Practical Volunteer Experience - Motor Development

Tuesday Feb the 14th  I went to my first lab experience at Dryden Elementary School for my Motor Development course. Needless to say I was extremely anxious. I anticipated that I would be a nervous wreck the whole time and this wasn't the case. After about 5 minutes things seemed to fall into place and I was able to focus and give my full attention the students. The lab was informal and was basically geared towards building a rapport with the children and have a good time. However, there was a underlying  objective which was to asses throwing and catching skills of elementary school students. While instructing numerous activities I began to fully appreciate the importance of establishing playing boundaries and safety statements. Without these managerial tools students easily get off course. My group, The Minions, started with "Everybodys It Tag" which I feel was fitting. This was a instant activity that required little instruction and got all the children engaged and running around. Also it was a fun way to break the ice. We followed up with  Toss-A-Name Game as it was appropriate for the theme and was a good way to learn students names. We then did  a "Group Juggle"; however given the age/developmental variations there were some difficulties. One of the children was 5 years old and was still in the initial stage within Gallahue's Theoretical Model of Motor Development. In my opinion, mistakes and all, the activity was beneficial in that it allowed students the opportunity to practice throwing and catching. Our next activity was the throwing and catching lab assessment. It was during this activity that motivating the younger students was necessary as this activity was a bit challenging for them. Also the younger child needed more specific instructional feedback to help them be more successful. However, it was more effective to give them instructions through demonstrations rather than words alone. Not only are they able to gather some information from the verbal instructions but through the visual instructions. This is crucial as children are maturating within the cognitive, affective, and pyschomotor domains. After the lab assessment were continued with different throwing and catching activities giving student time to practice in fun ways. The experience way great and I have a fun time working with the children at Dryden Elementary School and would to thanks for having me and I'm looking forward to visits to come! 


Tuesday the 21st, I went to the Dryden Elementary school for the second field experience. I was less apprehensive about it, which is encouraging for me since I tend to be someone who lets my nerves get the best of me. This experience seemed so different from the first. One major difference was that me and my lab group faced the obstacle of only having one child for the first hour and a half. Although one may think that this could only simplify things but on the contrary, it most certainly did not. Most of the activities that we had planned needed more than one participant. This caused a bit of a breakdown in the structure for the day. Additionally, the intent of the lab was to assess catching and jumping abilities. The one child that we had was only five and therefore had little opportunities to develop his jumping skills. He did however do very well with the throwing and catching activities that we had planned. It appeared as though he had previous exposure to throwing. He continually impressed me with throwing and oppositional stepping. Furthermore, he stepped in opposition almost every time and with various different throwing objects. This lab showed me how important it is to give cue to students that are learning new skills. I worked a little bit with this child to teach him basic locomotor movements in preparation for a game of Magician Tag. He was able to get the basics of skipping. We did it side by side while at the same time giving him exact verbal cues. This approach seemed to be pretty effective. I'm not saying that he could repeat a skip but he did successfully execute a few skips in secession at the time. I was please and it was neat to see the look of surprise on his face as he realized he was able to do it also. Essentially as a PE teacher you need to work to bring out the abilities that people don't think or realize that they have.

On Tuesday 28th, I had another practical experience at Dryden Elementary School. I was really impressed with how well things went. Pervious labs proved that if you set up your equipment in a fashion that looks interest children are more likely to come and check it out. During prior labs my group had trouble recruiting children to come a play with us. Therefore I made a point last week to create some inviting looking activities seem ever were up against the reins of the Playground. Right away two children came over to play. That was a good start. We began with a kicking to an open space and then to goal. There was not much variation in performance levels within the different task. We ran these simple tasks/activities for a bit. As more kids joined we created different challenges for them by changing the distance and with a few that were more advance we asked them to try to kick with their non-dominate foot. This allowed us to give cues to all the students. Plant your foot, make contact with the inside of your other foot and follow through. It was great because as a group I felt that we were able to give useful informative cues that all the students could use to help them perform better. After a while and it seemed as though they understood the correct way to kick we played Red Light, Green Light Kicking activity. The girls loved this and couldn’t get enough of it. They played for about 15 minutes. However the boys became less interested and few went back to the playground. It’s challenging to keep the interest of such a diverse groups of students (K-5, boy/girl). None the less we started up a game of Kickball and it was a huge success. By the end our game there were some 20 students engaged in Kickball with a wide range of skill levels. They all really seemed to be having fun and enjoyed playing. There was a piece of me that went to my childhood and could remember the neighbor kids getting together in the cul-de-sac to play kickball. I did however wonder if by playing kickball we neglected the teaching of fundamental skills. I rationed that we began with instructing the fundamentals of kicking and provided an appropriate progression. It’s not just about skill acquisition but rather a combination of learning skills and being excited to learn the skills.  It was a lot of fun and it was great to be a part of it. Thank you Dryden Students!

This experience gave me some really experience with managing a larger number of children. I was grateful that my group really shared the responsibilities as there were numerous things that came up. For example there were a few children that said that their foot hurt or that fell.  One child even took a ball right to the chest and it threw him back and knocked the wind out of him. As a group we managed to effectively handle these situations by bring them to the side and giving each child the time and attention to make sure that they were ok. However I’m not sure how we would have done this without my group; trying to manage the other students while tending to a single child. Definitely would appreciate some input.

One last thing that I thing is worth mentioning is this game of Kickball didn’t just bring in the “jocks” but a wide range of abilities. Therefore something that this lab helped me realize that if the activity is truly FUN kids want to be a part of it. As I’m preparing for my next lab at Dryden Elementary School this reflective lesson needs to be a crucial part of my planning. I’m excited to see what we can accomplish with the children. 

On Tuesday the March 20 I went to Dryden Elementary School for another hands-on experience working with the children there. It was a good learning experience. There were a few things in particular that were significant. During this lab we had to create our own assessment model.  My group assessed the underhand ball roll. So, we ran a bowling activity. It seemed like a great idea but there were some execution flaws.  At first, everything was ok. We only had two children and we could easily accommodate. However, as more children joined in it became difficult to keep everyone on task since many on them were just waiting around for their turn. It became apparently that although the activity enabled us to do the assigned assessment it did not allow us to engage all the children at the same time. We then moved on to a cup catching activity. There were also some difficulties running this task. Some children really enjoyed this activity; however, the task was too demanding for the younger aged children.  It was during this activity that these two boys decided to try me. I had yet to experience this.  I didn’t even know how to react. Even looking back, I am still not sure what the best approach would have been.  The only reaction that I could muster up was to say to them, “That’s not nice.”  Besides that incident was great to be able to apply some of things that I am learning from 255 Basic Instructional class.  I found that give very clear, specific instruction help students stay on target. Also giving congruent feedback, even if that meant telling thank you for following instructions “stabilized” the environment. Giving the children guidelines and reinforcing them help my group and I earned the respect from the children. In addition, giving feed that was congruent with the cues focused the children and motivated them to accomplish more. It was a rewarding experience.

