Tag Archives: Reflection

Week 3 Movement Journal-Katy Machut: Physical Literacy

Through the literature about physical literacy, I have learned to change my perceptions of simply seeing this course as a way to do plain exercise. I have realized that a physical literacy is taken from a standpoint of mind and body being the same. Such an analysis I feel is important because often the mind is ignored and the focus is just on meeting fundamental movement skills. Therefore, I feel that as I teacher I should incorporate social emotional learning within the curriculum in a way a child will understand. The goal of using social emotional learning in PE is to see the child as a whole, rather than someone who needs to meet skills in a check box fashion.

I also feel that learners would benefit tremendously from alternative activities outside the classroom as suggested in our reading.  However, I question how many lessons would be optimal in case the change of venue becomes too distracting for the children. I think that I would allow time for a reflection about physical education experiences after the students returned to the classroom as a transition activity. I wonder what the best approach would be to encourage a child who refuses to take part in basketball lesson because he/she fears she will get hit by the ball?

 

Reflection for Week 2

Our first group teach lesson took place this week and it was fantastic! Amy, Bobby, Mike and Nicole did a great job.  They took command, shared the space, and combined a number of useful lessons. Bobby was my group leader and he did a good job of breaking down the history of PE in an accessible way. I thought they transformed dodge ball quite cleverly and overall kept the energy high and the lesson focused. Well done!

One thing I noticed is that even as adults we had tons of questions. Had they not been prepared, that could have been a hard part for them. However, they were able to make sure all of us were on the same page (especially for the last game). Looking forward to whoever is teaching tomorrow!

MOVEMENT JOURNAL WEEK 2

I thoroughly enjoyed week 2 of PE. Group 1 lead us in an interesting and engaging lesson in target sports, and I was so impressed by their enthusiasm and content, especially for being the first group out. Way to go guys! The side by side comparison of regular dodgeball and their modified version was instructive as to how certain games need not be exclusive as long as they are thought through and adjusted with care. By having the opportunity to participate in both games, it was easy to see the differences between the two and connect it to the points in the readings.

This lesson lead me to reflect on my own experiences, and the prevalence of human targeted sports, duck duck goose, and having to perform alone in front of my classmates (and failing miserably). I always enjoyed gym, but I was never an athletic kid, and didn’t feel like I was able fully master any of our activities. Reading specifically about the ways in which many PE activities are by nature exclusive and targeting, I was surprised to realize that it wasn’t just my lack of ability that was problematic, but the nature of the lessons themselves.  Our class discussion about PE and physical literacy as a holistic approach, including overall health and nutrition as a lifestyle, really resonated with me for the same reason. I was initially nervous to take a PE course after so many years, not to mention teaching one, and it was so refreshing to see how the curriculum and objectives have changed to look at the whole child regardless of their initial athletic inclination. I’m excited to see what the rest of the course brings!

Week 2 Movement Journal- Katy Machut

As I started to think about becoming an educator, from my readings I realized how much of an effect experiential knowledge can influence the way I will teach. I didn’t think about the fact that my values and identities can affect the way I teach. For this reason I feel it is important for me to analyze and reflect on my value system and check myself to ensure that I provide the best possible experience for my class.

I came across the notion of being able to be ready to explain to learners why it is we do PE. This made me question how I could phrase an answer in a way a child would understand. My answer would need to be motivational and touch on fact that one needs to learn certain skills by the end of a particular grade.

I felt reassured when I reflected that being a teacher candidate I will not know everything about teaching because being part of a teacher involves the being a lifelong learner (my passion). At the same time, I must ask myself what content do I find meaningful and inspiring for my students?  I am very excited about being able to explore the possibilities of incorporating PE with other subjects and find the best possible match ups between the contents.

Mary Ferguson – Week 1 Journal Post

Going to P.E. for the first time this term I rushed through the unfamiliar landscape of UBC, hoping that I’d make it on time. When I arrived I was surprised to see everyone at “free play” and instantly joined in the self-guided fun. Being free to do what I enjoy and feel comfortable with was a welcoming experience. As we moved to more directed activities, that comfortable feeling continued. I appreciated how this free, fun learning environment was created, and would like to replicate it in my own practice. I have a lot to learn as my experience is very limited. One thing I’d like to know is how to differentiate my teaching in PE to reach all kinds of learners. I’d like to create this fun, inclusive environment for children of all backgrounds.

Jenny Cho – Week 2  The Physical and Health Educator

I learned a lot about shaming in games today. It is amazing how things are changing to improve the holistic view of students in P.E.. Even though this is a physical education class, it made me reflect on my opinion and teaching. When I heard dodge ball was a type of shaming game, I was baffled. How could such a fun game be a negative? It definitely can be. I now can see how we are singling out individuals and using their body as targets. Our first group did a great job in alternating dodge ball into a safe and yet, a competitive game!

Also, after we played dodge ball, I realized how this game can also be negative towards the thrower. When I got hit on the head, I laughed it off and thought it was funny as I know it is not intentional. However, I didn’t realize how it can negatively impact on the person who threw it at me. The moment he/she came over to apologize, I knew he/she felt guilty for hitting me. (Please do not feel bad!) This is when I truly understood the different kind of shame we can apply when we play targeting games on each other.  There are certain aspects that might seem harmless but we really have to ask ourselves whether or not it is beneficial for the students in a holistic view. 

What an experience today, I cannot wait for next week!

September 16 – Journal – Amy Joe

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.

Sept 9th reflection

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.

Tiffany’s Movement Journal_Week 1 (September 9)

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.

Sheena’s Movement Journal – September 9th

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