Will (15) and Christina (10) skating a pairs program in 2000.
I never expected to raise athletes. As a former scholar/band geek, I was surprised to be doing more than giving a basic overview of different sports and exercises during our homeschool P.E. Instead, I was led deeply into the world of athletics.
My husband, Terry, and I started our homeschool P.E. by introducing a number of different sports. Our oldest child, Will, just wasn’t that interested in any of them, although he loved bike riding. That remained the case … until Terry took Will skiing about a month before his eighth birthday.
Will was natural at skiing and fell completely in love with it. Christina and I joined in and learned to ski shortly before Christina’s third birthday. Before we knew it, we were skiing almost every day in the winter as a family. Within a couple of years, Terry and I found ourselves living in Vail, Colorado, with two ski racers for children.
We had also become a roller-skating family after roller skating with our homeschool group. Then we were invited to join a roller-skating club … which led to figure skating … which eventually led to Terry and me becoming the parents of international figure-skating competitors.
I guess you’d call that child-led P.E. Very Montessori-like, even though the awards and competitions of sports certainly aren’t Montessori-like.
So, how did we use Montessori principles to teach P.E.?
1. We followed the child. That part was easy. Will wasn’t interested in baseball, basketball, football, soccer, or the other traditional school sports. We introduced a number of sports but went with Will’s interests. Will loved skiing … and then loved figure skating as a pairs skater even more. Interestingly, as an adult Will enjoys playing basketball, tennis, racquetball, beach volleyball, and other sports for fun.
Christina, on the other hand, loved all sports and still does. It sounds so un-Montessori-like that she started ski racing at age 3 and was a NASTAR national ski racing champion at ages 4, 5, and 6 (before she “retired” from ski racing to have time for her figure skating). But actually, we were following Christina’s interests. She wanted to ski race like her brother. Then she wanted to figure skate.
2. We emphasized enjoyment of the process and of the competitive performance. Montessori education isn’t about tests, grades, and rewards. It’s about the love of learning. That’s a difficult concept when it comes to sports because sports are so competition- and award-oriented. And I really don’t know how to avoid competitions and awards for children who love particular sports and follow an interest that gets them intensely involved.
But I do know that athletes perform better and are happier when they focus on the process and on the enjoyment of performing/competing. We didn’t focus on Will’s and Christina’s placements as much as we did on them getting the most out of each competition in terms of enjoyment, knowledge, experiences, and character development.
I think those principles can be used with any sport. And if we follow the child and emphasize the enjoyment of the process, then I think our children will end up achieving the real goal of P.E. Even as adults, they’ll be active, healthy individuals with a love of sports and fitness.
UPDATE: Another post about our homeschool P.E. experiences: Homeschool Freedom from Uniforms and Uniformity.
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It was very nice reading this article. Thanks for sharing.
This post reminds me of what I LOVE about the Montessori approach to learning/teaching… thank you for reminding me, Deb! What a neat story, too! ♥ Michelle
Thanks so much, Michelle! You always say the nicest things!
So glad I met you through blog frog. Our paths are very similar. Montessori for preschool, then into private school, now homeschooling.
My daughter is a serious ballet dancer and yes, it was child-led PE.
Let's keep in touch. I am now subscribed to your site.
Thanks for your comment, Kim! Wow – that is similar! My daughter even debated between becoming an ice dancer or professional ballet dancer for awhile! Let’s definitely keep in touch. I’m following you also!
Aw, Deb. What a beautiful story! Thanks for sharing it. I used to be in love with ice skating as a child. You're doing a wonderful job! I think this IS Montessori as you are FOLLOWING your children.
Thanks so much for your kind words, Evelyn! Following our children has definitely led to the most amazing life experiences and memories!
I love the principles behind this. What a great way to teach kids.
Popping over from SITS.
Thanks for visiting and for your comment, Allison! Following the child has to be my all-time favorite Montessori principle.
Hi! I love reading your blog, so I have Wild About Your Blog Award for you on my blog:
http://leptir-mojpribor.blogspot.com/2010/07/2-no…
Thanks SO much! That is such a cute award design! I’m honored and truly appreciate it.
After reading your post I realize that perhaps I'm using some Montessori principles as well.
My son displayed a knack for golf at a very early age. He started with plastic clubs then moved on to the real thing.
He's only 5 now but amazes people when we go out to the course to hit balls. We've never pushed him, we've just let his interest guide him. As long as he wants to go hit balls or practice putting we will be right there with him!
Thanks for your comment, Tina! Yes, you're definitely using some Montessori principles! Your son sounds great – have fun!
And I found you through 31DBB on Blogfrog!