Tuesday March 27^th we went back to the local Elementary school to teach volleying skills. This visit was a lot of fun. I feel like I’m really getting to know some of the children at the school. In addition, I finally am beginning to get a handle on what and how an instructor can do to engage and help students grow on. It’s a PE teacher’s responsibility to help students achieve things that they never thought possible. During this lab my group was lucky enough to experience some great moments.  Let’s start at the beginning. Volley is a fundamental skill that doesn’t get as much attention as let’s say catching. Thus, students really benefited from our activities. We were able to teach them the correct way to volley the ball. It was really awesome to watch as they got it.  There was one child in particular that largely benefited from a few  mini-challenges. You could just see the sense of confidence building, as he was success at the little challenges we gave him. It was really great. This lab gave me some much need motivation.  This is the best kind of receiving and I would like to thank the students of Dryden Elementary for the welcoming us into your school.

Our final Motor Develop Lab was last Tuesday April 10th. It was less formal than our pervious labs as we are winding down. We did not prepare activities however; we were put on the spot to come with some. In the face of this, I was surprisingly not nervous. Moreover, I was excited for the spontaneity. In addition each group had to teach a dance. Well, we taught the Chicken Dance and I use the word taught loosely (since most of the children already knew the dance).  We also played a few group activities with the Parachute. Overall, the last day was a fun and relaxing farewell to the Dryden students.  

Throughout the experience, I feel that I have grown. Given the opportunity to work hands on

with children K-5th grade,  I now have a better understanding of different activities and task that are developmental appropriate for children at these varying levels. In addition, I gain some useful information about how to work (talk, manage, busy) younger-aged children.  Although there is still much to learn, I am grateful for what I have acquired and excited for further opportunities for professional growth. Thank you Dryden Elementary School and students for all the great times we shared. 

Parting

Monday, April 30^th 2012 was the final class for my EDU255 course Basics in Effective Instruction in PE. First, I would like to say thank you Professor Yang for you contagious enthusiasm and passion. It has been eye opening and soul-searching semester. It is through this class that I feel even stronger about my pursuit to be a Physical Education teacher, and for this I thank you. You said something that really sunk in and was great to hear. If you don’t want to be totally submerged in these children’s lives then being a teacher in not for you. When I applied to Cortland, one of my motivates was to be able to reach out to those children (through the physical) who are looking for someone. It was source of strength for both my mind and my body in my youth, and I want to give that back. This semester has showed me just some of the ways I can reach my goal. In addition, it is through this class that I expanded my view of how and what Physical Education can and should be. To Rockstar PE!

Standards

During Friday’s class, we reviewed the Senior Level Regent Report card for PE. 6/3 This ratio is the hopefully standard that will soon be require for NYS students to graduate. The 6 represents capabilities in 6 different activity categories while the 3 represents proficiency in three of those categories. In order for PE to be regarded as a needed and serious program in schools PE teachers, need to establish a higher outcome criterion. We also discussed the importance of creating appropriate assessments for PE lesson. Up to this point, we mostly use verbal checks. But that’s not enough. There needs to be quantifiable, concrete assessments to be able to establish and prove the creditable of PE programs. 

Cup Stacking/Hantis

Wednesday’s class was brought to us courtesy of Kyle and David. David always does well, as he has good stage presence if you will. His lesson was on cup stacking. At first all I could think was this was not appropriate for PE class. I could not have been more wrong. This was a fun and instinctually challenging activity. Furthermore, cup stacking really helps the development of bi-lateral movement as well as brain functioning. Even though cup stacking is low-energy it’s a great activity to do in PE classes for many reason. You do not have to be an all-star to be fully engaged. Anyone and everyone can participant and enjoy it. We need more of this types of activities to help student find their place in the PE classroom. Remember, only 20% of all children like physical education classes, thus it’s up to instructor to try new things and help every child find their place in the PE. Kyle taught us another lesson in Hantis, which is truly a neat game. One nice thing about Hantis is that is easily adapted. Tables and balls can be modified with whatever the school has on hand. It’s a good activity to promote cooperation and teamwork, Thanks guys for the lesson. I look forward to incorporating both of these activities into my own classroom one day.

DDR

During Monday’s class, we were in the ExerGaming Lab again. I could get used to this. Both Max and Stephanie did an excellent job developing their lessons and task progression. Both taught a lesson using the DDR system. I liked the way that Stephanie had students who scored high during each round write their name up on the broad. It was an interesting way to assess while creating friendly competition. It was a good idea. Max was thrown a curve ball during his lesson. Our professor staged a student having a seizure. Although there were things that Max could have done different during this “happening”, I think that he well. Furthermore, I think that I was a good way to integrate and practice the application of what we have learning in our First Aid courses. Max had one task in particular at the end of his lesson that was fun. We were playing with our feet, doing the crab walk. This was an interesting twist. Thanks for the lessons Stephanie and Max.

Hunt Reflection

My last teaching experience for Basics in Effective Teaching course has come to a close. The experience, however challenging it was for me, revealed my potential. It was a great learning opportunity. As I reflect back, there were both positive and negative outcomes. I know that I have come a long way from that four-minute skill-teaching lab at the beginning of the semester and yet I there are still mountains in the distance. I can see that I have developed a certain confidence talking in front of a group that I never had. However, I still need to be careful with my words, as at times I'm less than precise with my words.

This last lab gave me a change to be creative and original. I believe that some of the components really enhanced the experience for my classmates. I presented them with a Challenge By Choice in which they would link up with classmates during the scavenger hunt. This forced every last person to work together and cooperation with each other. I would do something similar to this again, however I might use a Hula Hoop instead and have only two or three people in a group. Either way, the concept lends itself to a true cooperative learning experience. Additionally, I started the class with two different lead in activities.  I felt that both activities were necessary to begin to establish the working climate between students. They quickly played a game of Blog Tag and then I had groups work their way through three stations to introduce the topic of the scavenger hunt (the harmful effects of cigarette smoking). The class did the final station together. FYI, I had planned to do all the station in groups but I rotated the groups incorrectly. Nonetheless, I was glad that I goofed up because I think that the last station activities created a fun and spontaneous atmosphere.

were a few near fatal flaws in my teaching. First, I failed to provide students will emergency contact information. Since one group was on their one during half the class, I should have given contact numbers if there were any problems. Second, I planned to do the first pinpoint location on the Mobile Adventure Apps together. This would have allowed me to make sure that each group took a different route. In addition, at that time I knew that had to give them cues on how best to work the app. I should have address how to determine their next destination. This mistake did cause some hiccups. Also, I never told the students who were the acting touring guides to read the question aloud as they reached each location. Futhermore, I should have better explained what they were looking for and what they were to do at each location (take an index card and leave the item in the container). All of those glitches could have been avoid had I remember to complete the first location together.

Another significant problem of my lesson was that I gave them too many tasks to complete while the hunt was in progress. I asked them upload pictures to Twitter, complete a worksheet, and create a jingle. Looking back I probably should have left the assignment to the end of class as a take home assignment. They had too many things in their hands.

