S3E01 - Back to School: Creating the Conditions for Meaning w/ Elisha O'Lain & Emily Humbert

Send us Fan MailElisha O'Lain is a Health and Physical Education educator with 22 years of classroom experience in the Calgary Board of Education and currently serves as a Well-Being Specialist. She holds degrees in Kinesiology and Education from the University of Calgary and will complete her Health & PhysEd Master of Education through the University of Alberta in 2026, a program she enthusiastically recommends. A passionate advocate for purposeful physical education, Elisha grounds her teaching in the belief that every student can find their own reason to move, whether for joy, connection, belonging, challenge, confidence, or simply feeling good. She sees intentional teaching and strong relationships as the foundation for meaningful learning, and works to create environments where students feel safe taking risks, trying new things, and discovering what moves them. Her goal is to help every student find a way to be active that feels meaningful to them, and to carry that into a lifetime of participation. Elisha is committed to lifelong learning, embracing change, and connecting with others to share ideas and strengthen practice.Emily Humbert is a Health and Physical Education teacher, athletic director, and coach entering her ninth year of teaching at Bedford Road Collegiate in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. She earned her B.Sc. in Kinesiology and B.Ed. from the University of Saskatchewan and will graduate with her Master of Health and Physical Education from the University of Alberta in the fall of 2026. Emily is passionate about creating physical education experiences where all students feel valued, included, and safe to explore movement in ways that are meaningful to them. Her approach to teaching is grounded in the belief that success in physical education looks different for every student, and that student voice, choice, connection, and a sense of belonging can help young people develop positive relationships with movement that extend far beyond the gymnasium.Show NotesBeni et. al (2018). Using features of meaningful experiences to guide primary physical education practiceO'Connor (2019). Exploring a pedagogy for meaning-making in physical educationWarm Welcome Greeting CardsSocialWorkersToolbox.com for Free Emotional Regulation ResourcesEver Active Schools Social Emotional ShuffleElisha's Social Connection Reflective PromptsElisha's Badminton Unit Thanks to Isaiah ([email protected]) for the guitar pieces, SSHRC for some funding and our guests for sharing!To contact us:[email protected]@ualberta.ca