Dr. Stephen Smith is Full Professor in the Faculty of Education at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, Canada. His scholarly work focuses on pedagogical practices in K-12 schooling and the relational dynamics of effective health promotion and health care. His earlier writings explored gesture theory and its applications to physical education, health education, and teacher education. More recent writings are concerned with the cultivation of somatic sensibilities in keeping with the Function2Flow model that he and Dr. Rebecca Lloyd developed. Their current SSHRC-funded research project draws upon Dr. Smith’s experiences in a variety of games and sports, as well as in flow and martial arts. In particular, his passion for riding and training horses extends the range of partnered practices for becoming “inter-active for life”.
Selected Publications
BOOKS
Smith, S. J. (2023). Crittercal somaticity: Rewilding our horse senses, Geographies of Us: Ecosomatic Esssays and Practice Pages (S. Fraleigh and S. R. Riley, Eds.). New York: Routledge. (in process).
Smith, S. J. (2022). Reining-in the vital powers of horses, The relational arena: How frameworks of communication, care, politics and power reveal and conceal equine selves (G, Argent and A. Hofstetter, Eds.). Brill Human-Animal Studies Series (K. Shapiro, General Editor), pp. 51-61.
Smith, S. J. (2020). Active and interactive bodies, Phenomenology and educational theory in conversation: Back to education itself (P. Howard, T. Saevi, A. Foran & G. Biesta, Eds.). New York: Routledge, pp. 151-163.
Smith, S. J. (2019). Flow motion and kinethic responsiveness, The Wonder of Water: Lived Experience, Policy, and Practice (I. L. Stefanovic, Ed.). Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 27-41.
Smith, S. J. (2004). The bearing of inquiry in teacher education: The S.F.U experience. Burnaby: Faculty of Education, Simon Fraser University.
Smith, S. J. (1998). Risk and our pedagogical relation to children: On the playground and beyond. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.
JOURNAL ARTICLES
Lloyd, R., Smith, S. & Sahingil, D. (2024, March). Physical literacy, health and interactive aging: a position paper. Front. Sports Act. Living, 6(1346802). doi: 10.3389/fspor.2024.1346802
Lloyd, R. & Smith, S. (2024). Physical literacy and active aging: a holistic approach to physical activity promotion. Journal of Active Aging, 23(1), 24-32.
Lloyd, R. & Smith, S. (2022, July). Leaning into Life: A Motion-Sensing Inquiry into Becoming InterActive for Life through Partnered Practices. Journal of Dance & Somatic Practices, 14(1), 91-108. https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/intellect/jdsp/2022/00000014/00000001
Lloyd, R. & Smith, S. (2022, January). Becoming InterActive for Life: Mobilizing Relational Knowledge for Physical Educators. Frontiers in Sports & Active Living, 3, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2021.769031
Lloyd, R. & Smith, S. (2021). A Practical Introduction to Motion-Sensing Phenomenology. PHEnex journal/revue phénEPS, 11(2), 1-18.
Smith, S. J. & Norris, D. (2022). Land affirmation: Moving naturally toward reconciliation, Revue phénEPS/ PHEnex Journal, special edition on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (accepted and in press).
Smith, S. J. (2021). Swimming in flow motion: An ecopedagogy for health and physical education, Sport, Education & Society, 26 (4). pp. 417-428. DOI: 10.1080/13573322.2020.1847065
Smith, S. J., & R. J. Lloyd (2019). Life phenomenology and relational flow, Qualitative Inquiry, Special issue. doi: 10.1177/1077800419829792
Smith, S. J. (2019). Bringing up life in horses, Indo-Pacific Journal of Phenomenology, 18(2), 75-85. doi: 10.1080/20797222.2018.1499266
Smith, S. J. (2018) Vital powers: Cultivating a critter community, Phenomenology&Practice, 12(2), 15-27. doi: 10.29173/pandpr29365
Smith, S. J. (2017). The vitality of humanimality: From the perspective of life phenomenology, Phenomenology & Practice, 11(1), 72-88. doi: 10.29173/pandpr29339
Smith, S. J. (2015) Riding in the skin of the moment: An agogic practice, Phenomenology & Practice, 9(1), 41-54. doi: 10.29173/pandpr25361
Smith, S. J. (2015). Barbells and sock poi: The progression of keeping fit, PHEnex Journal, 7(2), 1-13.
Smith, S.J. (2014). A pedagogy of vital contact, Journal of Dance and Somatic Practices, 6(2), 233-246. doi: 10.1386/jdsp.6.2.233_1
Smith, S. J. (2012). Caring caresses and the embodiment of good teaching, Phenomenology & Practice, 6(2), 65-83. doi: 10.29173/pandpr19862
Smith, S. J. (2011a). Daily physical interactivity, University of Ottawa Education Review, 1(2), 2-3.