On the other hand, many qualities about my lesson were strong. My lesson was structured to educate the participants, learning through the physical, as my professor says. It was not just a simple scavenger hunt but rather a means to have student begin to understand their own health as it relates to personal decisions and smoking cigarettes. It is this concept that inspired me. If you don’t already know, I currently work in the healthcare field. The reason for my transition into Physical Education is largely due all that I have witness in my career. Physical Education can’t just be about promoting athletes and good PACER scores, but must be about teaching children the ways in which to develop and maintain their own personal health. This is vital; so that future generations will not continue to experience the same health aliments that are facing our nation now.

Lesson Plan
Activity Progression
Block Plan
Scope and Sequence
Assignment to Assess Leaning
Behavior Management
C-12 Form
Transcription
Time Coding

Final MD Lab

Our final Motor Develop Lab was last Tuesday. It was less formal than our pervious labs as we are winding down. We did not prepare activities however; we were put on the spot to come with some. In the face of this, I was surprisingly not nervous. Moreover, I was excited for the spontaneity. In addition each group had to teach a dance. Well, we taught the Chicken Dance and I use the word taught loosely (since most of the children already knew the dance).  We also played a few group activities with the Parachute. Overall, the last day was a fun and relaxing farewell to the Dryden students.  

Throughout the experience, I feel that I have grown. Given the opportunity to work hands on

with children K-5th grade,  I now have a better understanding of different activities and task that are developmental appropriate for children at these varying levels. In addition, I gain some useful information about how to work (talk, manage, busy) younger-aged children.  Although there is still much to learn, I am grateful for what I have acquired and excited for further opportunities for professional growth. Thank you Dryden Elementary School and students for all the great times we shared. 

ExerGamaing Teaching Lab

During Wednesday’s class, I had the pleasure of sitting in on another two lessons. Both Emily and Leslie did an awesome job and there lessons were fun and engaging. In addition, it was apparent that both of them spent a lot of time preparing and becoming familiar with the ExerGaming equipment. The health issue that Emily had to cover was Diabetes. She did an excellent job integrating some of the key concepts of diabetes in a more hands on approach. One activity that she planned was particularly important to the teaching of the health issue. Basically, she created an activity that allowed students to learn cognitively through the systematic incorporation of the group members. When she yelled Insulin Shock  the whole group worked together to fight against the the (increasing blood sugar levels). Her lesson was great and she did a really good job managing the class and the activities. Leslie’s lesson involved many different ExerGaming technologies.  She had four video gaming stations setup. We rotated through the different stations. It was really a lot of fun and I wish we could have spent more time in there. We played a little Wii tennis, some bicycle power race car game for children, a vitual bomb game  for the PlayStation Eye Toy and a another bicycle powered basketball game. She put a lot of time in to get it all prepared for the class and it definitely showed and paid off. Thanks you both Emily and Leslie for your contributions and the learning experience. 

Pool Time

Yesterday both Mike and Devon taught their Lab D lessons in the pool. I had the pleasure of recording. This was a first and I’m not certain that I did a great job. Hopefully they'll both still be able to benefit from them their videosJ  Either way, there were some strengths and some things could probably could have used some refinement.  Devon had a great idea with the water aerobics routine. It was a simple and fun way to play in the pool while still providing a cardio workout.  During Devon’s teaching lesson, there were some behavior problems with the “students”. His behavior management approach was too steep out the gate with those students and he had nowhere else to go. He probably should have taken a less serve approach to begin with. Mike used some device to create a relay swimming event. That looked interesting and I image that the rest of my class enjoyed it. Mike keep kneel down beside the pool. This teaching style seems appropriate and and I think it help establish him as a authority figure as opposed to getting in to the pool right away. Devon on the other hand got in the pool. Since Devon was doing an aerobics routine I understand why he did. There were some really great moments. These guys did a fantastic job. 

MD-Lab 5

Tuesday March 27^th we went back to the local Elementary school to teach volleying skills. This visit was a lot of fun. I feel like I’m really getting to know some of the children at the school. In addition, I finally am beginning to get a handle on what and how an instructor can do to engage and help students grow on. It’s a PE teacher’s responsibility to help students achieve things that they never thought possible. During this lab my group was lucky enough to experience some great moments.  Let’s start at the beginning. Volley is a fundamental skill that doesn’t get as much attention as let’s say catching. Thus, students really benefited from our activities. We were able to teach them the correct way to volley the ball. It was really awesome to watch as they got it.  There was one child in particular that largely benefited from a few  mini-challenges. You could just see the sense of confidence building, as he was success at the little challenges we gave him. It was really great. This lab gave me some much need motivation.  This is the best kind of receiving and I would like to thank the students of Dryden Elementary for the welcoming us into your school.

MD-Lab 4

On Tuesday the March 20 I went to Dryden Elementary School for another hands-on experience working with the children there. It was a good learning experience. There were a few things in particular that were significant. During this lab we had to create our own assessment model.  My group assessed the underhand ball roll. So, we ran a bowling activity. It seemed like a great idea but there were some execution flaws.  At first, everything was ok. We only had two children and we could easily accommodate. However, as more children joined in it became difficult to keep everyone on task since many on them were just waiting around for their turn. It became apparently that although the activity enabled us to do the assigned assessment it did not allow us to engage all the children at the same time. We then moved on to a cup catching activity. There were also some difficulties running this task. Some children really enjoyed this activity; however, the task was too demanding for the younger aged children.  It was during this activity that these two boys decided to try me. I had yet to experience this.  I didn’t even know how to react. Even looking back, I am still not sure what the best approach would have been.  The only reaction that I could muster up was to say to them, “That’s not nice.”  Besides that incident was great to be able to apply some of things that I am learning from 255 Basic Instructional class.  I found that give very clear, specific instruction help students stay on target. Also giving congruent feedback, even if that meant telling thank you for following instructions “stabilized” the environment. Giving the children guidelines and reinforcing them help my group and I earned the respect from the children. In addition, giving feed that was congruent with the cues focused the children and motivated them to accomplish more. It was a rewarding experience.

Table Tennis

During Wednesday's class both Eric and Justin taught. As the teaching experiences are progressing our professor is prompting different environment challenges that one would experience in the classroom. This approach allows us as teacher candidates to explore different behavioral management approaches and tactics. I really enjoyed Eric’s use of Yoga as his instants activity and the scaffolding was appropriately incorporated. His progression of task and variations were well thought out. Justin had an interesting instant activity. He posted approximately six different pictures of unhealthy foods which we had to Zumba dance towards. After we made it to each station we gave us a brief lesson on high fructose corn sugars. It was a simple, yet every effective approach to teach about the side effects and health concerns regarding HFCS. I will remember this activity as it’s likely that I’ll find a use for it myself one day. 

Overview of Lab D Packet

This Monday we reviewed some of the things we need to complete for this class and our final teaching Lab. For this lab we need to create a resource packet that consists of a few different things. First we need a lesson plan and task progression. The task progression needs to show some 40 different tasks that are appropriate for levels K-12. Additionally we need to create a scope and sequence plan.   I’m having a hard time with this as my final lab activity is a scavenger hunt which seems more like a single event and not a unit type activity. Also we need to complete a plan for Managing off task-behavior which I think I have under control.  As PE is evolving the new PE requires classroom assessments and assigned homework for students to engage in their own learning of life-time fitness. 

