This week was dual and individual activities in P.E. taught by Devon, Michelle, Megan and Jen. When everyone was out at the track, and the group told us we were going to be sprinting, the whole class groaned simultaneously. Everyone seemed to have a negative view on running and sprinting before entering the class, and by the end of the class I know I had changed my views. I felt that through this lesson, I felt more able and comfortable with teaching sprinting and running. Their instant activity was engaging and not only was a warm up physically but also brain activation, connecting the brain and the body. I have played this before with other animals, and can be changed to animals or topics which the class could be studying to make it more cross-curricular. Another great thing about this lesson was that it was very inclusive. All students were included at all times. When we were doing the activity on the track, we were either working on marching in proper form in a walking speed, or we were sprinting towards the next group working on your form at a quicker pace. This was also set up in a way that the whole class was working together rather than on teams. There were no winners or losers. Although there were no winners and losers, we were able to work on our own to improve on our own sprinting abilities.
Great lesson group!
I am so surprised by how much I enjoyed PE class this week! When I heard it was taking place at the track, I started to dread it! I ran track and cross country in high school and I have very bad memories from the experience. Since I am extremely competitive, running in any form stresses me out greatly. This week’s group did an awesome job making the activities competitive enough to be fun, but in a way that there was no individual pressure to perform. Because there weren’t any one-on-one races, it was impossible to measure your speed against someone else’s. This is a great activity to do in an elementary PE class, because it provides motivation to run fast without putting the pressure of one-on-one competition onto the students.
I also found the discussion part of the class very interesting. Being inclusive is hard in any classroom, but it is often even more difficult in a PE class. We talked about how often times there is no black-and-white right answer when it comes to inclusivity. To include one student sometimes inconveniences and limits the quality of the lesson for all other students; but of course that doesn’t mean that it’s okay to exclude a child with a physical or mental disability. As teachers, our job is to design lesson plans that can include everyone without limiting anyone. I was thankful to hear some strategies on how to accomplish this. Hopefully we can all be fully inclusive in our practicum classrooms this year and in the future.
It was so great to be back in PE class. I never really was a fan of track but I was into field. However, this class made me change my mind and helped me to understand some ways to make running fun. Thank you very much Devon, Michelle, Megan & Jen for a great concept and class! The main activity was my favorite and it made me want to run more! I could see myself using that exact lesson plan for my practicum class. The group did an amazing job and made us work hard, I was super tired after!
The chapters this week were very interesting and the talk about disability and inclusion in PE class intrigued me the most. It is so hard to include every child, as every child’s interests are different, so adapting a lesson of PE in track and/or field is a challenge in itself. As we are learning, classrooms are a safe space and PE class is no different no matter where you are. As teachers, we must try to make our lessons as accessible as possible and include all types of learners. The main activity was a great example of that, for the most part you were either walking or skipping, or even doing a light jog. When it came time to sprint, it was short, and the concept made it fun. The movement skills and techniques involved were useful and helped with the main activity.
Great to be back for our PE class! I absolutely love track and field. I really enjoyed the way they set up relay. It was not competitive, everyone was engaged and everyone tried their best even when it wasn’t a race! I would love to use this whenever I have a chance when I am teaching. Way to go Megan, Devon, Jen and Michelle.
The chapter for this week focused on diversity in a classroom, and our discussion question left us all confused. It is so hard to find a balance in a diverse classroom. We were looking for answers, but that is when we realize, there is no right or wrong answer. As a teacher, we have to weigh out the options and chose the one we believe is best fit for our class. It is very important for teachers to build that relationship with their students in order to assess their strength and weakness. It is ideal to include everyone and let them express themselves. Just like Megan, Devon, Jen and Michelle’s lesson. Everyone was able to run at their own pace with no pressure. I am sure there would be more resources/lesson plans available for us to carry about an all inclusive physical education lesson.
UBC Health Outdoor and Physical Education
