The PE Experience in a “TLLM World”

Our teacher told us that we were going to learn volleyball, which is a sport most of us had no prior knowledge of. Some of us had watched the game on TV, but we thought the rules were confusing. Fortunately, our teacher understood our worries. She told us to experience a simplified version first. 

The first learning task was a 2v2 game with only one rule. The rules were easy: Make two passes within the team. Then, throw the ball across the net. 

As we got used to the game, we started to become more creative. For example, we made quicker passes and tried to “attack” nearer to the net. 

We had many “team talks” to discuss ways to win the points. Sometimes, our “strategies” did not work, but our teacher affirmed our effort, motivating us to try again. 

The more ideas we think, the deeper we understand volleyball concepts. We even have many opportunities to clarify our doubts through discussions. 

In the TLLM world, the teacher sets the rules, but we come up with the strategies. Having autonomy means we can decide how to play based on our abilities. As such, we do not feel stressed about learning something we are not good at. 

We felt motivated when the teacher empowered us. Decision-making was not easy, but our teachers made the learning environment safe. She encouraged us to think of other tactics when one did not work. There was no fear of judgment. 

In a TLLM world, learning is about exploration and discovery. When learning becomes active, we do not need much effort to “memorise” new knowledge, and learning becomes more enjoyable!

We have several classmates with special education needs (SEN). For example, some of us have poor short-term memory. They forget instructions quickly and cannot stay focused during lectures.

In a TLLM world, our teacher gave us learning goals and encouraged us to try different ways to achieve them. When everyone started contributing ideas, we realised our friends with SEN were very creative! 

As we worked together to achieve the learning goals, we saw the benefits of having teammates who think differently. We start to see our classmates’ strengths, and we no longer see them as “naughty.”

After we got used to the 2v2 modified volleyball game, the teachers told us we should play a 4v4 game and try not to catch the ball anymore. Knowing everyone has a different readiness level, she told us to modify the game. 

She also told us we would make many mistakes, so we had to keep encouraging one another. Over time, we developed kindness towards one another. The classroom became a very safe place for learning. We also developed the confidence to solve problems. 

As we continued to learn by ourselves and with our friends, we felt more confident in our abilities and became more self-directed. We started to see that learning can actually be joyful. 

Now, we are motivated to learn for life!