Zumba

On Friday the 6^th Dan did his teaching lab on Zumba. He did a great job. Something that Dan brings to the table that is uniquely his is his feverous energy.  Even before his lesson started he had the class moving and dancing around.  We learned a few Zumba moves as a class and then we did a Zumba routine video that he created. It was neat since I’ve never done any Zumba. Then he threw us for a loop. We had to work in small groups to create our own little Zumba routine with the moves that we learned. I think that this was a good idea however it might have actually worked better as an end of the unit project. There wasn’t enough time to really be creative. However, as each group presented their routine all the other groups were following along. One of the downfalls in Dan teaching I didn’t really feel like I got a good workout and from what I understand that’s what Zumba is good for. But overall Dan put a lot of work and effort in and it showed off, however some minor refinement might have been beneficial.  

Yoga

Wednesday April 4^th, marked the start of Lab D. Trisha got the ball rolling and might I added did a phenomenal job. I was utterly impressed with her yoga lesson.  She started with a quick game of tag, however she modified it some. The two “It” was carrying a weighted backpack on their chest.  This was done in part to represent the difficulties that unhealthy body weight can cause while simultaneously increasing the task difficultly.  Then the class split up into pairs. Partners rotating through 6 stations that she created. At each station we did a different Yoga position. She did a great job with the visual aids. She had two pictures on each poster board. One picture showed the correct form and the other showed the muscle groups that are used for that particular position. Furthermore the poster had intra-task variations. These encourage me to try for the harder position (Acted as a motivator).  Once we completed all the stations we took part in a yoga routine she prepared. Trisha made this awesome yoga video routine. By the end of the class I really felt like I got something out of her lesson. Furthermore I have been doing yoga every morning since. This is what we should all be inspiring to achieve and accomplish in PE. Thanks for all your hard work Trisha. 

Scavenger Hunt

On Monday the 2^nd we had a Scavenger Hunt. I bet you’re all thinking that sounds like fun. Well you’re right, it was fun. Steve, one of the TA for the class organized and ran the event. It amazing how every basic this idea is, and yet we don’t really see a lot of this in the public school systems.  Although we weren’t running around, it was still an aerobic workout as we prowled the hallways in search of clues. Additionally this sort of activity incorporates the cognitive domain of learning, more so than your average PE class. And as a PE major this is exactly what I want to achieve with my future classes one day. Thanks Steve.

Exer-Gaming

Well, I know that it’s been a while since I have been able to Blog, but I have lots of great things to share. Two Fridays ago, my class met in the Exer-Gaming Lab.  I’m not much of a video gamer, so I wasn’t sure what to expect.  We spent most of the class playing DDR (Dance Dance Revolution). It was a neat experience. The system is designed to let each individual student challenge themselves at their own level. Like I said, I’m not really a gamer but I was still able to have fun and get in some play or was it exercise. I even went so far as to hang around for after class to get in some more moves!

MD Lab 3

Last Tuesday I had another practical experience at Dryden Elementary School. I was really impressed with how well things went. Pervious labs proved that if you set up your equipment in a fashion that looks interest children are more likely to come and check it out. During prior labs my group had trouble recruiting children to come a play with us. Therefore I made a point last week to create some inviting looking activities seem ever were up against the reins of the Playground. Right away two children came over to play. That was a good start. We began with a kicking to an open space and then to goal. There was not much variation in performance levels within the different task. We ran these simple tasks/activities for a bit. As more kids joined we created different challenges for them by changing the distance and with a few that were more advance we asked them to try to kick with their non-dominate foot. This allowed us to give cues to all the students. Plant your foot, make contact with the inside of your other foot and follow through. It was great because as a group I felt that we were able to give useful informative cues that all the students could use to help them perform better. After a while and it seemed as though they understood the correct way to kick we played Red Light, Green Light Kicking activity. The girls loved this and couldn’t get enough of it. They played for about 15 minutes. However the boys became less interested and few went back to the playground. It’s challenging to keep the interest of such a diverse groups of students (K-5, boy/girl). None the less we started up a game of Kickball and it was a huge success. By the end our game there were some 20 students engaged in Kickball with a wide range of skill levels. They all really seemed to be having fun and enjoyed playing. There was a piece of me that went to my childhood and could remember the neighbor kids getting together in the cul-de-sac to play kickball. I did however wonder if by playing kickball we neglected the teaching of fundamental skills. I rationed that we began with instructing the fundamentals of kicking and provided an appropriate progression. It’s not just about skill acquisition but rather a combination of learning skills and being excited to learn the skills.  It was a lot of fun and it was great to be a part of it. Thank you Dryden Students!

This experience gave me some really experience with managing a larger number of children. I was grateful that my group really shared the responsibilities as there were numerous things that came up. For example there were a few children that said that their foot hurt or that fell.  One child even took a ball right to the chest and it threw him back and knocked the wind out of him. As a group we managed to effectively handle these situations by bring them to the side and giving each child the time and attention to make sure that they were ok. However I’m not sure how we would have done this without my group; trying to manage the other students while tending to a single child. Definitely would appreciate some input.

One last thing that I thing is worth mentioning is this game of Kickball didn’t just bring in the “jocks” but a wide range of abilities. Therefore something that this lab helped me realize that if the activity is truly FUN kids want to be a part of it. As I’m preparing for my next lab at Dryden Elementary School this reflective lesson needs to be a crucial part of my planning. I’m excited to see what we can accomplish with the children. 

Technology in PE

Friday’s class we talked about our final teaching lab for this class. This teaching lab has a yet a few more components that we need to incorporate. On top of the lesson plan, and task progression and bulletin board we need to design a task assessment form which should be adapted from the New York State Physical Education Profile. Although I’m not sure how I’m going to go about this as of yet I appreciate the importance/significance of utilizing resources.  This is a skill that is necessary of great teachers. As a teacher you become a tool for learning for thousands of students and it is your responsibility to give your students new, current and pertinent information. By being able to modify and incorporate up-and-coming ideas and concepts you’re providing your students the real opportunities to develop. I think that this is going to be a good experience for me as I’m not as computer/technologically savvy as I’d like to think  I am. On that note, this final teaching lab has a focus based on technology in the classroom (PE class).  Although I don’t think I need to say this, it is evident that technology is the movement that’s driving our lives. Therefore it’s even more important than ever that we provide students with relevant uses of technology that will enhance their learning experiences. 

NYS PE Report Card

Wednesday in class we began to discuss our final teaching lab. There more elements to consider when we do our teaching Lab D. We are including technology in this lab. Besides that we also need to design a bulletin board as this is skill that we need while teaching in schools. If designed correctly they should be aesthetically pleasing, eye-catching and informative. A bulletin board can be a great tool for teachers to spread important information to their students. I’m up for the challenge. I enjoy these sorts of assignments as they allow my creative side to come out. Additionally these boards will be left up for a little while and although I’m a bit nervous I’m hopeful I that I’ll present some new and useful information to others who stop to read it. During our class we also stressed the importance gearing our PE classes toward reaching commencement level goals. In the past PE lacked true criteria. It is more important than ever that PE raise the bar and create more concrete standards. As a teachers candidate it will one day be my responsibility to help reach and exceed the standards of the New Your State PE Profile. It will be my duty to develop health-related fitness within as many many categories of activities as possible.  

