Girly Girls Can Play Games / Las Niñas Pueden Jugar Tambien: Co-Creating a Curriculum of Possibilities with Fifth-Grade Girls

Abstract

Drawing on feminist, poststructural, and critical theories, the purpose of this research was to understand 5th-grade girls’ self-identified barriers to physical activity and work with them to find ways of negotiating those barriers in order to increase their physical activity opportunities. We worked with 11 girls in two elementary schools in southwestern United States. Data were collected over the 2005–2006 school year. Data sources included (a) 23 transcribed audio recordings, (b) field notes, (c) planning notes, (d) task sheets, (e) artifacts created by the girls and the principal investigator, and (f) photos the girls took. Our interpretations are presented in two sections. First, the girls explained that being a “girly girl” hindered their activity participation because a “girly girl” does not want to “sweat,” “mess up her hair and nails,” “mess up her nice clothes,” and sometimes wears “flip-flops.” Second, we discuss how we and the girls created a curriculum of possibilities that culminated in developing a book of physical activities that girly girls would enjoy.

Hiding behind the camera: social learning within the Cooperative Learning Model to engage girls in physical education

“…Consequently, some girls will often seek to hide their bodies*behind the curtain when getting changed, behind loose clothing or behind their friends*in order to feel safe, comfortable and to 'look right' or 'feel normal' (Oliver, 1999;Oliver & Lalik, 2001;Oliver et al, 2009;Fisette, 2011;With-Nielsen & Pfister, 2011). Furthermore, some will utilize avoidance behaviours*social loafing or spectators of learning*to excuse themselves from learning, to prevent others being able to survey their bodies and thereby obstruct any requirement to demonstrate their physical competence (Carlson, 1995;Wright, 1996;Cothran & Ennis, 1999;Garrett;Hills, 2007;Oliver et al, 2009;Fisette, 2011;With-Nielsen & Pfister, 2011). Unfortunately, such acceptance or avoidance behaviours and disengagement within physical education leads teachers to frequently identify with the 'sporty' girls and perceive the 'not sporty' girls as a problem (Rich, 2003(Rich, , 2004.…”

“…(Dyson & Strachan, 2000, p. 27) A common and shared purpose of physical education is to provide learning experiences that will lead young people to value the physically active life (Siedentop, class) and/or they perceive themselves not to have the 'appropriate' body for participating in physical education (Garrett, 2004;Hills, 2007;Fisette, 2011). Consequently, some girls will often seek to hide their bodies*behind the curtain when getting changed, behind loose clothing or behind their friends*in order to feel safe, comfortable and to 'look right' or 'feel normal' (Oliver, 1999;Oliver & Lalik, 2001;Oliver et al, 2009;Fisette, 2011;With-Nielsen & Pfister, 2011). Furthermore, some will utilize avoidance behaviours*social loafing or spectators of learning*to excuse themselves from learning, to prevent others being able to survey their bodies and thereby obstruct any requirement to demonstrate their physical competence (Carlson, 1995;Wright, 1996;Cothran & Ennis, 1999;Garrett;Hills, 2007;Oliver et al, 2009;Fisette, 2011;With-Nielsen & Pfister, 2011).…”

Comparing teaching approaches in two student-designed games units

“…These include using SDG as an assessment tool (Hastie and Curtner-Smith, 2006), in motivating students (Oliver, Hamzeh, and McCaughtry, 2009), and in comparing students' behaviours in PE classes when playing teacher-designed games and SDG (André and Rubio, 2009). Unlike the previous period, these studies began to show a greater concern for academic research rigour, and thereby presented supportive data for their claims.…”

Rethinking the ‘aspirations’ of Chinese girls within and beyond Health and Physical Education and physical activity in Greater Western Sydney

“…Archer & DeWitt, 2013), but generally little is found regarding the aspirations of minority ethnic students or girls within a HPEPA context, although there are a few studies that could be considered as understanding students' aspirations in HPEPA (e.g. Oliver, Hamzeh, & McCaughtry, 2009;Pang & Macdonald, 2015a). Other studies have examined the value of student-centred inquiry or curriculum negotiation in promoting girls' engagement in HPEPA (e.g.…”