Making sport fun

SPORT can be a ‘‘doubleedged sword’’ — and making physical education enjoyable to children who are not natural athletes is one of the aims of an intensive conference that has drawn teachers from around the country.

Between 280 and 300 people are attending the 60th Physical Education New Zealand conference in Dunedin, which opened yesterday.

The nonprofit organisation promotes and develops physical education in New Zealand for teachers and students, and is holding its threeday conference at John McGla shan College this year.

A mix of primary and secondary teachers, principals, and representatives from all the universities around the country and three polytechnics are involved.

Three keynote speakers from the University of Auckland, Margot Bowes, Wayne Smith and James McIntyre, delivered an address on Monday morning.

Mr McIntyre said he was focusing on the way skills were taught at primary school. While there was always an element of competition in sport, a ‘‘winatallcosts’’ mentality was not necessary.

It was about finding children playful activities to participate in, that they would enjoy, he said.

‘‘We want to turn them on to sport, rather than turn them off.’’

Sport was a ‘‘doubleedged sword’’, and not every child was keen on it, he said.

Organiser Richard van der Jagt said one of the themes of the conference was taking the emphasis off purely physical health and looking more holistically at wellbeing, including at spiritual and emotional health.

Using physical education for more integrated learning was also one of the aims of the conference.

Groups of teachers were involved in workshops throughout the day, including one in the college gym, educating teachers on how to use games and physical activities to assist pupils’ learning when it came to other subjects.

Associate Education Minister Tracey Martin will also address the conference, at 11.30am tomorrow.

Other key speakers include Beez Ngarino Te Waati, cofounder of Maori performing company Hawaiki Tu, Ara Institute lecturer Allen Hill and teacher Gaye McDowell.

PHOTO: GREGOR RICHARDSON Teaching teachers . . . Taking part in a physical education workshop at John McGlashan College yesterday are (from left) Lise Ioane, Sarah Oto and Mitchell Osborn, of the Matipo Rd School, on Te Atatu Peninsula in Auckland.