Coaching vs PE

Monday we started class with a friendly game of Ultimate. Personally I think that this was a great idea. We could have easily had a lecture style learning experience, but instead we played Frisbee, moved around and activating our bodies. We did however spend sometime in the classroom. I feel that this is a great approach to allow the body, spiritual and mind to develop and flourish.  One thing that I can say for sure is that splitting the class time up like this encourages a “real” sense of teamwork in and out of the classroom and effectively aids development in all the domains of learning.  When we did go to room we were all excited, enthusiastic: talking and sharing with each other.  Basically this type of instruction permits natural development as opposed to traditional classroom setting where there is often a limited time to transmit the require learning information and the focus is solely on the cognitive domain.

Once we were sitting down in our classroom we spent the rest of the time talking about the NYSAHPERD conference that my professor and some of the TA’s and students attended. We watched a recorded discussion between my professor and life-long PE teacher that also attended the conference. It was this exchanged that gave me a bit inspiration. Basically he talked about the transformation and self-awareness he gained over his years as a coach and PE teacher.  He offered that although it’s important to help athlete’s success the true goal as a PE teacher should be to encourage all students to gain and maintain a level of health related fitness. To help them achieve what they never thought possible and guide all students toward a path of achievement. 

Lab C: Omnikin Ball Lesson

Omnikin Ball

On Feb 27th I taught a lesson in Omnikin Ball for Kindergarten level students to my classmates. The experience proved to be challenging yet worthwhile. There a lot of great moments as well as though-provoking ones.

At the start of this teaching experience, I had to first acquire some general knowledge of the game an it's origins. While developing a lesson for this age group, it was difficult to create activities that were developmentally appropriate. My lesson was constructed around the idea of keeping the off the ground and in the air as children of this age are still developing fundamental catching and throwing skills. While establishing a task progression I was able to create activities that I felt supported the concepts of Omnikin Ball. Furthermore, I wrote a block plan for a Kindergarten program. To expand the our potential we had all to a create developmental-age appropriate scope of tasks that students would be able to execute through each grade level.

I started of the lesson with an instant activity that I thought encompassed this idea and students would enjoy: Limbo. However, as I am still just learning, I failed to consider the possibility that they wouldn't have played Limbo before. This threw me for a loop. I hadn't considered how to explain/teach this activity. However, this taught me a good lesson. You can never assume the developmental level of students rather you need to constantly assess and reassess your students. Additionally, if you're planning to incorprate an activity in your class you best be prepared to explain and teach it. There were also several instances in which

  problems arose that I didn't foresee. Specifically, during one activity I had students in groups of four. I was trying to create a basic understanding that everyone needs to touch the ball before serving but students didn't quite grab the idea of spreading out during it. It seemed good in my mind, but unfortunately, if these college student couldn't do it then it's was clearly to advanced to Kindergarten students.  Looking back on the difficulties I had during this activity, I probably would have stressed staying in a square formation. This might have helped them visualize the activity better.That being said as I completed my verbal transcript of the lesson, it became painful obviously that I have a tendency to start a thought and change it mid-sentence. Although  these students were able to follow instructions and feedback I don't feel that younger students would be able to adapt as well. Therefore, I must make a valid attempt to structure my words to create clear concise meaning and direction. Also, in respect to public speaking there are were a few other areas of concern. I killed the word, "alright".  I use this word as a sort of method to segment things in my mind. This is fine, however I can't continue to verbalize it. I need to work on internally creating the division. Also, another phrased that I used in excess was, "You guys". This is inappropriate and needs to limited if not complete removed from my speaking, given the rightful so, sensitivity times. Something else that came to my attention was my lack of congruent feedback. I didn't give feedback that was specific to the instructional cues that I provided them with. In giving congruent feedback you are basically helping students see the progress that they were making while encouraging further growth. In part I contribute my lack of congruent feedback to the knowledge that my classmates skills far supersede the skills I was teaching. Nevertheless, I need to develop my ability to hone on students' skill execution to be better able to provide them with necessary feedback.
As a teacher candidate I felt that I was able to do a better job managing the class and the activities. There were times that everything fell into sync and it felt natural. Of course this was not the entire time but for now I cherish those moments and learn from them. For example, after we started the limbo activity if was a lot of fun and without a doubt even some of my peers enjoyed it. On the flip side there were times that I felt that my lesson lack clear objects. Looking back at the video helps me see the growth even if at the moment I felt overwhelmed. One thing that I did that impressed my (thanks for the lesson plan I created) was my use of creating challenges for my students. I appreciate the importance of this as I reflect back to my elementary school days. I tried to create opportunities for students to challenge themselves and be more successful. Conversely I should have check-in with them more. Even though I provide the challenges I should have let them showcase their accomplishments.

View all

Get your own

One thing that all of my teaching experiences to-date including this one reveal is that I need to continually check for understanding. There was a few times during this lab experience where I asked students if they understand but I never tested their level of comprehension. It's not enough to just say, "Do you all understand?" Students are less likely to come right out and say no therefore by asking them questions you can help clarify confusion.
After all was said and done I did a breakdown of the effectiveness in creating opportunities for my students to increase their physical health. The time distribution showed that are areas for improvement. Although students were activity engaged for more than half of the time I believe that  since the time spent in PE classes is limited as teacher we must constantly strive to create more time effective lessons for students. Additionally because of my lack of foresight, I lost valuable time in the beginning of  my lesson. Hence, I stress the importance of lesson construction.

Shinty

Wednesday class was inspiring with the final teaching experience on Scotland's Shinty. The group that taught really brought some great elements to their teaching and it was overall a great opportunity to learn from other students. First,Trisha created a fun instant activity using index cards with Scotland related pictures (Loch Ness Monster, flag, map) and corresponding fitness stations. It was a fun and different approach to promote activity and learning at the sametime. She taught kindergarten level and took the game Builders and Bulldozers and modified it to teach striking the ball when it's on the ground. One thing that I struggled with was whether the activity actually taught a skill that would be used in game of Shinty. However I had the same concerns as I was preparing my Kindergarten lesson. None the less the lesson was well planned out and was fun to be a part of. Stephanie also used an interesting instant activity in which she broke up the Scottish flag and put math problems on the back which were to be solved. I wonder it this activity could have been expand upon but the idea was awesome. A possibly suggestion might be put facts about the origin of the game, as this activity would be supporingt learning by discovery. Dave did a great job teaching as he seems to demand the right amount of attention in a fun and natural way. He incorporated a video from YouTube to development the cognitive learning. However, I did feel that perhaps he could have shorted up the instructional and safety statements. I liked the modified side-game that we played. Furthermore he actually gave us a task that was new for most of us and therefore was challenging and fun to work on. Collectively this group did an awesome job!