Smith, S. J. (2011b). Becoming horse in the duration of the moment, Phenomenology & Practice, 5(1), 7-26.
Lloyd, R. J. & Smith, S. J. (2009). Enlivening the curriculum of health-related fitness. Educational Insights, 13(4).
Smith, S.J. (2009). The bodywork of learning to teach: A somatic framework for teacher education. Paper presented at the 16th International Conference on Learning, University of Barcelona, July 1st – 4th.
Smith, S. J. (2007). The first rush of movement: A phenomenological preface to movement education, Phenomenology and Practice, 1(1), 1-13. doi: 10.29173/pandpr19805
Smith, S. J. & Lloyd, R. J. (2007). The assessment of vitality: An alternative to quantifying the health-related fitness experience. AVANTE, 11(3), 66–76.
Smith, S. J. (2006). Gestures, landscape and embrace: A phenomenological analysis of elemental motions. The Indo-Pacific Journal of Phenomenology, 6(1), 1–10. doi: 10.1080/20797222.2006.11433914
Lloyd, R. J., & Smith, S. J. (2006). Interactive flow in exercise pedagogy, Quest, 58, 222-241.
Smith, S. J., & Lloyd, R. J. (2006). Promoting vitality in health and physical education, Qualitative Health Research, 16(2), 245-267.
Lloyd, R. J., & Smith, S. J. (2005). A ‘vitality’ approach to the design, implementation and evaluation of health-related physical education programs, AVANTE, 11(2), 120-136.
Lloyd, R. J., & Smith, S. J. (2004). To move and be moved: The cultivation of motion-sensitive pedagogy, Prospero, 10(3), 4-11.
Smith, S. J. (1997). In a Child’s Best Interests response to Keith Walker’s “Jurisprudential and Ethical Perspectives on ‘The Best Interests of Children’.” Interchange, 29(3), 309–316.
Smith, S. J. (1996). Telling Stories out of School: The Phenomenology of Pedagogical Reflection, resubmitted for review in Teaching and Teaching.
Smith, S. J. (1992). Physically remembering childhood. Phenomenology and Pedagogy, 10, 85–106. doi: 10.29173/pandp14903
Smith, S. J. (1991). The security of the child’s world. The Canadian Journal of Education, 16(4), 442–452. doi: 10.2307/1495256
Montabello, S., Smith, S. J., & Zola, M. (1991).Voices of Experience: Pedagogical Images and Teaching Practice. Journal of Learning About Learning, 3(1), 32–48.
Smith, S. J. (1991). Where is the child in physical education research? Quest, The Journal of the National Association for Physical Education in Higher Education, 43(1), 37-54. doi:10.1080/00336297.1991.10484009
Smith, S. J. (1991). Remembrances of childhood as a source of pedagogical understanding. Phenomenology and Pedagogy, 9, 158–171. * Although peer-reviewed, this article appeared as an invited contribution to an anniversary journal edition.
Smith, S. J. (1990). The riskiness of the playground. Journal of Educational Thought, 24(2) 71–87.
Smith, S. J. (1989). Challenges of the playground. Journal of Learning About Learning, 1(2), 37–55.
Smith, S. J. (1989). Operating on a child’s heart: A pedagogical view of hospitalization. Phenomenology and Pedagogy, 7, 145–162.
Smith, S. J. (1987). Seeing a risk. Phenomenology and Pedagogy, 5(1), 63-75. *Although peer-reviewed, this article appeared in a”project” section of the journal edition.
Smith, S. J. (1986). Defining the role of the health and physical education teacher in Queensland secondary schools. South Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 14(1), 27–37. Reprinted in The ACHPER National Journal, 112, Winter 1986, 17–21. doi: 10.1080/0311213860140104
Kirk, D., & Smith, S. J. (1986). How objective are ROSBA objectives?: A critique of empiricism in curriculum design. Curriculum Perspectives, 6(2), 32–38.
BOOK CHAPTERS
Smith, S. & Lloyd, R. (2022, November). Improvisational Interactivity – Moving Beneath the ICE. In Blaine E. Hatt (Ed.), Crushing ICE: Short on theoretical, long on practical approaches to Imagination Creativity Education (pp. ). FriesenPress. (In Press)
Smith, S. J. (2020 in press). Active and interactive bodies, In P. Howard, T. Saevi, A. Foran & G. Biesta (Eds.), Phenomenology and Educational Theory in Conversation: Back to Education Itself. London: Taylor & Francis.
