Gymnastics/Dance week – Michelle Parker

This week was a really great week of PE for me. We started with gymnastics. This group was very thorough in their lesson. I learnt a lot about safety when it comes to teaching gymnastics. It is important to be thoughtful and thorough in foreseeing any safety risks and doing all that is possible to prevent students from getting hurt. When using large apparatus a teacher must set out firm rules and guidelines in order to ensure student safety.  Educational Gymnastics was an important new concept for me. I really like how it focuses on physical literacy as well as gymnastics in a way that is fun for students. Gymnastics is also a fun way for students to learn more about their body and fundamental movement skills.

The next group presented on dance. This lesson was lots of fun and stretched me! I really do not feel comfortable dancing in front of people and find it uncomfortable. This week I was able to let go of that as I started to grasp the importance of dance. It is not just about learning the skills but also teaching confidence in students. Dance is also a fun way for students to further learn about rhythm and how to coordinate their movements with a beat. Dance could further activities they learn in music or band class.

I also wanted to make not of the group’s information about technology. I had not thought about using technology in the classroom but after seeing it used for our class I really got to see how it can be used positively in a gym class. Great work!

3 thoughts on “Gymnastics/Dance week – Michelle Parker”

  1. I like how you touched on the safety aspect, especially because of the station model they used. They did a great job in thoroughly explaining the danger involved with each station. I also found it helpful to discuss the pros and cons when using the station method for any teaching topic. I’m learning a bunch of little things that can be implemented in all other activities during these classes.

  2. Great post Michelle! I completely agree with you. I had an absolute blast in both the team lessons this week. I even got a good work out. The gymnastics lesson was really well organized. I enjoyed the four different stations that we got to experience. My favorite station was the balancing station, where we got to walk on benches. This was not only an enjoyable experience, but we were able to learn different balancing techniques. The group explained the safety regulations well, and I thought this was an important aspect. For a younger age group, I suggest mats being placed around the benches in order to avoid any injuries. The next lesson was dance, and it was so much fun! I did also feel uncomfortable dancing in front of people. However, I thought it was a great idea to have everyone learn the same routine to avoid any embarrassment. This way, no one was singled out. We were able to act silly, while at the same time learning about physical literacy. I also really liked being able to have a dance competition at the end. This is something I could see elementary students really enjoying. I agree that dance is a great way to learn rhythm and coordination. These are the types of skills that can assist students in everyday life. Overall, it was a great class, nice job everyone!

  3. I totally agree that the gymnastic and dance week was amazing and entertaining. We were fortunate this week to take part in two group teaches. Both of the groups were well organized and taught the specific areas very well. The safety concerns were well explained and important to be addresses as we were taking part in activities that could be dangerous, especially for younger children. I enjoyed the four different stages that the first group planned, some of the activities were definitely a learning experience for me. The second group did dance! This group engaged us students by incorporating a song, that we enjoy, into their dance lesson. I enjoyed how they incorporated exercises into a dance routine and especially enjoyed their last minute decision to have a dance off. This team teach did an excellent job demonstrating how rhythm and coordination is important, especially with students who are in elementary. Both team teaches did an amazing job! I really enjoyed them both and definitely got a good work out!

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