MD Lab 2

Well, last Tuesday I went to the Dryden Elementary school for the second field experience. I was less apprehensive about it, which is encouraging for me since I tend to be someone who lets my nerves get the best of me. This experience seemed so different from the first. One major difference was that me and my lab group faced the obstacle of only having one child for the first hour and a half. Although one may think that this could only simplify things but on the contrary, it most certainly did not. Most of the activities that we had planned needed more than one participant. This caused a bit of a breakdown in the structure for the day. Additionally, the intent of the lab was to assess catching and jumping abilities. The one child that we had was only five and therefore had little opportunities to develop his jumping skills. He did however do very well with the throwing and catching activities that we had planned. It appeared as though he had previous exposure to throwing. He continually impressed me with throwing and oppositional stepping. Furthermore, he stepped in opposition almost every time and with various different throwing objects. This lab showed me how important it is to give cue to students that are learning new skills. I worked a little bit with this child to teach him basic locomotor movements in preparation for a game of Magician Tag. He was able to get the basics of skipping. We did it side by side while at the same time giving him exact verbal cues. This approach seemed to be pretty effective. I'm not saying that he could repeat a skip but he did successfully execute a few skips in secession at the time. I was please and it was neat to see the look of surprise on his face as he realized he was able to do it also. Essentially as a PE teacher you need to work to bring out the abilities that people don't think or realize that they have.

Tchoukball

Today we played Tchoukball. Again the class was taught by our peers as we each are learning to create lesson plans and appropriate task progressions. All of lessons were had some strengths and weakness. Here's something that I keep playing back in my head that my professor says, "If it's not fun to teach, then it's not fun for the student's." That is such a simple concept and makes perfect sense. However, if it challenging to create fun and interesting ways to teach skill development. Two of the lessons were more drills than activities. Although drills are necessary for athletic development that may not be the best approach for a PE class. It goes without say that not all students what to be athletes, but as PE teachers we want to help all children develop physical life-long activities. And although these two ideas might seem the same the approach needs to fit the goal. If we approach physical education with drills non-athletes will be turn off. However if we approach physical education as a fun interactive way to stay healthly PE teachers will be able to appeal to more student and make a bigger impact on student's health and fitness. As I already stated this is not easy to accomplish, but I think it's important to consistently strive for this, because this the ultimate goal.

Monday I will have to teaching a lesson on Omnikin intended for Kindergarten school age children. As  I mentioned in previous post I'm finding assignment to be difficult as I currently have a limited knowledge of the developmental capabilities of this age group and because I'm not sure to make the lesson feel less drill like and more game/activity like. I have my work cut out this weekend and hopefully I'm able to refine my lesson into something that even my peers can enjoy.

Handtis

Do You Know Handtis? I do now...You can too! It's a great activity to incorporate into your PE program. It will help your students build hand-eye coordination while having loads of ton. Also it is easy to modify to meet the level of students. Furthermore you can adapt it to what every equipment you already have. So, lets recap it cost effective, it allows students to development fundamental skills, doesn't require a lot of space and its FUN!!! What are you waiting for??? I was introduce to this games by three peers who taught the skill and concepts of the game at a 4th grade level, 8th grade level and 10th grade. It is a great activity because those students who are not high energy can be encouraged and be successful in the PE classroom. Its a awesome way to get everyone involved whether they like PE or not.




Also check out this lesson. Note that Mike was able to modify the equipment during the lesson.


 
Pretty Cool!!!

MD-Lab 1

Tuesday Feb the 14th  I went to my first lab experience at Dryden Elementary School for my Motor Development course. Needless to say I was extremely anxious. I anticipated that I would be a nervous wreck the whole time and this wasn't the case. After about 5 minutes things seemed to fall into place and I was able to focus and give my full attention the students. The lab was informal and was basically geared towards building a rapport with the children and have a good time. However there was a underlying  objective which was to asses throwing and catching skills of elementary school students. While instructing numerous activities I began to fully appreciate the importance of establishing playing boundaries and safety statements. Without these managerial tools students easily get off course. My group, The Minions, started with "Everybodys It Tag" which I feel was fitting. This was a instant activity that required little instruction and got all the children engaged and running around. Also it was a fun way to break the ice. We followed up with  Toss-A-Name Game as it was appropriate for the theme and was a good way to learn students names. We then did  a "Group Juggle"; however given the age/developmental variations there were some difficulties. One of the children was 5 years old and was still in the initial stage within Gallahue's Theoretical Model of Motor Development. In my opinion, mistakes and all, the activity was beneficial in that it allowed students the opportunity to practice throwing and catching. Our next activity was the throwing and catching lab assessment. It was during this activity that motivating the younger students was necessary as this activity was a bit challenging for them. Also the younger child needed more specific instructional feedback to help them be more successful. However, it was more effective to give them instructions through demonstrations rather than words alone. Not only are they able to gather some information from the verbal instructions but through the visual instructions. This is crucial as children are maturating within the cognitive, affective, and pyschomotor domains. After the lab assessment were continued with different throwing and catching activities giving student time to practice in fun ways. The experience way great and I have a fun time working with the children at Dryden Elementary School and would to thanks for having me and I'm looking forward to visits to come!

Rugby/Kindergarten Appropriate Activities

Well lets see, today's class began with Cassie teaching an activity in Rugby. First we were introduces to the English origins of Ruby in relation to Football, which was interesting to learn about. We then practiced throwing the Rugby ball with the designated cues that she provided: Thumbs up, turn the knob, rotate shoulders and finally step in opposition. These cue were well thought out as they help define and execute the proper throwing technique. Next we did a quick drill, throwing the ball behind us, which was supported a vital game concept. Finally we played a modified 4 v 4 game-like activity that really solidified the game concepts as well as throwing skills. I feel that the progression of her Rugby lesson helped establish a foundation for the game while keeping it interesting and interactive. Thanks for the lesson! Following that activity we meet back up with our groups to continue to work on Lab C (Omnikin Ball) lessons. I very much appreciate the input that I got from Dan and Steve as they were extremely helpful. They gave me some good ideas about teaching Kindergarten aged children. Although I still have to organize my activities for Lab C  I will center my lesson around the concept of on keeping the ball of the ground as the game calls for.  My teaching activities will include using their hands (in groups of 2, in groups of 4, against the wall etc. ) as well as using their feet to keep the ball off the ground (sitting on they bum). Through using both their hands and feet I feel that I will provide children the opportunity to develop fundamental movements. Again, I would like to thank you guys. Not only did you guys help me with this assignment but you helped me gain a better understanding of how to approach teaching younger children.

