Monthly Archives: September 2015

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September 9th Reflection by Emily Mills

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Unfortunately when I was growing up, physical education wasn’t a very positive experience for me. Although I wasn’t the best at sports, I believe with the right support I could have really enjoyed the chance to try different things and the opportunity to be active in between my more academic classes. However, I was a very sensitive kid and was often found playing sports such as baseball or volleyball which often had me put on the spot in front of others. Sometimes I would even be made picked on for not being able to hit the ball far enough or run the bases as fast as my peers would like.

Fortunately, my impression from Steve is that times have seemed to change a lot since when I was in elementary school. I like the idea of free play when children are free to run around and do as they please. I also think the idea of working in small groups so that children don’t experience too much pressure when they’re learning new things. Although my past experiences in the gym were difficult, I hope they will ultimately help make me a stronger teacher. I want to do everything in my power to create an experience for students different than the one I had when I was younger. I want to have children play in smaller groups, work with different partners and provide verbal encouragement towards each other so that no child feels left out. I want children to learn to love to exercise so they can stay mentally and physically healthy both inside and outside the classroom.

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September 16th – Group A Reflection

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I found today’s first group teach and instant activity/summary to really sooth any sort of anxiety I had about the class. This is due in a big way to the fact that both groups did such an extraordinary job, but I think I was also reminded that being physically active is something I love to do, and always have.

PE today seems to have come a long way since I was in elementary school, and many of the things I didn’t like about it back then are all things we’re trying to change or improve (hall of shame games, exclusion, favouritism etc.) on now, which makes me feel excited about moving forward teaching PE. I really appreciate that these sorts of considerations are valued now by PE teachers when creating the conditions and environment of their PE classes.

As I mentioned in my reply to Kate’s reflection, I also think it’s really kind of a blessing that it seems so many of us didn’t have the best experience in PE – many of us can empathize with students and make sure to avoid a lot of the issues that led to us having negative memories.

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September 16 – Journal – Amy Joe

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So far, this class has been an ‘eye opener’ and great refresher for me. It is so interesting to learn about school’s physical education statistics in BC and Canada and the importance of including physical activity in the class room every day. I haven’t had to think about a PE class since high school. This week, I thought back to my PE experiences and how it was one of my least favourite classes. When I was in primary school, I was shy and hated being singled out in class, especially PE. I felt like my peers were only judging me on my athletic ability, which I can admit, wasn’t great. But I also had some great teachers and classmates who continually supported and encouraged me during PE. I feel that teachers who have the passion and interest in physical education showcase it in their class.

Many of my memories from PE class in primary school consisted of playing tag, simon says, and duck duck goose. At the time, I enjoyed playing these games so I was a bit surprised to find out they are now on the Wall of Shame list. But after some thought, I can see why.

As a teacher, I want to ensure my students look forward to PE class and that everyone has the same participation involvement. I want to strive to create an enjoyable environment where students can build on their teamwork and motor skills. I look forward to learning more from this class so I am well equipped to teach PE and encourage/demonstrate a healthy lifestyle for my students.

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Sept 9th reflection

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I had mainly negative experiences in P.E. We concentrated mostly on traditional ball sports, which I had no prior practice with, so wasn’t very good at. Also “team captains” were allowed to pick their teams, in a kind of twisted popularity contest, so it was always socially ackward. I always maintained that I hated P.E. and I skipped class a lot.

Despite my experience with P.E., I discovered, towards the end of high school, that I love being active, and I started dragon boating and hiking. These activities turned my life around in a lot of ways. It could have easily gone the other way for me though, and I could have spent my whole life being really intimidated by physical activity, all based on being miserable in gym class!

I don’t really have any fears about teaching P.E., partly because I’ve been teaching yoga for a long time. Also I think sharing things you love with children is generally pretty fun. Some of my best conversations with my daughter are when we are hiking, and it was a proud day when she got her first pair of rock climbing shoes. I’m really hopeful that she will have a much better P.E. experience than I had.

