Lab Two!!

Today was wild! The children loved running around, all over, up, down, and even tried to run up my legs! Being with the younger kids really helps me replay my childhood in my head. Today there were numerous times I thought about how hot and sweaty I was, but the kids could have cared less. They were hot, sweaty, and dirty, but still had a blast. I can't remember if I was ever like that haha! I think that today went really well for my group. We had a plan to do a craft in the pre-k room but it was nice so we went outside instead. Being out there just like I mentioned before is just like imaginary world. I did whatever they wanted me to do even if that meant "going to jail and eating pretend ice cream" 25 times. It was so funny today because some of the kids were actually more comfortable around me and truly used great imagination skills and played with me. I think it was hard for me to be quiet during the other groups teaching because I was eager to help them to ensure everything going smooth. I need to remember we all teach and learn differently. I am excited for next lab where I get to be more in control of a game! Today we got to see a lot of different skills tested. It was so interesting to me how great a student did compared to other students who just did not get the skill. We had walking, running, jumping, hopping, skipping, and galloping. Although these are basic skills, for some children it was challenging. To read more on the children we observed during lab click HERE!

To dodge or not to dodge ...

The subject on dodge ball and several other similar activities has been controversial for years. In my eyes this is an easy topic. A game that has children as the targets should not be promoted in a school setting. If kids want to play these games out on their own, that is there choice. However, in school it is our job as professional teachers to uphold the integrity of our mission as physical educators. The NASPE standards are aimed for child growth and motor development, variety in skills, social behavior, and among all things to be physical educated. The games that anyone can teach, well what is the point in that? If the children can teach themselves the game and play on their own, then I do  not see the purpose of playing in school.

I would not choose either kickball or dodge ball for an activity in class. These games along with the other 'hall of shame' games promote violence, bullying, ganging up on a smaller child, separation, and exclusion. Yes it can be fun if everyone enjoys the game, but not everyone in PE will. When I am a PE teacher I will do it differently. For some reason if I need a 'filler' day, perhaps kick ball could be an option, with modifications of course. The reason I would choose kickball to range off of is because it is similar to baseball and softball with running the bases and typical rules. The modifications would be that instead of being able to throw the ball at a student to get them out, the ball needs to be either caught or ran back to the base. This way, it eliminates the child as being the target. It will still be enhancing running, throwing, catching, kicking and teamwork but without the target issue. Students who do not want to play the kickball game will have ANOTHER option. Many teachers forget to give options for students. Not everyone is an athlete and defiantly not everyone enjoys sport activities. That is why if we have kickball as a 'filler' activity, I would provide an alternative option such as going to the weight room or ask for suggestions from these students. Any activity that makes a student feel uncomfortable needs to adjustable in order to ensure all students are being active during PE class. There are thousands of options out there that can be used in class. Let's keep PE an enjoyable safe environment. Ultimately that is our goal right? To create physically educated people, who will be able to enjoy activities for their life journey.

Lab One!!

Click here to read about my LAB ONE!

St. Mary's was so fun. But wow was I exhausted. I did not realize how much energy it would take to "play" around with children. The funny part is,  even though I was with the youngest kids, I think I had to do a lot more work than others. The older the children, the more they know what they like and don't like. They understand if they want to play a certain game or sport. With these younger children we had to literally come up with imaginary games on the spot. I do not think children understand how lucky they are!! If only I could go back to a "free" time and play ice cream shop. It was hilarious what they were all saying and so dang cute. There were some children who were just off the wall hyper and it was awesome seeing them engage and run around. I did have this one little boy named Lucas who was only 3 years old, he was attached to my hip. He did not talk to me much but he just kept coming back to my legs. He always looked up at me and smiled and he constantly wanted my attention. Sometimes by how children act it just makes you wonder about their life outside school. I could not help but think about if he maybe got too much attention and was just used to it, or perhaps he did not get enough at all. I loved interacting with them and I am so eager to go back!

Learning and loving - homework #1

Too many people today are blind to how important physical education is. It amazes me that America has an obesity epidemic yet PE classes are STILL being cut from schools. To me it has always been obvious why fundamental skill development and assessment is so important for this profession. The most important factor is the health of the children. Somewhere along the line true “healthy lifestyles” got lost. Majority of the world fails to see why children develop the way they do, and what can be done to help it get better. We need to understand how a child develops and then asses what we can do to make sure they develop well rounded. Most adults pick just one domain and focus in on it. While a lot of schools choose the cognitive domain, the psychomotor and affective are lacking attention. Life is about teamwork, respectfulness, honesty, and many other great qualities. Without a well life, our children will not even see the true potentials they have. Physical fitness can be defined as the ability to perform daily tasks without fatigue and to have the energy reserves needed to participate in additional physical activities as well as to meet emergency needs. The NASPE standards are what hold the future for children physically. Our goal is to become all of those 7 standards in order to accomplish a physically educated world. It is necessary for not only teachers, but everyone to be aware of how far behind most children are today. It is more common to see a child panting for breath after two laps around a gym rather than competing against another to be faster. Children learn through movement and it can enhance their motor, cognitive, and affective domains. Physical activity is a quality factor in creating a positive self-concept and positive socialization. Through physical education children can learn new concepts, strategies, and other was to solve problems. Accurate assessment needs to be a daily task for this profession. If we know where our students are developmentally, we will be able to plan according to their ability. We must select specific movement experiences and consider the individual appropriateness of the movement activities in order to see the best results in the children.

 

Day One with the Kids

Yesterday was extremely fun. I never imagined the school to be so crazy. Everyone was running around and yelling and just being themselves. They looked like they were totally letting loose and enjoying themselves. It was interesting to see which children would love to participate and the few children who refused. I ran into this problem in the beginning while we were all today and also in the smaller groups. It's hard to figure out what exactly they want. I am so eager to continue this and get to know the students. It felt fun and exhilarating playing as a child again. The easy life.