Smith, S. J. (2019 under review). Reining-in the vital powers of horses. In G. Argent & A. Hofstetter (Eds.), Horses and Power. London: Falmer Press.
Smith, S. J. (2019 December). Flow motion and kinethic responsiveness. In I. L. Stefanovic (Ed.), The wonder of water: Lived experience, policy, and practice. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.
Smith, S. J. & LaRochelle, K. (2019). Being with horses as a practice of the self-with-others: A case of getting a FEEL for teaching. In O. Gunnlaugson, C. Scott, H. Bai & E. W. Sarath (Eds.), Catalyzing the field: Second-person approaches to contemplative learning and inquiry (pp. 59-71). New York: SUNY Press.
Smith, S. J. (2016). Phenomenology of Movement and Place, In M. A. Peters (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Educational Philosophy and Theory (pp. 1-6. New York: Springer. doi:10.1007/978-981-287-532-7_92-1
Smith, S. J. (2015). Dancing with horses: The science and artistry of coenesthetic connection, In N. Carr (Ed.), Domestic Animals and Leisure (pp. 216-240). New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
Lloyd, R. J., & Smith, S. J. (2014a). Doing Motion-sensing phenomenology. In K. G. Tobin. & S. R. Steinberg (Eds), Doing educational research: A handbook (2nd ed.). Rotterdam, NL: Sense Publishing.
Smith, S. J. (2014). Human-horse partnerships: The discipline of dressage. In J. Gillett & M. Gilbert (Eds.), Sport, Animals, and Society (pp. 35-51). New York: Routledge.
Lloyd, R. J., & Smith, S. J. (2013). Physical literacy. In D. B. Robinson & L. Randall (Eds.), Teaching physical education in Canadian schools (pp. 226-242). Toronto, ON: Thompson Educational Publishing Inc.
Lloyd, R. J., & Smith, S. J. (2012). Health-related fitness: Enlivening the physical education experience. In S. Singleton & A. Varpalotai (Eds.), Pedagogy in motion: A community of inquiry for human movement studies (pp. 187-211). London, ON: The Althouse Press.
Lloyd, R. J., Garcia Bengoechea, E., & Smith, S. J. (2010). Theories of learning. In R. Bailey (Ed.), Physical education for learning: A guide for secondary schools (pp. 187-196). London, England: Continuum.
Lloyd, R. J., & Smith, S. J. (2010). Feeling ‘flow motion’ in games and sports. In J. I. Butler & L. L. Griffin (Eds.), More teaching games for understanding (pp. 89-103). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
Smith, S. J., & Wahl, S. (2010). Thinking the world of teaching: Creating an SFU vision of teacher development. In E. Sandoval, R. Blum-Martinez & I. H. Andrews (Eds.), Challenges and possibilities in teacher education: A North American Perspective (Desafios y Posibilidates en la formación de maestros: Una perspectiva de North America) (pp. 147-168). University of New Mexico: Organization of American States Publishing.
Lloyd, R.J., & Smith, S. J. (2006). Motion-sensitive phenomenology. In K. Tobin & J. Kincheloe (eds.), Doing educational research: A handbook, (pp.289-309), Sense Publishers, Boston, MA.
Smith, S. J. (1997). The phenomenology of educating physically. In D. Vandenberg (Ed.), Phenomenology in Education Discourse (pp. 119-144). Durban: Heinemann.
Smith, S. J. (1996). Observing children on a school playground. In A. Pollard, D. Thiessen & A. Filer (Eds.), Children and their Curriculum: The perspectives of primary and elementary school children (pp. 143–161). London: Falmer Press.
Montabello, S., Smith, S. J., & Zola, M. (1993). A Pedagogical Sense of Change. In T. Riecken & D. Court (Eds.), Dilemmas in Educational Change (pp. 31–47). Calgary: Detselig.
Smith, S. J. (1992). Studying the Lifeworld of Physical Education: A Phenomenological Orientation. In A. Sparkes (Ed.), Research In Physical Education and Sport: Exploring Alternative Visions (pp. 61-89). London: The Falmer Press.
Smith, S. J. (1992). Operating on a child’s heart: A pedagogical view of hospitalization. Reprinted in J. M. Morse (Ed.), Qualitative Health Research: A Book of Readings (pp. 145–162). Sage Publications of an article published in Phenomenology and Pedagogy, 7, 1989.
Smith, S. J. (1989). Can you push me? A pedagogy of risk-taking. In Through the Looking Glass: Children and Health Promotion (pp. 61–70). Ottawa, ON: Canadian Public Health Association.