Join us this Sunday for our first #HPESummerBookClub video chat. tinyurl.com/HPEBOOKCLUB has all the details!

This year felt different. If you're ending the school year feeling more depleted than usual, you're not alone. Inspired by several powerful Microblog Month reflections & a timely post from Emily Zien, this piece explores how teachers can make the most important summer investment of all - themselves!

I’m highlighting so many quotes from @justteachingela.bsky.social’s new book, and consider it a must-read for health and PE teachers. We are reading DITCHING WEIGHT STIGMA as one of our #HPESummerBookClub selections. Find out more here: tinyurl.com/HPEBOOKCLUB

Brad’s book is $1.99 on Kindle right now!! a.co/d/05r4IxFW

Download a copy of our Summer Book Club poster here: drive.google.com/file/d/1TX7w... #HPESummerBookClub

“The real danger isn’t AI writing for students. It’s students surrendering their thinking.” Another thought-provoking piece on AI in education. Kevin Mason reframes the conversation away from plagiarism and toward cognition, skepticism, and what learning actually requires from the brain.

Brenda's post reflects on burnout, isolation, the growing challenges facing HPE educators, and a call to better support the next generation of teachers. This one will resonate with anyone who has ever wondered how much longer they can keep fighting the current.

“AI handles the build. I handle the teaching.” Matt Hagedorn's microblog is one of the more thoughtful pieces on AI in education I’ve read recently because it refuses both extremes. It doesn’t claim AI is saving education. It doesn’t claim AI is ruining it either.

Teaching is one of the only professions where you are expected to sprint, recover, emotionally regulate, perform, solve problems, connect with people, and pivot constantly for hours at a time. Andy Hair suggests we are "cognitive endurance athletes".

Teachers love a good "Turn and Talk" moment. It’s quick, it sparks discussion, and it keeps students engaged. But what if we could level it up by adding movement? I had fun writing this microblog post.

Unhealthy children suffer from poor attendance and poor attention — factors that greatly hinder academic success. When schools focus on student wellness, they foster the conditions necessary to improve academic achievement. Another great Jen Mead microblog post!

This is a powerful reflection on PE, policy, and the growing disconnect between what schools measure and what students need. Isaac's microblog blends personal narrative, policy critique, teacher identity, and a defense of PE as an educational necessity rather than an “extra.”

Not every issue deserves equal energy, and wise teaching often involves knowing what matters most. On the surface this post is about classroom management but underneath it’s really about professional maturity, relational teaching, energy management, and the evolution of teacher identity over time.

Leticia Cariño explores the power of provocations in PE through the lens of the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP). Rather than seeing provocations as simple hooks or activities, Leticia reframes them as intentional invitations to think, question, explore, and connect meaning to movement.

When Wyatt Franz invites students to reflect on movement experiences both inside and outside of school, he argues that PE becomes more than participation and compliance. It becomes a window into motivation, connection, identity, and lifelong engagement with movement.

This post from Ian Lacasse challenges one of the most common assumptions in education: that rigor comes from standardization. Instead, Ian argues that rigor lives in the skill itself — not in forcing every student to demonstrate that skill in exactly the same way.

Trying the Four New Norms (And What We’ve Learned) Shelby Hosmer reflects on parenting through the lens of The Anxious Generation and what it looks like to choose delayed phones, fewer screens, and more independent play.

Health educators teach regulation. Reflection. Relationships. Decision-making. Anna Marriott shares how those same skills shaped her transition from classroom teacher to assistant principal - and why health education may be one of the strongest leadership pathways in schools.

Passion matters. But passion alone won’t sustain you. Jen Heebink offers a powerful reminder that avoiding burnout requires more than loving what you do. It requires clarity around passion, success, and your strengths - and finding the sweet spot where all three meet.

In this thoughtful post, Emily Zien shares four intentional classroom practices that helped her middle school students build connection, and real-life social skills. Sometimes the best teaching happens in the structures we build around learning - not just the lessons themselves..

Health educators often feel pressure to make every lesson “fun” to prove our subject matters. But fun is not the same as learning. Drew Miller's #microblog post is an important reminder that meaningful health education doesn’t need to be flashy - it needs to be intentional.

“I hadn’t lost my passion. I was exhausted.” Casey Langendorfer's #microblog post is a powerful one This is a necessary read for educators navigating burnout, boundaries, and the difference between losing purpose and losing capacity.

We don't need health and wellness grifters. We don't need “biohacks” wrapped in pseudoscience and braggadocio. We don't need AI generated influencers. We need quality health education, taught by certified health education teachers. slowchathealth.com/2026/05/22/l...

Are students as intellectually curious as they once were? Has AI shortened their attention spans and desire to learn? Kurt's #microblog resonates with me. slowchathealth.com/2026/05/22/a...

Health teachers who coach already have the tools to build mentally stronger athletes. The challenge is not learning something new. It is intentionally transferring what we already teach into practices, competition, and high-pressure moments. slowchathealth.com/2026/05/20/c...

