ABSTRACT
In this chapter I look at how I have used the Meaningful PE Approach to help students make connections in their learning in physical education. Many of my students are newcomers to Canada, and prior to their arrival at the school, many had little to no formalized physical education opportunities. Because of this, I felt it was important to engage students in thinking about ways a quality physical education program could help them see how movement can enrich their lives. I attempted to do this largely by infusing ideas about Meaningful PE, particularly those about personally relevant learning, into a unit on gymnastics. It also helped me develop guiding questions and generate discussions with students. In this chapter I share planning decisions and pedagogical strategies that helped me support students in making connections between the subject matter of gymnastics and the ways these could inform their lifelong physical activity participation. In addition, the approach allowed me to be more intentional in my lesson planning to better meet the diverse needs of the students in an impactful manner.
