This week was technology and dance. Both of those serve to make life more enjoyable, give some laughs and work to benefit all of mankind. However for the dance part it was both fun and funny, I have no soul nor any real moves. I wasn’t horrible but I wasn’t good either which says to me i either could spend some time working on my moves or perhaps loosen up, either way something needs to be done before I bust out anymore moves.

How could i as a teacher fit this into say my present situation as a teacher candidate for grade twos? Simply put on some music and let them go, let them examine their physicality as they not only express themselves but as they seek out emotion from within. i think this could be worked into a hip hop class with some other forms of movement and dance. Or perhaps one of the kids could introduce a dance from their culture or even have one of their family could come in and showcase and help lead a lesson in where their culture is celebrated. There could be so many ideas like a hoop dancer or some west coast dancers that could celebrate some local culture.

As for technology I think its nothing but a greatness that has yet to be explored to its boundaries, meaning that I think ideas such as fit-bit are just the beginning. The only problem with technology will always be cost especially when companies like apple are coming out with products every three months to replace the product you just purchased. Maybe that’s why you need to really reach out to the PAC committee and convince them that technology is where its at if they wish to have physically literate students.

Or perhaps just throw on a cd for them and let them dance instead!!!

We’ve been using the Go Noodle videos at my practicum school, and they really are great! The kids love them, and it is such a breezy way for the teacher to conduct and participate in a movement break. Well, if the technology works. I get nervous using technology in the classroom at times, because when it fails… Then what? Contingency plan at the ready? I feel like technology in the classroom is wonderful when it aids and enhances student learning, but it can just as easily hinder the process when not dealt with carefully. I know that I personally have a journey ahead with the elusive SMART Board. It was great to learn about all the different tech apps and gadgets exist out there for educational use, like Edmodo.

As for the dance component of today’s lesson, I imagine that teaching a choreographed dance number is not an easy task! I wonder how I will remember all those dance moves when I have to be up there leading a class of little ones. It was good to have each dance move broken down and modeled, so that I knew what I needed to do as the music played. I enjoyed having some time to invent dance moves with buddies, I bet the kids would love it! I wonder how dance would be assessed in PHE class, since not everyone is blessed with the grace of ballerinas and hip hop stars. Effort, participation, working knowledge of moves, and skill?

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.

This week’s physical education theme was Dance and it was beyond pleasurable to be a part of!  It triggered many memories of being back in my elementary school physical education class. The grade 6 dance unit was focused around student formed groups that had to create their own routine for an entire song and did not provide any fundamental skills prior to that.  It created a lot of tension and pressure for students who lacked funds of knowledge relating to dance. This is why I thought that the use of a go noodle for today’s lesson was an excellent way to warm up the class by getting everyone moving, energized and engaged! The go -noodle approach to dancing eliminates the worry of being watched by peers because everyone is independently focused on following the routine on the screen. After having the privilege of participating in the groups activity it got me reflecting on the many different ways I can incorporate technology into the physical education classroom. It is so refreshing to experience all of these unique ways to teach students that move away from the traditional competitive game focused curriculum. Utilizing the presence of a smart board in the classroom can maximize physical education time without having to lose time by travelling to the gymnasium. Youtube dance tutorials, go noodle routines and yoga directed videos are just a few ways that technology can be utilized.Upon reading about the abundance of digital tools for physical education, I found that Excelade and Coach’s Eye will be very beneficial tools for my practice as they allow for both students and the educator to go back to reevaluate the performance. Students will be able to self assess how they did during a certain activity and evaluate themselves with a rubric or through a self reflection. Being able to visually see yourself during an activity is such a great tool for goal setting and working towards improving.I am looking forward to introducing my grade 5’s to the world of go noodle among many other digital tools for physical education!

Today’s dance lesson was a lot of fun! I really enjoyed seeing the incorporation of technology into teaching and learning dance. It made it especially fun and interesting as todays society is so reliant on the usage of technology that we as educators need to develop appropriate strategies for incorporating it into the curriculum. This is extra important as our students now and in the future are so connected to their phones and what not that they aren’t receiving the appropriate amount of physical activity that they need. That is why I thoroughly enjoyed how the group this week brought in technology to show a video where we were able to follow and copy the dance moves on the screen. This allows us (the students) to remain in contact with technology while also doing physical activity.

Another aspect to today’s lesson that I enjoyed was how the group allowed us to express our individuality in respectful and creative ways during the dance routine. At first we all did the same dance moves, but the second portion allowed us to create our own routine within the original; almost a symbol of how we must create our own identity while involved in society. This made it really interesting to see how everyone put their own spin on the dance and to see everyone have fun with it made it entertaining (in a good way 😀 )

Overall, it was an awesome lesson 🙂