I’m glad you found me, Anastasia! Thanks for your comment. Dealing with public schools is difficult, isn’t it?! I started homeschooling to give my children an individualized education and preserve their love of learning… and we never regretted it.
I have always considered homeschooling. The schools in Texas are atrocious. I never even thought about P.E! 🙂 I have a lot of respect for what your doing.
What fun! I used to ski a lot, when I was a child. I don't care for the cold much anymore though and living in KS we don't have mountains. Really flat! LOL! 😀
Thanks for your comment, Sherry! We actually started skiing at Great Bear Ski Valley in eastern South Dakota! Needless to say, that wasn’t a big ski hill!
What a great story. I keep hoping that DS will find a sport that he really enjoys. It's great that you were so able to follow your kids' leads.
Thanks! If Will’s experience is true for many kids, it just sometimes takes time to find the right sport. It sounds like you’re on the right track!
Wow! That is quite a journey you've been on with your children and their sports.
My girls love dance, so they take dance lessons every school year. They have shown no interest in anything else, even though they have friends who participate in other activities. So, for now, dance is it! I guess I'm doing some child-led P.E. myself!
Best wishes to you and your kids as they compete! (Most of all, I hope they love it and have fun!)
~Jennifer
Thanks for your comment, Jennifer! Dance is a great workout – and beautiful as well! Both Christina and Will took lots of dance for their figure skating. Christina always loved any form of dance, and Will took dance lessons because they were important if he wanted to be a top-level skater. Christina and Will both have used their dance a lot as adults. Will even goes salsa dancing regularly with his wife! They've definitely used and enjoyed the skills and experiences they gained.
I enjoyed your article. The iceskating picture was beautiful. We mostlyget our P.E. time out in nature. Going to our local park, hiking, fishing, swimming. thanks for the post. 🙂
Thanks, Joyce! P.E. in nature is great – that’s one thing I missed about figure skating compared to skiing. Of course, no below-zero weather was nice!
Hi – Joining you from Homeschool Village. I can relate to you! I wasn’t in band but I was an art geek! Although I was on the swim team for 2 years in high school but not very good at it. The good thing is that physical activity could even be considered as a park playdate! Enjoy the rest of your week! 🙂
Thanks for visiting, Nicole! Isn’t it great that we just need to find some sort of activity our children enjoy – and hopefully that we can enjoy along with them?!
Awesome photo/post!! I love figure-skating!! I love to watch it at least! It is a very physically demanding sport! They are having fun and that is what matters. Thanks for posting on The Homeschool Village. It's fun to share and read about other homeschools.
Thanks so much, Jessica! I really appreciate your visit and kind words. I always loved watching figure skating, too, and I appreciate it even more now that I understand exactly how difficult it is!
A great read!
Just goes to show that given the opportunity children and adults can do amazing things! 🙂
Thanks, Gemma! I still can’t believe all the sports I’ve done because of my kids – I even did some ski racing when Will and Christina were young! It all helped me be much more fitness-oriented now.
It's funny that you wrote about this, because I was just having this conversation with my older sister. Her son is a perfectionist, and is afraid to race in swim team for fear of failure. I was saying that she should try to change his definition of what "winning" is. I think winning should be defined by your own improvement, enjoyment and knowledge of the sport. I, being horribly unathletic, was well-versed in doing it for personal improvement versus competition. Thanks for this post!
Thanks for your insightful comment, Laura! Sounds like the perfect advice for your nephew!
What an interesting post! I was never gifted at sports (even tho my dad was a minor league baseball player), but always felt pressured to "go out for the team!". I think that pressure was a big factor in why once I could quit, I DID!
Yet, I know the benefits of sports, so I want my children to have GOOD experiences with sports. Yet because I don't naturally lean towards physical activities (outside of hiking – we love to hike!!), its hard for me to embace sports.
I really like how you've expressed the idea of applying the same montessori ideals we embrace at their school when it comes to sports. Why not?! My daughter seems to love soccer (which they do at school), so I should pay attention to & encourage her in those opportunities (and my son loves the water, so we've started lessons)! Thank you again for sharing your experiences.
Thanks for your kind words, Kelly! It’s always more challenging when your children gravitate toward different sports, but lots of families have that happen. I was lucky that both my children were interested in the same sports at the same time (of course it helped that they skated pairs together when they started figure skating!). That your children are already finding sports they love is great!
Loved your post and thank you for sharing!
Thanks, Joy! I appreciate it – thanks for visiting!
I knew you'd have beautiful photos this week! Thanks so much for sharing – and also explaining how to allow your children to find their joys and heart for sports!
Thanks !!
Stef
Thank you, Stef! It definitely took some time to find where Will’s heart was in sports, but I’m still amazed at the difference when he did find it!