Technology and dance was the topic of today’s presentation. I thought it interesting that we would be talking about technology during a physical education class but now that I think about, technology is very crucial and all areas of teaching. Just from visiting schools in our practicum we can see how technology such as projector screens, computers, smartboards, and ipads have been incorporated into the school systems to enhance learning. Although technology has greatly enhanced learning in the classroom for some students, we must caution how we use technology as it could create distraction or even hinder the learning process of some students.

Dance is a great way for students to learn to express themselves in a different way. I believe technology plays a pivotal role in dance because it provides a lot of the supporting elements that are just very difficult to perform without. Dance is much easier to learn when there is music to dance to. Videos and resources (such as go noodle) are a great way for students to begin to explore different movements without worrying about getting steps right or other people watching them because everyone is moving to their rhythm. That being said, technology is not the only component required for a dance lesson to succeed. It requires a very positive and energetic mentality and the belief that how one moves is their own and that nobody can tell them that it is wrong.

In today’s P.E. class, we discussed about safety and risk management in teaching. This got me thinking about how I conducted safety measures and solved for risky situation while I was working at daycamps. I will admit that I am probably one of the more explorative type of leader who allow students more options for activities. I think I was able to do this because I made my boundaries and expectations clear to the campers. Another huge reason that allowed me to take bigger risk was the trust that reciprocated between the campers and me. Like we have been discussing all along in our P.E. class, keep assessing your students to know where they are. The interesting thing I discovered was that as time went by, I began performing assessments without even thinking about how I was going to do them. They became second nature to me. However, we must always reflect on our assessments to prevent bias and the possibility of labeling students. On a side note, gym class was an absolute blast. I think the most important lesson we learned today is that no one is too old for Disney music.

Today’s P.E. class was conducted outdoors, which was an interesting change. I have always wondered what a lecture out in nature would be like and today was the closest to the real deal. I have done many summer camps outdoors but to see a group use nature as a possible cross curriculum activity was something special. It really aligns with my beliefs that learning and school isn’t just about books and listening to lecture all the time but it is also an active process between the students and the teacher. The great thing about outdoors learning is that it takes the class out of familiar territory (classroom) to a new environment that allow for hands on learning and connection with the world. Out in nature, the student can begin to see the real world and see relevance and relationships from what they have learned in class and experience it for themselves.

Another thing that struck out to me was the “trust” game we played today. It is hard to believe how it hasn’t been two full months since we started the program but everyone in the cohort seemed to have faith that everyone in their group was going to catch them before they would fall to the ground. It just amazes me how trust can go a long way.

I feel physical expression can sometimes tell us more about a person than what they say through text or even words. What sparked my interested in this week’s guiding question is how much I realized I used this when I’m evaluating my students for swimming lessons. Just by looking at someone’s body language, you can begin to understand why they struggle sometimes, perhaps they are having an off day. As a teacher, I believe we should place great importance in reading body language of our students. I think the first step in developing this literacy is by simply getting to know your students. I have by no means mastered the ability to read minds or anything. What I’m saying is that its possible for us to develop these skills and help us to be stronger teachers and be more attentive to our students.

The idea of physical expression also relates to our observation and assessment of student learning. By being able to read their physical expression when they are performing a task, we can gage if they need more practise or need a bigger challenge. I think that as we develop a better sense of physical expression, we not only become better at understanding how the students feels but we can also reflect on our physical expression to continue to grow.

Today I had a sudden realization when Steve briefly talked about ‘free play’ and ‘risky play’ today. At first I was having nostalgic moments of me as a kid doing pretty reckless activities (for a kid anyways) and wondering why wouldn’t anybody just want to have freedom to play. Then it hit me when I started to look at this approach from another standpoint. Looking at this from a lifeguard and first aid point of view, where I’m taught to be paranoid about all injuries and think safety first at all times, I began to see why P.E. has been on the decline. Yes there is also technology that affects it but if you think about all the other subjects in the curriculum, they can be taught with minimum risk and teachers feel more in control when they are in the classroom. In contrast with P.E., students are allowed to run wild and free in a space that the teachers are not 100% accustomed to.

There is a very familiar saying, ‘prevent it before it happens.’ In a sense, maybe some teachers do not want to deal with students getting injured because it could cause a lot of concerns from the parents. So the best way they can minimize injuries is to decrease P.E. time. However this is just my random thought so feel free to let me know what you guys think!