Swinging in and out control: Promoting the good life in PE

Currently in Denmark, we see a significant decrease in the well-being among children and especially adolescents. A changed temporal structure in society, and society’s increased demands for performance and activity is mentioned as some significant factors. Physical activity is often related to what it means to live a good life. However, good and vibrant movement experiences is more than just doing it; being physical active. There is more to it than acting, controlling and deliberately bringing about some physical movement. It is also about what the movement activity does to us.
Our aim is to explore how PE in schools may provide pupils with experiences of what it means to live the good life. Our exploration takes resonance theory as a point of departure. Thus, we hope to contribute to the understanding of how PE may contribute to pupils’ well-being especially by emphasizing the aspect of (un)controllability.