I think Heart Zones is a very impactful tool that teachers can utilize to create a Universal Design for Learning (UDL) classroom…
What was your first experience with Physical Education technology?
A PE technology superstar, Brian Nassif, built the physical education program at Albert Einstein Academy from the ground up back in 2006. For 10 years, we would take breaks during our activities to assess our heart rate by palpation. Once children found their pulse, they became both excited and intensely focused.
So “when I first saw Heart Zones, I knew the children would love to experience that next level of feedback.” That was indeed the case and Brian has continued to see the excitement with each use in his classes over these past 8 years.
What do you find most fun for you and your students using Heart Zones Move?
Brian Nassif sees that all his students are engaged when they get instant visuals of their heart rate and how their movement impacts them. He believes that “This technology helps all students, including students qualifying for Adapted PE, to access the PE content and enjoy PE more.” After a decade of teaching, Brian began using Heart Zones’ wearable fitness technology in 2016.
Today, in the post-COVID PE world, he has been able to adapt by creating an online PE program using Heart Zones. Using Heart Zones ePE, teachers can hold students accountable for their virtual PE distance learning in addition to their in-person classes.
This technology helps all students, including students qualifying for Adapted PE, to access the PE content and enjoy PE more.
Describe your P.E. Program before and then after using Heart Zones… What changed?
Now, with Heart Zones, Brian has remarked how grading has become much easier. We instantly and wirelessly gather the heart rate data of the entire class and project their individual beats per minute, calories, Fit points, MVPA and their personalized target zones in real time. In addition to tracking participation data, I assess students based on their reflections of the personalized results provided by Heart Zones technology.
What have other faculty or administrators said about Heart Zones?
Heart Zones has streamlined the understanding of perceived exertion and intensity. We begin discussing the color zones in 2nd and 3rd grade and implement the technology in the 4th and 5th grades. The different data, graphs and clear visuals really bring those concepts together. It’s also a strong motivator for students and also gives the teachers the ability to gamify their lessons. It’s great to have that technology and instant feedback as children move into the upper grades, when they are also experiencing an increase in competitors (screens, self-awareness etc.) for their motivation to play/move.
Funding is important. Share how you were able to secure the funding.
When working with technology, it’s very important to keep it user friendly. Heart Zones’ customer service has been critical in helping me keep the use of the technology relatively simple. I may have 5 or 6 different lessons during a day and only a few minutes to set-up the system. Those moments are when my students need the technology to be functional and ready to use. If it was too complicated, or had too many wonky glitches, teachers and students would be too challenged and might stop using them. It’s also nice that the technology holds up over time as well. I was lucky enough to fundraise for the system and even luckier that I’ve only needed to replace one heart rate monitor over the past 8 years!
Brian Nassif has been teaching for nearly 18 years at Albert Einstein Academy
where Brian began his position as PE teacher right out of university. Over the years his role as a physical educator has developed into a balance of a sports coach, a physical literacy, social wellbeing and personal wellness “coach” and a comedian for our students.
During his teaching career, Brian has been awarded Rookie PE Teacher of the Year back in 2008, then the Governor’s Teacher Spotlight Award, issued by the California’s Governors Council, and even recognized as the CAHPERD Elementary Physical Education Teacher of the Year in 2012.
As the first Physical Education Teacher at Albert Einstein Academies (since 2006!), Brian is very proud of the success our students have experienced and the comprehensive physical education program that we’ve built. You can reach Brian Nassif at bnassif@aeacs.org and don’t forget to ask to see Heart Zones live at
Albert Einstein Academies
3035 Ash Street
San Diego, CA 92102