athletes, sports don’t add much to a college transcript, the Institute found in a survey of 6,000 kids. Among the other top reasons that students don’t participate is they don’t enjoy sports, their school doesn’t offer a sport they like or don’t think they’re good enough; others cited work schedules and family responsibilities as barriers.

Also, “athletic departments do a lot with a little,” the report says. Even high schools that are innovating to get more students involved spent just��2% to 4% of their budgets on athletic programs. And there are also stark equity problems: “high schools populated predominantly by students of color have 25 roster spots for every 100 students; at heavily white schools, there are 58 spots per 100 students,” the report says.

Solving the problem

The Aspen Institute playbook guides school leaders in how to improve sports for students who are already playing and better engage those who are not. To start, school leaders and coaches should work together to ensure resources are spread beyond just the top athletes to reach a wider swath of the student body. Also,��prioritizing health and safety with a sufficient athletic training staff can attract students who don’t play because they are worried about suffering a serious injury.

Here are several more steps to take:

1. Align school sports with the school mission: Beyond winning championships, the purpose of athletics is not always clear. In fact, among the top reasons students give for playing sorts, “winning games” falls far below having fun, exercising and making new friends. One school, for example, updated its mission statement for athletics to say the program��provides a competitive and safe environment where “student-athletes connect with caring coaches and experience physical, social and emotional growth leading to positive transformation.���

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2. Elevate student voice to gauge interest:��Polling students is the best way to find out what sports they want to play. The most effective surveys also ask questions that will allow administrators to break data down by gender interests, disability, race and ethnicity, and grade level, and find out whether some students would prefer other health and fitness activities. 91心頭istrators can use the findings to add programs and partner with community organizations that can help.

3.��Create personal activity plans:��Helping students develop a four-year athletic plan can be as beneficial as having them map out their��high school academic goals. Such a plan can cover both formal competition and physical fitness. “Call it a Personal Activity Plan, or any name you prefer, to underscore its deeper purpose – for students to acquire and retain the physical, cognitive, social and emotional benefits from physical activity that will help them succeed in life,” the study says. This can also help students find the sport that suits them best.

4. Introduce other forms of play: While varsity may get the most attention, administrators should also provide options for student-led club sports or intramural sports in which��classmates compete against classmates. These activities, popular on colleges campuses, offer the same benefits as��interscholastic competition���exercise, teamwork skills, mental health and a sense of belonging. 91心頭istrators at schools where varsity roster spots and playing time are limited should look at sports such as ultimate frisbee, which requires minimal equipment and no referees. The top four sports students want their school to add are archery, gymnastics, lacrosse and bowling.

5.��Bolster coaching education:��A high school coach can be the most important adult in a student’s life. But��coaches aren’t often trained to��make sports a safe, healthy and positive experience for students. Most states require coaches to complete concussion, first aid and CPR training but only a handful��require training in human development or developmental psychology. Athletics directors should provide more regular internal and external training for coaches, encourage them to network with their peers in other schools and hold coaches accountable to creating positive experiences that increase participation. This grid offers a model for evaluating coaches on increasing opportunities for younger children, understanding racial and gender discrimination, and building relationships with athletes, parents, coworkers and administrators. The grid does not include wins and losses.��

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Dedicated educators, popup non-profits, leagues and embedded organizations have rallied to bring gaming and curricula into K-12 schools with the same mission: Give kids a chance to play and build future pathways. That is especially true for students who struggle to make connections with peers or get involved in other activities.

Those who are united in the cause say the challenges, especially for tired teachers and cost-conscious administrators, are immense. But they agree that the investment is worth it.

���It’s a challenging time. COVID has had its impact on the entire ecosystem and structure of education,��� says Gerald Solomon, founder and executive director of the (NASEF), the pioneer in offering academics through esports. ���But the kids who engage in the data work, engage in the writing, they just shine. We’re seeing increased attendance in school. We’re seeing reengagement in the public educational system, especially when it’s wrapped in a very strategic and thoughtful educational, scholastic ecosystem.���

Despite the fallout from COVID-19 and a heavy switch to virtual (where it is native anyway), esports is still very strong. And they will take center stage again at the once-again-live from Jan. 25-28 with dozens of sessions.

Solomon said he is seeing growth in the U.S. and across the world through its many partnerships with international organizations. Two years ago, the (HSEL) had about 80,000 students participating. Now it has more than 140,000 and serves more than 3,400 schools.

Kristy Custer, Vice President of Educational Innovation at the HSEL and a former principal of the year in Kansas, says schools that haven’t climbed aboard yet should strongly consider it. ���I’ll give you a list of 80 reasons why we should bring esports into school, but we immediately saw attendance jump and kids were so engaged. It was like a silver bullet. But if all this does is bring a little joy to kids and teachers, and a little laughter and joy to the classroom right now, that’s enough.���

Joy means better outcomes for students

The data back that up. According to , which runs the HSEL, attendance among students rises about 10% when kids are engaged through esports and their grade point averages jump about 1.7 points. But it’s the SEL piece, the career track connection and the ability of esports to provide unique access to all that make it a champion in schools.

Custer, who along with fellow former educator Michael Russell developed the curriculum that has been downloaded 400,000 times, noted that one high school educator told her that esports ���normalizes the virtual playing field��� and has become one of the top five activities at his school in just a year. Because of its reach and inclusivity, it brings in more unengaged students and gives them purpose academically because of the positive reinforcement provided in a structured environment. Esports reaches seemingly unreachable populations.

