Educational Gymnastics

Educational Gymnastics

Children today are physically illiterate. The massive reduction in time spent in free play has led to a generation of people who have yet to experience the joy of movement.

Formal gymnastics (as seen at the Olympics) requires the child to strive to perform particular skills. The end product of the skill is a desire for uniformity.

Educational Gymnastics starts with the child’s ability as they walk into your class and focuses on how they can develop themselves through exploration and guided discovery.

We have used this concept to create an in-person workshop for schools and an online course for sports coaches: Gymnastics for sport (details below). 

An example can be seen in this video.

The educational gymnastics course will help Teachers and Coaches set up classes for children of all abilities and give you the confidence to create more exciting and varied lessons.

Course Content

1. Introduction to Educational Gymnastics. Historical context, current gaps.
2. The Movement Framework: why it is used.
3. Planning a lesson: structure, free practice, guided discovery, how to make the most of 45 minutes.
4. Practice 1: Getting started and gym layout, essential equipment.
5. Lunch
   

   Using the body

   6. Practice 2: Space

6. Practice 3: Body
7. Practice 4: Relationship
8. Practice 5: Effort
9. Summary and overcoming common difficulties.

Each practice will include: working from a sample plan; expanding progressions and regressions; and adjusting for different abilities.

By the end of the course, you will be able to use the planning template to organise a term of gymnastics lessons that suits pupils of all abilities.

If you are interested in hosting a course please email James Marshall (details at the top of the site). 

Gymnastics for Sport

This online class is split into 3 classes. It is designed for sports coaches who realise that their athletes/ players are lacking coordination and basic movement skills and want to help them improve.

You can purchase the membership here. It only costs £30 for 2 hours and forty minutes of content.

These tutorials will allow you and your players to develop their bodies and minds in a safe, progressive, imaginative and fun way. You can implement all the activities on your sports fields or an indoor soft surface. There is no specialist gymnastics equipment required, nor prior experience as a gymnast!

You can see the outline content for module 1 here: Gymnastics for Sport

Over the past 5 or so years, I have been running Movement workshops for sports coaches and p.e. teachers. The participants have enjoyed learning how to teach movement and basic gymnastics that they can then share with their players and pupils.

Players who are stronger, more agile and more adaptable can pick up their sport’s technical skills a lot more easily than those who are weak, uncoordinated and over-drilled.

This online course will help you develop your players and enhance your existing sessions.