Jim Harte: Telling Stories in Physical Education

What if physical education was about inviting young people into a story and living that story through the school year? This is an approach that coach and teacher Jim Harte has developed during his long career as a physical education teacher. The story is lived through in songs (musical learning) and a performance that finishes the school year. Jim visited the Meaningful Sport podcast to share stories from his journey in PE, the meaning he has found in his own career, and how his thinking and practice in PE has evolved over the years.

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I found out about Jim and his work sometime during winter 2020, when he got in touch and invited me to do a brief interview for him to use as a part of his teaching. After he explained his concept of physical education which involves songs, a storyline and a final performance at the end of the school year, I got even more interested. My own experience in PE, like for many others, was not about stories or songs, but about measuring your ability in different sports.

In the podcast, Jim takes us on a journey to understand how this approach came about.

Part 1 here:

In the second part of the episode, we find out more about the details of this storied approach and how to apply it in practice. For example, we explore:

# Where do the stories come from?

# What was the idea behind the most recent story “The 20th Kid”?

# What kind of legacy is Jim hoping to leave in the world of physical education?

Part 2 here:

Jim has recently retired but continues to be active for example via his YouTube channel that includes resources (tips, interviews, etc.) for students, players and coaches. You can follow Jim on Twitter @Msccamp.