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Movement Journal – September 9th – Maymie

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When I reflect on my own experiences in physical education as a kid I have mostly positive memories. I was never a star athlete, but I was fortunate to not have any traumatic experiences. I feel that my teachers did a good job in creating an inclusive and positive environment. But when I think about what sort of PE teacher I would like to be, I think about what sort of values and lessons I would like to teach my students. I’ve realized I am less concerned about teaching them about physical fitness, and more concerned about teaching them about what it means to lead a healthy life – or perhaps helping them define what “health” means to them. I think being a good athlete is only one small aspect of what it means to lead an active or healthy life.

I grew up as a competitive synchronized swimmer and spent plenty of mornings dreading the fact I had to jump into a cold pool and swim a thousand meters. Overall, I think this training taught me more social and emotional lessons than physical. It taught me how to work in a team. It also taught me how to “suck it up” and deal with moments that I wanted to avoid or skip out on. I hope that I can help debunk the myth that gym class is only about physical fitness. I believe the more we, as educators, enforce that health is about the number of lengths you can swim or weight you can lift, the further we will be from nurturing a generation that is physically, emotionally and socially “healthy”.

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Sept. 16th – Movement Journal #1 – Hall of Shame

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Hi Everyone,

In reflecting on today’s class what really stood out to me was the list of Hall of Shame activities. At first I was shocked to learn that activities such as Tug of War, Capture the Flag and even Duck Duck Goose made the list. I have fond memories of playing those games with friends and classmates and found it difficult to believe that these simple childish games could in any way be damaging  to the children who played them. It was sure an eye opener!

However, as we talked more about the feelings of exclusion, inactivity and, in some cases, fear that children may experience while playing these games I had to take a moment and rethink what these games really prioritized. It became clear to me after our discussion that these games, as harmless as they may initially seem, can be socially and emotionally damaging. In fact, I learned that many of us, myself included,  have memories of experiencing all of these emotions at some point in our P.E. history.

I left today thinking not only about the games that made the Hall of Shame list but all sports and how they might affect the children who play them. As soon-to-be teachers I feel it is our responsibility to create a safe, supportive and inclusive environment of learning for our students. This philosophy certainly lends itself to P.E., a subject that many students dread to participate in and many teachers dread to teach. So, the challenge becomes making P.E. a fun, fulfilling and enjoyable class for students of all ages and abilities.

Moving forward  I will certainly look at each activity and its outcomes before I suggest it for any class with the benefits and potential drawbacks in mind. In this course, I look forward to learning how to better equip myself with the knowledge and tools to better serve my future students.

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Tiffany’s Movement Journal_Week 1 (September 9)

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The evening prior to our first class, I was very nervous.  Having experienced mostly negative experiences in my childhood Physical Education (PE) classes, I was apprehensive about what this course would be like, and how I would be able to teach a class and make it exciting and fun for everyone.

The PE classes of my recollections involved a lot of standing in the sidelines during soccer games, and wishing that I wouldn’t be “saved” during dodgeball so I didn’t have to go back into the battle zone.  Although teachers encouraged everyone to participate, children who were already good at whatever sport or game that was being played tended to take the spotlight, while the rest of the class stood by and watched.

I did not quite understand this problem until we discussed the article regarding primary school teachers not feeling qualified to teach PE.  In my own conversation with a classmate, a multitude of reasons could contribute to this issue.  Fitness and athletic abilities, as well as past experiences were brought up.  Having never been exceptionally athletic, as well as experiencing the feeling of being left out, I was hesitant about my own ability to teach PE successfully.  It then made sense that teachers with a similar background would feel unqualified to teach PE.

The views toward fitness and physical education are changing, however.  Rather than being focused on “super stars” with skills that the majority of the population are not able to achieve, attention is being drawn to staying active through whatever means you are comfortable with.  I hope that I will be able to create an environment that emphasizes the importance of staying active, rather than letting it become an exhibition of skills.

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Week 1 (Sept 9) Movement Journal – Maria

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What were your own positive and negative experiences in Physical Education?

As I reflect back to my experiences in Physical Education my positive and negative experiences were heavily dependent on the teacher’s enthusiasm, the creativity in the curriculum and the motivation he or she could instil in their students. Moreover, when the teacher could create an environment that encouraged inclusiveness and one free of judgement. When these conditions were satisfied, it was very likely that I would have a positive Physical Education experience.

