Why I Wrote PE With a Purpose

For nearly four decades, I have taught children through karate, not simply as a sport, but as a structured practice that shapes focus, emotional regulation, and confidence over time.

Along the way, I came to see physical education as one of the most misunderstood parts of a child’s learning experience. Unlike subjects where progress is easy to measure, physical education is often treated as vague or secondary, something assumed to take care of itself through play or activity alone.

After working with children long enough, patterns became impossible to ignore. I saw physically active children who struggled to focus and capable, motivated children who became overwhelmed during physical challenges. At the same time, I watched other children grow calmer and more confident through consistent, structured movement.

The difference was not talent or intensity. It was design.

When movement is intentional, expectations are clear, and progress is earned over time, physical education shapes how children approach learning itself. It teaches them how to respond to challenge, recover from mistakes, and trust themselves through effort.

That is why I wrote PE With a Purpose. This book offers a clear, grounded way to think about physical education as a meaningful part of how children learn and grow. It explores why consistency matters more than intensity, why structure supports confidence, and why movement is one of the strongest foundations for focus, self-control, and resilience.

When physical education is designed with intention, learning flows more smoothly across the day. Transitions improve. Frustration decreases. Confidence builds through repetition and effort.

PE With a Purpose is coming soon. This space is where I will continue sharing practical ways physical education can support the whole child.


Jan Stockton

Founder, Great Start Karate

Author of PE With a Purpose