Movement Journal – Sept 23 (Shirin)

Coming out of class on Wednesday, I realized I could easily count the times I actually enjoyed a PE class as much as I did this week’s – let me just say it’s not many. The reasons I enjoyed this class were due to a combination of the atmosphere in the class, the activities (both before class and during the net games lesson) as well as some interesting moments of reflection and understanding during the presentation on physical literacy.

First of all, the fact that the nets were set up, badminton equipment was available, and people were already rallying when I walked in to class early just provided a welcoming and fun atmosphere. Instead of sitting and talking while waiting for class to start (I got there a bit early!), it was a nice change of pace to just play with the equipment in a very relaxed and social setting. I found this set the tone nicely for the beginning of class, as everyone had a chance to socialize and be active before beginning more academic work.

The lesson on physical literacy was also quite interesting, as there were certain parts that really stood out to me and made me see the importance of children’s physical literacy in a new perspective. Specifically, the chart in the presentation that highlighted the journey of long term athletic development in an individual’s life – beginning with basic skills (“active to start” and “fundamentals”) and moving on to “learning to train”. From there, one can remain active for life, or pursue further training for competition and more. This one image was really an eye-opener for me, because it very clearly showed why it would be detrimental for children to specialize in a sport at a very young age. By developing different skills in various sport areas, children gain more exposure to different fundamental movement skills and can use these transferrable skills in a variety of activities.

One thought on “Movement Journal – Sept 23 (Shirin)”

  1. Sharin

    Thanks for sharing and yes an open and inclusive environment that is inviting to your students is key to having them come back just as excited as you were when you walked through the door.

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