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Backbeat
A golden legacy
A golden legacy
Helen Glover and Heather Stanning won Britain’s first gold medal of the London 2012 Olympics. Helen taught PE at Oldfield School in Bath and was an NUT member until leaving teaching to concentrate full time on her rowing. Here she tells The Teacher about the importance of sport at school.
I love the interaction with pupils when they first start to love a sport. Teaching a new sport or skill to young people and watching it become something they look forward to in their day is fantastic.
Enjoyment is key. If after every lesson the child feels they have achieved something they are likely to feel more confident and enjoy it more. It’s really hard with big classes to make it appropriate for each pupil, but in every sport there’s an opportunity for everyone to get a social, confidence or health gain.
After the phenomenal success of the London 2012 Games, I think teachers can build a lasting legacy by capitalising on the enthusiasm of their students. Give them the opportunity to try different sports so they have a chance to see what’s out there.
Obviously it’s impossible to offer every sport on site and in lesson time, so make it easy and accessible by providing as much information as possible to parents and pupils. For example, let them know about out-of-school training times and venues.
Links between schools and local sports clubs should be encouraged. For instance schools and rowing clubs could work together to organise a three-week course so pupils get a taster and can maybe then join the club outside school.
During the Olympics there was a lot of media comment about the superior sports facilities available to students at independent schools, but I believe quality coaching is far more important than facilities. Having enthusiastic and dedicated teachers and coaches is likely to spread the enthusiasm to the pupils. If I were Education Secretary, that’s what I would focus my attention on to take the Olympic legacy forward.
I also feel that, as an Olympic gold medallist, it’s my duty to start the legacy by showing my medal and telling my story in as many schools as possible.
Having the nation watching and waiting for a Team GB gold medal (Heather and I won the first of the Games) was a lot of pressure, and crossing the line was quickly followed by a huge sense of relief. I’ve had some lovely messages from the girls I taught at Oldfield School – it seems they’re very proud of their old PE teacher!
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