The invasion games and curriculum models lesson was very impactful last week. The group teach activities really inspired the kind of games I would want my own students to take part in. I most enjoyed the “prairie dog pick-off” game; what was most mind boggling was the notion that once you lose, you join the winning team, he who is your opponent becomes your team mate. We played this game only a few times, but I am confident that we could have easily continued to play this game for hours on end. This game was a prime example of the TGFU curriculum model. The carousel activity was great in that it was a effective way to look at all curriculum models and make educated decisions about which models best suit each individual’s teaching pedagogies. It was interesting to hear the opinions of my classmates, many of which influenced my own view on the curriculum models. Personally, I believe that an effective way to teach physical education is to mix and match the curriculum models. For example, if I was employing the “Sport Education Model” I would want to infuse that model with important “Fitness for Life” and “TPSR” components, such as to respect one another in and outside of the gym while understanding and valuing sport, with a conscious ownership of one’s lifelong physical health. I am a firm believer in the “TGfU” model in that the “skill and drill” is eliminated, games are not withheld until the end of class; children are able to begin exercising their physical skills immediately in a fun, non-competitive manner, while scaffolding the fundamentals of the sport or activity. The team teach group did an incredible job of demonstrating the TGfU model, and the benefits this model can provide for young students, and for their life long journey with physical health. Discovering personal strategies is of utmost importance, not only in P.E. but in life, and this curriculum mode exemplifies both. TGfU is a great approach to bringing a class closer together, to create a real sense of community in the classroom, with mutual respect for one another and a positive outlook on physical health, and learning.

The one thing that resonated most with me from last week’s lesson was the concept of respecting yourself. Kenthen was my group leader, and he explained that a key notion in being physically literate is respecting yourself. I came to realize that to be physically literate does not mean to be particularly “good” at physical activity, but to be proficient in the knowledge of how your individual body functions, moves, etc.  I think this is SO important for children; I remember as a child thinking that I was simply not physical, because I viewed physicality as being “good at sports,” which I was not in my primary years, and so I neglected my physical health, by not taking part in any physical movement or activity unless required at school, and in doing so I bypassed the key components of physical literacy, and in my adulthood have problems keeping active. I feel that now that there is awareness of physical literacy, in schools and beyond, I feel confident that students will develop life long physicality, and the desire to keep fit and active.

On another note, I want to mention the net-ball activities from last week. Leandrea was guiding my group. I found her strategy very interesting in leading our activity; By starting off with the difficult lacrosse passing, we had low success rates. Then she took the lacrosse sticks away altogether, which seemed curious considering we were playing “Volley-Crosse,” and we volleyed with a large sponge ball. Once comfortable, she took that away, and we instead used a tennis ball, then two tennis balls. I feel that she was implementing scaffolding techniques here, basically demonstrating that you cannot simply jump directly into the deep end without practicing in the shallow end first.

In all, it was a great class! 🙂

Today was our first day of EDCP 320. My expectations were completely different from the outcome. I was initially fearful of returning to “P.E.” class, however that soon ceased. When the free play began and all  the basketballs and volleyballs were brought out everyone started having fun and I felt comfortable. The “mission impossible” game was a blast, I have not had the opportunity to be playful in that manner quite possible since primary school. Re-visiting elementary school physical education activities brought back a  lot of memories, I had forgotten about all the fun games we used to play. What I found very interesting in Mr. McGinley’s lecture was the incorporation of health education into the P.E. course. Health education is a subject matter that I could never place into an appropriate topic area, I was almost relieved to hear that it is now part of the PE curriculum. When my generation was at the fragile age where we had questions relating to our physical development and health, we weren’t sure where to turn to for the answers. I was also pleasantly surprized to discover that “hall of shame” activities have been highlighted as inappropriate and unnecessary, finally; The embarrassed and ashamed little girl in my psyche is smiling in appeasement. The experience of the first class activities and lecture have been a form of assurance that this course is no repeat of any high school PE class. I am excited to explore the physical education pedagogies and further develop my own physical education literacy.