If you’ve ever confused burnout for discipline, this #microblog post from Jim Davis is worth your time. What if exhaustion isn’t proof of commitment, but evidence that something is out of balance? slowchathealth.com/2026/05/19/m...

I wrote this one to be a little provocative. How do you feel when we are referred to as 'Specials' or 'Extras'. I argue that “Specials” might sound harmless, but language shapes perception and perception shapes value. What do you think? slowchathealth.com/2026/05/15/s...

Sometimes our best teaching happens not when we perfectly deliver the plan, but when we are responsive enough to let the moment reshape it. Dr. Kristi Mally shares a powerful reflection on complexity, purpose, and what makes teaching meaningful. #microblog slowchathealth.com/2026/05/15/s...

“As schools adapt to evolving student interests, esports is proving to be a powerful vehicle for engagement, belonging, and school pride.” Another Dr. Seth Jenny & Slippery Rock University #esports #microblog post! slowchathealth.com/2026/05/14/e...

Thankful to Dr. Seth Jenny's “Introduction to Esports” students from Slippery Rock University for their annual contributions to #microblog month. slowchathealth.com/2026/05/14/p...

Before hitting send, young people need practical tools for thoughtful decision-making. Katie and Betty from Candor Health introduce the READY framework, a simple way to build healthier digital habits and more responsible tech use.

Silence leaves space for misinformation to fill the gaps. Liz Garcia shares why adults need to help young people make sense of the messages they’re constantly absorbing about sex, relationships, and consent.

The conversation you have with yourself shapes how you respond to pressure, on the field and in the classroom. Allison Fink explores how positive self-talk can help students build confidence, reset after mistakes, and perform at their best when it matters most.

Are teens today more anxious than ever, or are we finally getting better at recognizing and talking about mental health? Ellen Friedrichs offers a thoughtful, evidence-informed perspective on stress, resilience, and what young people really need from us.

Caroline Gajzler reflects on how a simple snack drawer became a space for connection, trust, and the kinds of conversations students often need most.

Sarah Gietschier-Hartman challenges us to rethink “world games” in PE. Through paddle sports from Barbados, Switzerland, and London, she shows how global movement experiences can deepen learning, build cultural competence, and remind students that movement connects us across borders.

What makes some teachers easier to sub for than others? Jessica Matheson draws on her experience as a full-time substitute to share practical ways classroom teachers can better support substitutes and set students up for success. #slowchathealth #microblog

Mark Housel challenges a mindset many of us fall into - counting down to the next break, the next milestone, the next “better” moment. In this short reflection, he invites us to consider what it means to find joy and purpose in the work we do today, rather than waiting for what’s next.

What if reflection became a regular part of PE class? Mike Chamberlain explores how a simple four-question routine is helping students build self-awareness, confidence, and meaningful connections to movement.

Maybe Hacky Sack Is Peak Meaningful PE Every few years, a new activity captures the interests of our students. Pickleball was hot for a minute, Spikeball was visible in every park and beach. Cup Stacking blew up for a while, and for a short period, each of these activities had their moment. If…

Dr. Cara Grant offers a simple but powerful framework for navigating the demands of our work: control what you can, influence what you’re able, and accept and manage the rest. Paired with Ryan Fahey’s rethinking of productivity, this is a clear reminder to focus your energy where it matters most.

If you're feeling burnt out, Ryan Fahey has a #microblog post for you. He challenges the way we think about productivity in schools, shifting the focus from doing more to doing what matters, in a way that is sustainable. slowchathealth.com/2026/05/07/r...

Ryan Fahey challenges the way we think about productivity in schools - shifting the focus from doing more to doing what matters, in a way that is sustainable. This post offers practical strategies to help educators manage energy, set boundaries, and prioritize meaningful work without burning out.

Michelle Rawcliffe writes about the reality of advocating for health education, and how isolating it can feel when you’re doing it alone. In this post, she shares how finding a professional community changed that experience, and why advocacy is something we need to approach together.

Kim Morton shares a message that’s hard to ignore: one day, your health may be the only thing on your mind. In this reflection, she challenges us to rethink how we value health now, and reinforces why what we teach in HPE has lasting impact far beyond the classroom.

Leticia Cariño shares the story behind launching an Upper School Sports Day, an event shaped by student voice, collaboration, and a shared commitment to creating something meaningful.

Field Day feels like magic to students. Drew Burris pulls back the curtain on what it takes to create that experience, and why it matters more than we might realize.

Teacher Appreciation Week can feel small in the face of big challenges, but the right words still matter. This post reflects on that tension and offers a simple way to recognize a colleague who deserves it. #teachers #TeacherAppreciationWeek #thankateacher

Ann Hagedorn offers a powerful outsider’s perspective from the SHAPE America conference floor - seeing Health and PE teachers not through assumptions, but through their actions. #slowchathealth #microblogmonth

Launching the HPE Summer Book Club as a way for our community to stay connected, keep learning, and reflect together over the summer. #microblogmonth