A negative Physical Education experience I had in the past was when it was time for student evaluations. For example, throughout high school, the ‘six lap run’ was one way in which teachers would evaluate our running ability each term. This assessment would in turn make up the majority of our grade for the term. Before every ‘six lap run’, I would have an immense amount of anxiety about whether I would be able to complete the run at a reasonable time. As I reflect back to this memory, I realize that this anxiety was unnecessary because I knew I was capable of running and performing at a successful pace. However, I always found this experience to be daunting because it was clearly visible who were the ‘stronger runners’ and who were the ‘weaker runners’ in the class. In comparison, when one receives their mark back for a Math test their grade is not publicly announced and shared with their classmates. This privacy in turn allows one to feel less ashamed or embarrassed about their grade and instead encourages room for improvement. I believe that if the teachers had provided more reassurance to their students, this run would not be something all students would dread throughout the year. As a prospective teacher, I hope to show encouragement, enthusiasm in all activities and to help all my students reach their individual goals. It will be my goal to ensure that each one of my students will have a positive Physical Education experience.

 

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Sheena’s Movement Journal – September 9th

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What is the purpose of physical education?

According to the new curriculum for BC, “Physical and Health Education (PHE) is designed to develop educated citizens who have the knowledge, skills, and understandings they need to be safe, active, and healthy citizens throughout their lives” (British Columbia Ministry of Education, 2015a).  I believe that the last three words, “throughout their lives,” is a critical component of this statement. I think that PE lays a good foundation for living a healthy lifestyle later on. I had great experiences in PE. Throughout my school life, I was exposed to so many different kinds of sports, games, and physical activities. In Junior High and High School I went on to play for various school teams. We also had a YMCA inside our High School, so I learned the fundamentals of weight training there. These amazing experiences shaped the person I am today. I could not imagine my life without exercise. I enjoy a variety of activities including weight training, running, yoga, dancing, and hiking. I never really thought about the significance of my positive experiences in PE until my adult life. I have many friends that do not want to go to the gym because they feel scared or insecure, or they are unsure of what to do. I feel that if they had had the same great experiences in PE, they would be more inclined to work out.  It is up to us as future educators to make PE a pleasurable experience for our students so that they will continue to live healthy lifestyles.

In the new curriculum, there are four categories under curricular competencies: physical literacy, healthy and active living, social and community health, and mental and well-being (British Columbia Ministry of Education, 2015b). I think that it is important that social and community health is a category. While other classes may involve some collaborative work, there is no other class that focuses on it like PE. You would not usually require teamwork to solve a math problem or to write an essay, for example. In order to play many of the games in PE, communication and collaboration is necessary. These are skills that are required throughout our lives, and PE provides the arena in which to develop them.

References

British Columbia Ministry of Education (2015). Rationale. In Building Student Success: BC’s New Curriculum. Retrieved from https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/curriculum/goals-rationale/physical-health-education

British Columbia Ministry of Education (2015). Learning Standards (Grade 3). In Building Student Success: BC’s New Curriculum. Retrieved from https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/curriculum/physical-health-education/3

 

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Chris’ Bad Back. September 16th

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Hi everyone,

I have a couple thoughts that I’d like to share in regards to today’s class. The first topic that drew my attention relates back to our discussion on Canada’s grade in the participation report card. According to the document we received a D-, we haven’t failed, but we do have a lot of room for improvement. This doesn’t come as much a surprise to me as my ability to memorize such an article itself. I’m not very good at retaining any facts, especially little fun facts; it was the way Steve developed his lesson to have us actively share with each other our thoughts that will allow me to always remember the letter, D-. The point I’d like to make is that it’s so obvious that we need to engage students in any subject we’re teaching if we want them to retain information. I’m sure all of us know this; it’s just funny because the theory was put into practice by Steve today, with myself as the participating learner.
Another thought I’d like to bring up is not as academic-related as it is ergonomic-related. I feel like the benches we sit on are not conducive to a healthy learning environment, or a healthy back. I saw that Meghan had the right idea as she stood up to relieve the ache, so I followed in her lead. I believe that if we had mats available to stretch on during the lesson, my attention would be geared more towards learning.

 

Thanks for reading,
Chris