Task Progression for K

Fridays class was spent brainstorming some ideas about out next Teaching Lab. For this Lab we will be working in groups to develop a learning experience for student in kindergarten, 8th grade and 10th grade. I'm a bit nervous about this as I'm responsible for kindergarten age students and I don't feel that I have enough experience with this age group to develop an appropriate lesson plan. On the other hand I think the experience will be beneficial for my professional development and will aid in my flexibility as PE Teacher. My groups activity is Omnikin. This seems like a really fun activity however I'm not sure how to create a developmentally appropriate lesson for kindergarten children. Any input would be great appreciated. I know that I will have to use smaller balls However, I'm not sure how I can teach the aspects or skills of this game to this age level. I do know that I need to establish a goal for the lesson and construct a lesson plan and various task extensions that will aid in accomplishing the goal. For this Lab my group will have to create a technology aid to supplement the teaching. This should be a good experience as well, as technology is being assimilated in PE classes. Well it looks like I have my work cut out for me. Hoping to make some head room by Wednesday so I can get some much needed feedback.

Chapter 4 & 5 Questions

Chapter 4 Questions 2,8, and 17
Had to improvise on the question as I could not find the questions that were assigned. There was no number 8 or 17. Therefore I decided to answer numbers 1 and 7 instead.

1. What are some major cause of student inattention? How can the teacher best prevent inattention?

Some of the primary causes of student inattention are environmental distractions, inability to hear or see, as well as inefficient use of time. Environmental distraction include other people and object (equipment) within the environment. Teachers can prevent this sort of inattention through establishing a procedure when equipment is out; having students put it down and step away for it. Also, if students are working in groups have them separate themselves so they would distract one another. If a student is unable to hear or see the teacher they are more likely to zone out. Therefore, as a teacher you need to determine whether or not it is best to huddle in give instructions or not. Also the teacher needs to consider where they are positioned in respect to their students. If a teacher has their back to half the class is it likely that those students will not be able to see or hear the teacher. Additionally, when outdoors it is important to consider the glare from the sun and teachers such position students so they are not looking into the sun. Furthermore, if time is used inefficiently students will become "bored" and zone out. It is important to keep instructions short and concise. 

2. What are some things teachers can do to improve communication with learners in task presentation?

When presenting students with a task to break it down  into content (what is to be performed) and management (organizational arrangements) and give student time to process both. Basically if students will be working in groups you don't  not mention the organizational arrangements until the content has been clearly established or give them time to get into groups or get equipment and then instruct them of content. The latter will probably suite more situations.  Now that you have create a environment that will help students be able to best learn your delivery of information is also important. As a teacher you want to present material in a logical sequence. Additionally examples of task as well as non-examples help student understand the task for what it is as well as that it is not. Furthermore when the material is complex or elaborate it is important to repeat the information and check or understand.

7. What are organizational signals? where are they most necessary in a physical education class?

 Organization signals include a number of different aspects of effectively managing students and the class environment. Initial it is important to establish signals for attention procedures in order to be able to gain and maintaining attention in various environments. This signal is especially important for in outdoor settings and shared spaced. Also, organizational signals include the arrangement of an activity. Not only is it important to be able to get your students attention is it necessary to clear instructions on how the activity will be carried out. Again this is important when learning new skills and when outdoors. Finally organizational signals also includes the task cues as these verbal words or phrases are what create an understanding of the activity and who go about correctly performing the task. If these verbal cues are not fully development they will of little benefit to the learners and their development of the skill.


Chapter 5 questions 1,3, and 5

1. Identify and describe the three different content moves that establish progression and represent the way the teacher develops lesson content.

Extension, refinement and application are the three teacher content moves that establish the progression and development of lesson plan. Extension refers to gradual introduction of more complexity and more difficulty of the task. Refinement is content move that promotes a level of quality of student performance within the task. The application move steers the focus away from who to do the task to how to use the task when appropriate.

3. How should the progression establish for an open skill differ from that of a closed skill?
The progression for a open skill should help develop the perform to adapt the skills to the changing environment. Therefore the progression should provide opportunities to practice the execution of the skill as well as the practice appropriate skill selection. Moreover it is important not to teach open skills in closed environments as this hinders the learner. The progression of development for closed skills should be focused on producing consistent high-accuracy skill performance in predictable environments. In this case the progression should establish the prerequisites at the beginning stages of learning if necessary. This skills can be taught in whole-part, allow students to see the whole skill and then breaking it down into simpler components. A tool that is often used in the progression for closed skills in manipulating the environment in which the skill taught to easy the progression for learners.

5. Develop the extension column for a closed skill and open skill, attending to the unique aspect of progression established in the chapter.

Open Skill: Racquetball: Hitting the Back Wall Shot
-Provide verbal cues: Teach the upward swing
-Each person set the their own ball up by throwing it to the back wall to their dominate side
-Each person set the their own ball up by throwing it to the back wall to their non-dominate side (focus on footwork)
-Have another player set the ball up throwing it to the back wall to students dominate side
-Have another player set the ball up throwing it to the back wall to students dominate side (focus on foot work)
-Have another player set the ball by hitting first against the front wall (changing direction)
-Have students work on hitting the back wall after the serve and first hit occurs (in motion)

Closed Skill: Handstand
-Provide verbal cues: Teach proper arm positioning
-Only one leg leaves the ground
-Both legs leave the ground
-Tap the leg together while in the air 
-Get leg up further
-Hit balance point
-Maintain balance point
-Begin to work on critical elements of performance (plantar extension, body shape, legs together)

Lab B: The Grapevine

On Friday February 10th I taught a lesson in Jump Roping to me peers. The activity was the grapevine. I sure most of us have heard or seen the Electric Slide dance. Well this dance has the vine footwork similar to that which is in the Grapevine activity that I taught. The footwork alone can be difficult but incorporating a jump rope is even more challenging. So, it seemed that my best bet in teaching the skill was to stress the importance of the footwork. Therefore my lesson plan and delivery was structured around this thought. This lesson was video taped, so let's take a peek at how it went. But before we do that there are few things that I want to bring up. However they are not critical elements of teaching rather more related to public speaking. I did find that this lesson was a bit easier to teach in the respect that I was more able to think on my feet and let the nerves subside. Also I felt that my "students" walk away with something even if it was small.



Once I completed my lesson I'm immediately began to reflect on the lesson and there were several things that I failed to do or should have done differently. I didn't give my "students" a signal for attention. This is an important element in teacher children as it provides structure for the class and students alike. On two out of the four demonstration I made mistakes with the footwork. Also I should given them a more specific safety statement because the the nature of this activity required them to move a substantial distance in space, increasing the likelihood that someone would get hit with a jump rope. Additionally I didn't feel that they had an adequate amount of time to practice and achieve the full activity. Basically, all that we accomplished was learning the footwork involved.

I'm finding that the video and the verbal transcript are helpful tools to get a good look at my strengths and weakness. While watching the video I'm was able to see a certain amount of confidence that I had. Conversely you can at times I was not as confident. Most of the time my voice was clear and loud enough for everyone to hear. The transcript brought a few different things to my attention. In the beginning of my lesson I was calling everyone in and it almost had a negative undertone, although I'm not sure that it wasn't just my spiking nerves. I said, "obviously" a few times which I think was a poor choose in words. Things might be obviously to me (because I'm the teacher) however I should never assume that it's obvious to someone else. I should have been more specific about the task as I asked for volunteers. On a number of occasions I said okay, alright, um and uh. I need to work on omitting these fillers and focus on what it is that I'm trying to say.