���You can come to the esports team and be whoever you want to be,��� Custer says. ���One of the most foundational things that we learned [from a research study done this fall of a big high school district] is that 7% of the students gaming were from the LGBTQ community. All nine top sports combined are only getting 9%. Esports is capturing a marginalized, high-risk community, and we are helping them belong to something. It crosses a lot of social-economic boundaries.���

What attracts students initially, of course, is the rush of playing. Aside from relevant paths that can open doors to careers in shoutcasting, digital arts and coding, there are huge opportunities for kids to game. A myriad of organizations offers everything from pay-to-play models to free challenges and popup events from NASEF such as Rube Goldberg, Minecraft and FarmCraft challenges. The HSEL and other platforms offer serious tournament play from Overwatch to NBA2K at the high school level and Rocket League and many other games for middle schoolers at per-semester and yearly costs to schools. Game developers are also trying to tailor new titles for younger kids.

Though monetary models have been criticized at K-12, semester and yearly fees at HSEL and MSEL aren’t too pricy ($1,500 and $750 per year, respectively), and schools have been tapping into ESSER funds to make that a reality. One deep consideration, of course, is the cost of equipment. Though schools can get a jumpstart with Nintendo Switches and consoles, the best environments have gaming PCs.

���The kid in Chicago, the kid in Wichita need access to high-quality gaming equipment,��� Custer says. ���You get those high-dollar PCs to spark that interest and lay that digital foundation for those kids so they say, this is fun. It is a huge equity and access piece. Some students are not playing on PCs. They’re asking for PlayStations and Xboxes, so they can play NBA2K. Why? Because they’re within the monetary range.���

Aligning gaming with education

Esports curricula vary from free to paid but are continually updated and provide a way for schools to deliver that key element that makes esports different from traditional sports���the learning element. For example, NASEF offers free English Language Arts Integrated Courses that align with content standards, career technical education and middle school modules that focus on translatable esports skills. HSEL, long known as a competition arm for esports in K-12, has made a huge commitment to add more education tie-ins, including the addition several years ago of Gaming Concepts along with the recent hiring of more than two dozen educators.

Gaming Concepts has gone from book to updated series and includes the introduction to esports (a primer for educators just getting started) as well as a technical piece on digital arts (Level 2 coming in fall 2022) that can be positioned as part of an interactive arts pathway. There is also 1.1, which focuses on ���30 moments in mental health��� that is being piloted among 1,600 students and includes concepts such as fighting toxicity, self-esteem, self-efficacy and self-regulation. A new Gaming Concepts 3.0 promises to be eligible for CTE funding.

The offerings from both organizations, and of course the heady work by independent teachers just simply doing it on their own, are helping students get to that level, not as gamers but taking that knowledge and earning scholarships to colleges and universities.

���The whole concept of gaming and esports by itself is a relatively closed environment, but when you wrap around social-emotional learning opportunities, curriculum, career pathway education and awareness, it is a whole new world,��� Solomon says. ���When you give a child an opportunity who doesn’t know that it exists, doesn’t see a future for themselves������I really love art. I can make a career in art around gaming that I love to do, and actually earn a living doing that’���or in a sundry of other workforce skill opportunities that are powerful. We continue to hear, especially around ELL individuals that say if it weren’t for our ability to communicate, be on teams exhibiting leadership, we would not be as proficient in communication and English without that.���

ESPORTS SESSIONS AT FUTURE OF EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE��

(All are in Esports Theater unless noted; subject to change)

Wednesday, January 26

• 9:30 AM (South 210D): with Erica Perkins, Ruckus
• 12:15 PM: with Ruben Caputo, California State University, Dominguez Hills, and Daniel Ordway, ViewSonic
• 1 PM: ��with Joey Gawrysiak and Christopher Scroggins, Shenandoah University
• 1:45 PM: ��with Tyler Hahn, Cherokee Public Library, and Gerald Solomon, NASEF
• 2 PM (South 230B): with Douglas Konopelko, CDW
• 2:30 PM: with Carolyn Gluth, Logitech
• 3 PM (North 220G): with Jorrel Batac, NASEF, and Tyler Hahn, Cherokee Public Library
• 3 PM (South 230B): with John Shoemaker, Palm Beach County School District (Sponsored by CDW)
• 3:15 PM: ��with Chris ���Doc��� Haskell, Boise State University
• 4 PM: with Joey Gawrysiak and Christopher Scroggins, Shenandoah University, and Joshua Kell, Horizon AVL
• 4:45 PM: with Steve Isaacs, Epic Games, and Jesse Lubinsky, Ready Learner One

Thursday, January 27

• 10:15 AM: with Joey Gawrysiak and Christopher Scroggins, Shenandoah University
• 10:30 AM (North 220E): ��with Constance Steinkuehler, University of California, Irvine
• 11 AM: with Douglas Konopelko, CDW
• 11:45 AM: with Joey Gawrysiak and Christopher Scroggins, Shenandoah University
• 12:30 PM: with Ruben Caputo, California State University, Dominguez Hills, and Daniel Ordway, ViewSonic
• 1 PM (South 312):
• 1 PM (South Hall A): with Constance Steinkuehler, University of California, Irvine
• 1 PM (South 230 A): with Lori Houchin, Lee County School District and Eddy Varela, Polk County Public Schools
• 1:15 PM: with Kristy Custer and Michael Russell, High School Esports League
• 2:45 PM: with Jorrel Batac, NASEF and Orange County District of Education
• 3:30 PM: with Joseph DiPuma, Flagler Schools

Friday, January 28

• 9:45 AM: with Chris ���Doc��� Haskell, Boise State University
• 10:30 AM: with Kristy Custer and Michael Russell, High School Esports League
• 11 AM (South 230B): with Douglas Konopelko, CDW
• 11:15 AM: with Jorrel Batac, NASEF and Orange County District of Education; Laurie Boyer, St. Lucie Public Schools; and Gerald Solomon, NASEF
• 12 PM: with Ruben Caputo, California State University, Dominguez Hills, and Daniel Ordway, ViewSonic

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