As an organisation on a mission to tackle the physical inactivity crisis, it’s no surprise that we work with young Australians on a daily basis to instill in them a lifelong love of movement.
A fundamental part of this work involves promoting a healthy and challenging learning environment that enables participants to grow and develop, whether within a single session or over several sessions. The instructions, guidance, feedback, reinforcement and psychological atmosphere created by our affiliates helps influence the capabilities, skills, perceptions, and attitudes fostered in students—both immediate experience and intrinsic motivation.
Read on to learn more about how we promote a healthy and challenging learning environment in our sessions.
Harnessing an equilibrium of four elements
Promoting a healthy and challenging learning environment involves four key elements that work in equilibrium, meaning they should be considered as synergistic rather than independent parts. These four elements include self-awareness, self-acceptance, purposefulness, and self-responsibility.
Equilibrium is important when it comes to these elements, as one pursued in isolation leads to unhealthy outcomes. For instance, unlimited self-acceptance would lead to narcissism, self-centredness, and/or sociopathic behaviours. That’s why we give these elements equal weight and allow them to counterbalance each other where necessary. For example, acceptance balances the awareness that one is not the best at an activity; awareness reveals true need for improvement even as a student can accept where they are at the moment; responsibility serves to moderate the selfish focus that might be encouraged by the other three elements.
Below is a breakdown of each element and its importance.
Self-awareness
Self-awareness fosters honest perceptions and clear understandings of self in the world.
Bluearth encourages students to explore self-awareness through movement, which provides opportunities to feel, express ourselves, and observe physical interactions.
At the simplest level, students are encouraged to understand their own unique abilities. More importantly, we want to heighten perceptions of physical self–the experience of movement and overall sensitivity to the living body.
Furthermore, we want students to be aware of the thoughts and emotions that come with physical activity, play, and learning skills. Paying attention to these aspects adds depth to the experience and develops more profound personal understanding.
Self-acceptance
Self-acceptance asserts intrinsic value and worthiness as a human being.
We cannot expect to promote self-development or intrinsic motivations in an atmosphere that does not facilitate acceptance of all students’ inherent characteristics and abilities, which is why self-acceptance is a cornerstone of the Bluearth environment.
Self-acceptance is taught when there is genuine appreciation for each person’s starting point and each person’s struggles and gains.
Purposefulness
Purposefulness ensures that activities have meaning, and that actions are a matter of choice and interaction.
Each Bluearth activity is designed and delivered for a purpose. The more students can appreciate how and why they’re doing each activity, the more that purposefulness can be exercised. In particular, the practice of knowing what is intended and then expressing that intention develops a sense of control and reinforces competency. This can be as simple as being aware of a posture and then acting to achieve it.
Getting students involved in decision-making, where possible, can also strengthen purposefulness. Discussions with students about intent and meaning will provide limitless opportunities to explore purpose in the experiences.
Self-responsibility
Self-responsibility establishes personal control and accountability for individual choices, actions and consequences.
Students in the Bluearth sessions are responsible for living the experience presented to them. It’s up to them to take the opportunities and learn what they can from their level of ability. Students have the responsibility to take part, experience, cooperate, and show care to others. Importantly, students are encouraged to take responsibility (and credit) for personal efforts and improvements.
At the same time, students are not responsible for that which is beyond their competence or control, such as the choices or actions of others. Their only responsibility is the choice of what change, if any, is desired.