At Great Hearts Irving, we believe that Physical Education (P.E.) is integral to the development of the whole person. It helps strengthen the body, develop social skills, and plays a fundamental role in preparing the mind to learn. Research has shown that by exercising before studying, the brain is provided with the necessary tools to better facilitate learning (John Ratey, Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain). P.E. is essential to helping children cultivate both a healthy body, a healthy mind, and a healthy soul.

In order to help our students work toward strength and health, we challenge them to push themselves in P.E. By practicing the virtues of courage and perseverance, they can take their skills to new heights. At times, students will struggle to accomplish a specific activity. This is okay! When students face challenges—and even failures— in a controlled setting and supported by caring and empathetic adults, it helps them learn how to bounce back from adversity and accomplish their objective. True achievement comes from encountering something difficult, persevering through it, and then finding success. As Dr. Charles Fay of the Love and Logic Institute explains, encountering real struggle is the only way children will develop the grit and determination to handle the much bigger challenges that life has in store for them when they’re older. P.E presents many such opportunities for students to grow in virtue, preparing them to live both a physically-fit and virtuous life.

Here at Great Hearts Irving, we strive for a classical understanding of Physical Education—what the ancient Greeks called gymnastic. This traditional view of P.E. impacted school P.E. programs in America for a long time, but, in recent decades, began to be diluted or forgotten. The main goal of “Classical P.E.” is to help children develop a fit body so that they are able to pursue the good life. We strive for each student to achieve his/her personal best and to continue to grow throughout his/her time at Great Hearts Irving.

A Note About Sports in the Lower School

Not every student is a natural athlete. An overemphasis on competitive team sports disproportionately rewards natural athletic talent over effort and, over time, can cause unfortunate rifts to form between “athletic” and “non-athletic” children and less-athletic children to become disengaged from P.E. and a life of fitness altogether.

While sports contribute meaningfully to health of body, and can be a wonderful pathway to growth in social skills, at Great Hearts Irving Lower School, sports are not the emphasis and are pursued in service to the larger, deeper, and more important goal of fitness for every child.

Square Dancing in Fifth Grade

Basic folk dancing is a part of the required P.E. curriculum at all public schools in the State of Texas. Learning how to control their body’s movements is all important as our students enter adolescence, which is why the State of Texas makes folk dancing a legal requirement for all children. Our square dance program in Fifth Grade is customized for children and provides students a crucial opportunity to hone their gross motor skills and coordination.

Square dancing is not a one-on-one couples dance, but for groups of people in a social gathering. Students learn traditional dance steps that trace their origin back through the American West, 18th-century European quadrille dancing, and ultimately the carole and courtly dance of the Middle Ages. Students dance in a circle of 8 classmates, both boys and girls. Interactions with other students are very structured and boundaried during this unit of P.E., and multiple teachers are present to help every step of the way.

By providing this instruction, we also provide students with a crucial opportunity to grow in self-confidence and their ability to interact with their peers with friendship, good manners, and in a way that meets the basic expectations of the society in which they reside.

For questions about our square dancing program, please reach out to Dean of Culure Mary Pantin.

Tips for Helping Your Child Succeed in P.E.

  • If your student comes home and complains about P.E. being difficult, respond with empathy and encouragement. Many parents have found success with phrases like, “That sounds really hard, but it sounds like you’re working hard to get more fit!” “I know P.E. can be challenging, but keep trying your best. I’ll love you just the same no matter how well you do in P.E.,” or “That sounds tough. We sure are lucky to have coaches that care about you enough to make you work hard.
  • Students should bring a water bottle to school every day to ensure they are able to stay hydrated even when engaging in rigorous physical activity.
  • We believe in the crucial importance of daily time outdoors for all children. While our teachers follow strict guidelines about when it is safe to go outside and for how long, if at all possible, we will still go outside for P.E. (and recess) for at least a few minutes, even when it is hot (or cold). Please make sure your children dress appropriate for the weather. When it is hotter, students should wear skirts or shorts and short-sleeve shirts to help them stay cool. In colder weather, students should have coats and jackets with them every day.

For questions about P.E. instruction in the Lower School, please reach out to Charles Brogan, Headmaster, or one of our P.E. coaches, Adair Homann (K-2nd) and Luke Malone (3rd-5th).