There is a checklist of all the critical teaching elements that should have been included in the my teaching.  Mostly I fulfilled the check list but every with the exception of signal for attention, a statement about the expectations, demonstration with common faults, all areas are still in need of vast improvements. As part of our self assessment we had to complete a time coding form in order to see how structured and spent our/students time. After doing the breakdown of time it seems that I really missed the bus. I spent way too much give instructions and students had little time being actively engaged. This is something that I will have to considered as I'm preparing my next lesson. I need to manage time so that students can get the most from the class.

Task Variations

During Wednesdays class we reviewed some teaching techniques and tools. We first did some Rebus puzzles to get the ball rolling. The puzzles were fun and and where an interesting way to start off. This little activity really help shape the tone of lecture and the way it was received.  Needless to say, physical education is just about teaching physical active but developing the whole person. This activity will be something that I store in my bag of trick for later use in the classroom. 
We also took a look at what intratask variation is and how it can be used. If a single student is able to perform the task it would be appropriate to increase the difficulty of the task for them. For example, in jump roping activities if one student gets the activity you might ask them to see if they can perform a more complex activity. Conversely if the task is too challenging you might want to simplify the task at first to create successful experience that they can build upon. There are numerous ways to alter task difficulty that are relativity easy to accomplish. Changing the environment (space or equipment, open or closed skill), or changing the number of players, time requirements or skill movements. It is important to keep all students fully engaged within their individual levels of development.

Benefits of Scaffolding and Pinpointing

On Monday's class we completed Lab B. There were some good things that came out of this class. The activities that we did today where more complex, however they were taught with in a way that made they ease to accomplish. It is really important to simplify thing where you can, especially at the beginning stages of learning. Also there was a common theme between lesson to pinpoint students and have them show off they 'stuff". This is good for a number of reasons. It reestablishes the correct form and and develops individual self-accomplishment/self efficacy. Additional an opportunity presented itself were scaffolding was extremely helping in teaching the task, as in the case of Stephanie lesson where she scaffold on Dan's lesson. This teaching technique really help understand the task. On another note I really liked the progression of Dave's lesson. Everything (cues, demonstration, lead up progression) was well thought-out and this came across effectively.  Some of the hooks were motivational which help create an certain climate. Pretty much up to this point student have been cooperative. However there was a handful is students who acting out. This was done intentionally to help teacher not only improve their  ability to manage and monitor their class. Basically more really to life. It is important to be able to keep everyone on task while simultaneously keeping your eye on everyone and everything that is happening in your class.

Learning from Students Teaching Their Jump Rope Activity

Wednesday’s class marked the start of Lab B. A few students taught their jump rope activity and already the learning can be witness, as there were many positive teaching components were present in their lessons. A few things that stood out such as having a really appropriate hook, as Trisha did: "Don’t step on the crack or you’ll break your mothers back". It was fitting and highly supported teaching the movements involved in her activity. Also, Justin used a student to help demonstrate which just transformed the classroom environment. It was impressive to see the transition and the benefits of this student involved. My professor did mention that in this situation you would be best have both a boy and girl demonstrate, as to not exclude, but to have both genders represented. Eric did a great job in his ability to push on when he experienced an equipment malfunction. Unfortunately, these sorts of mishaps will occur and as an instructor you need to also be prepared to improvise your lesson accordingly. Everyone one gave feedback that was congruent with their teaching cues to both reinforce what they taught and help students understand exactly what is except of them; this sort of feedback is necessary to solidify the learning process. Also, another thing that I think was especially important was simplify the task. The simpler the task is presented, the easier it is for student to grasp and respectively will have a higher success rate of task performance. All in all there were some very good teaching/learning experiences in the class.

Shot Gun

During Monday's class we played Shot Gun!. It an interesting way to teach the key components of being an effective teacher while keeping us activity. Basically we paired up and each group was responsible for a critical element of teaching ie. introduction, task and cues, demonstration, feedback, safety, closure. It was a good experience, as it solidification teach elements. Although I have a better understanding of the important of each components  I find that my public speaking skills are still very weak. I'm worried that this program will get the best of me because I can speak well in front of others. As the anxiety spikes and my mind seemly goes blank. I need to find way to overcome of my nervous. If you have any suggest please let me know.

Learning to Jump Rope

Yes, we all know how to jump rope but as I've mentioned in previous blogs our class has been experimenting with different jump rope activities. Our next teaching Lab will require each of us to teach the entire class a new jump roping skill. In class on Friday we had some time to practice the skill that we will be teaching in the next week or so. More importantly we got the opportunity to talk to and get feedback from the TA's, which I found to be very helpful. Got some good tips from Danielle and the rest of the crew. Thanks much guys! Got some ideas on how to get student to line up in a way that I'll be able to see them all, as well as keep them all safe. It was also pointed out that if during my lesson I'm going to ask students to start with their right foot it would probably be best if I started with my left, so they'll have an easier time understanding the movements. Furthermore since the activity that I have to teach is a bit complex if might be best to have students perform the footwork before using the jump rope to make sure they first understand the movements. Also, I want to try and give students positive reinforcement followed up instructional feedback and than encouragement. All in all I think I gained some useful tools to that I'll be able to use it this teaching lab and in my PE career.

Jump Roping Day 2

We had another fun class: jumping rope. We worked in groups to make a new routine. We were encouraged to be as creative as possible and try to include some skills that we saw in this You Tube video from last class. Check out these kiddos, they’re quite impressive:



Although none of the groups in class looked this good, we ALL IMPROVED. It was fun to see just how creative the class was. I also felt like I was able to contribute to my group. Jump Rope is great for children of all ages. Through this experience I've developed more of an appreciation for what jump roping can offer students. It certainly is a cardiovascular workout. If you don't believe me give it a try. You'll break a sweat in under a minute. Awesome right!. Furthermore jump rope reinforces one of the basic locomotor movements: jumping. In addition reinforcing jumping it promotes integrated coordination and can be adapted to meet the needs and skill levels of students.

Jump Roping ("Fun"damental)

We had a class dedicated to jumping roping, pretty spectacular! At the start of class our instructor gave us some unstructured time to jump rope to get back in the "swing" of things. This was followed up with various instructional variations such as: finding a new way to jump rope, jump rope while traveling distance, keeping your body as low to the ground while jump roping. It's was impressive to see how creative the class was (typical of children). These activities all lead up to the Jump Roping Extravaganza, in which we were give time to work in groups to create a jump roping routine that we would perform in succession with music. As each team completed  their routine they joined the TA's as they lead a dance in the corner to keep everyone active while in waiting.  It was simple yet great theme for a class and I had a lot of fun. At the end of the activity we re-grouped back in the classroom and talked a bit about developing lesson plans that meet specific goals. That being said these jump roping activities supported a number of health-related fitness goals and skill-related fitness goals. Clearly cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength and coordination are high on the list. As a teacher it is important to be able to determine what your goal is for your students and how best to achieve that goal. PE can't just be "playtime" as we are trying to teach and promote the physical benefits of life-long activities and longevity.