I use the acronym S.P.O.R.T. to serve as a guide to my students for behaviors that will contribute to their success in physical education, sport and ultimately life. Each letter can represent anything you would like, the following are what works best for me.

S - stands for SPIRIT - this is very successful when dealing with sport/games. This can include cheering for teammates, wearing team colors and demonstrating spirit for the game/activity. It is also great to teach responsible ways to demonstrate spirit for your team while maintaining an attitude of respect for others.

P - stands for PERSEVERANCE - In my use, this entails students giving 100% at all times. It also is used to emphasize that the some things in life require many attempts to obtain them. Some things in life are necessary to fight for.

O - stands for OPTIMISM - I believe you get what you put out there. The glasses you view the world through can make all the difference. I use the glass half full approach to help students learn to see the bright side of things.

R - stands for RESPECT - This is really a foundation for all the others. Teaching respect for self and others becomes critically important when working with children. Respect plays out in many ways, from respecting equipment, to refrain from name calling, and helping others.

T - stands for TEAMWORK - There is no I in team. I believe no one reaches their full potential without the help of others. I help students to see the support systems around them and how they fit in to others support systems. It is easy to talk about teamwork when teaching games but equally important to teach for life.