Saturday, December 6, 2008

What Have We Learned?







· What I have learned for the students at St. Mary’s is that if you as a teacher is having as much fun as possible, they will have as much fun as possible too. You can spin everything into a fun way with the children and they will loosen up to you more and more. Some examples were when I as was with the Pre-K and had my Santa Claus hat on and pretended that the children were reindeers and we went around delivering presents. Making things that are out of the ordinary into a fun game is what they are looking for. No games seemed inappropriate that were taught to the children.
Working with the PRE-K is easier and a better experience in some ways because you have to work harder to do things that the children will understand, and the games can seem farfetched and boring. However, there is more you can do with the PRE-K because they are always ready to try things. The older students do what they like and won’t listen to you because they don’t know you. However, you don’t have to think up things as much and not so much as on the spot, they like common sports.
In the fine motor skills area, the younger children seemed to have more problems with eating as in dropping their food and making as mess, also missing the garbage pail and when they played the simple games they had trouble in such as connect four in being able to put the correct colors in the spot they wanted. We as Physical Educators can work on hand-eye coordination with the students, to understand limitations and how things move to help the students fine motor skills

Getting on the Children's Level







Some of the challenges that I have faced recently has been the cooperation of the children. It all depends on the day that we happen to catch the children on and depending on the game. If the previous labs have had a similar game to the one’s we are playing then they lose interest and make it difficult to keep the kids in line and attentions spans run short. Also, the age differences that are within the groups that we work with, who can make it difficult to keep all the children interested in the game. In the beginning of the time spent at St. Mary’s the nerves and the lack of knowledge with the children also made it difficult for most in both lab groups. However, after going there a few times and learning more about the children it has become easier and more comforting
I think that we should all get more on the children’s level, get to be more like them so that they will get more excited about the games that we are excited about the game. Make them think that since the teacher who is just like them likes the game then it must be fun so they will want to play. However, even though we want to make them play in the games that we are making them seem more fun, we also need to have that teacher-student relationship, where we have the control and they have respect. Don’t be afraid to open up and let them know, and keep control.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Imagination

Something that I've learned over my time spent at St. Mary's school as a student teacher so to say is that you must loosen yourself up. Being a good teacher to young children is getting on the same level as them so to speak. Think things up on the spot and don't be afraid or embarrassed of being a good teacher. I learned this though holiday games, a game where me and the students used our imaginations on the spot to create a game that not only they had fun, but I had fun as well. This game is called Santa's Reindeer's, and the object of the game is for the students, who are the reindeer, and myself, who was Santa, were to leap around like we were flying and arrive at houses and put presents under Christmas trees, put as many as we can as fast as we can. Might not seem as fun to older kids, but as to PRE-K students these types of games is what keeps them interested the entire time.

How About Those Games?

Many of the games that we as a lab group have used all were appropriate for the students in all ways. Some happened to work better then others because of the teaching strategy that was displayed. In the beginning of our labs the games did not take as well because most of us were still getting used to working with the children and getting comfortable. Later on in the labs after everyone got more comfortable the children seemed to get more interested and more kids played the games. As for skill wise, again some were better then others because it was harder to find games that incorporated the throw and the catch for some of the games as did kicking and dribbling. However, all in all the activities/games were all appropriate for the children at St. Mary’s.

Some limitations to the games or activities are such that you must make sure that every student has the opportunity to do each motor skill more then once for the purpose of the child having more fun and for the other college students to assess. Also, to have less of everything scattered, more organization keeps the games moving and doesn’t slow anything, resulting in more reps for the child and the child will want to continue to play.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Obstacles Obstacles Obstacles!!

In my observation during this lab, the obstacle course that the students had to go through using the different motor skills I noticed that Ethan was not really more advanced than Molly who happened to be a year younger then him. Both had trouble with the horizontal jump being as they both took off with different feet and landed with different feet. Both had no arm swing to help their height and or distance. The leap is something that they were able to do, able to get both feet off the ground and take off and land with opposite foot. Ethan had an easier time with the slide, able to shift his body, age might have something to do with this motor skill, and gender does not have an affect on it though.I noticed that when Russell was going through his game on the obstacle course that he used his fellow group member to describe the motions that the children were going to be performing, and giving them an image in their mind that they can have fun relating too. Such as making them imagine that they are in a jungle and that they are going through trees and over water and such. Ending it off with something fun as to jump on the big mat, giving them something to look forward to, making the course seem fun instead of hard work.

Games All Around!

In my observation of the games played at St. Mary’s school, the students were to play a game where they were to take the flags out of the pockets of the other students, and whoever had the most flags at the end wins. During this game I observed Megan, age 6, and Nicolas, age 6. Both of these students were basically the same in most area’s when it comes to running, galloping and hopping. Megan I noticed seemed more mature for her movements though, she had more of a fluid momentum then Nicolas did however they had the same motor skills when it came to playing the games. One big difference that I noticed is that Nicolas had very little to no arm movement in any of the motor skills that the students were asked to do. Megan, however, used her arms more to propel herself in her hops and her gallops.

Some of the teaching methods that I noticed that seemed to be positive was when Melissa was teaching her game of Hungry Hungry Hippo’s. Her technique was to when the students were not paying attention she announced very loudly for everyone to touch their own eye’s when they were looking at her so they would pay attention and be quiet. This seemed like a good way to get the kids to be quiet and to pay attention to the rules that she had for the game that they were playing. The effect of this was very high in that the kids saw it as simple and that they had to pay attention because all the other kids were doing it too.

PE Mini Conference Oct. 10th

As a future Physical Educator, there are many grey area's in the field that I am looking to go into. Most things are learned in the class room by professors of SUNY Cortland, however learning from outsiders, those who have lived through the experiences that you are going through now and can help guide is a major plus. The mini conference that was held on October 10Th was something that helped me see many different area's that someone of my future profession can look further into. I attended two different conferences, the first one was very interesting that was lead by our very own Dr. Steven Yang. Although i was only there for a short period of time, idea's of playing video games have been broadly changed over the years. Proving that there is something that we as Physical Educators and athletic enthusiasts can change a child's life. His presentation on the machine that will incorporate physical activity and video games. Not talking about the Wii, talking about something similar but different. A device from Gamercize called Power Stepper and Gamercize Endurance Cycle, these two devices connect to the gaming console and in order to keep play going you must either step on the Power Stepper of pedal the Endurance Cycle. Two idea's that are going to change the future of video game systems and the health of children.
The other conference that I attended was Sports Stacking, held by an elementary Physical Educator where she had taught us about Speed Stacking. Speed Stacking is stacking specially made cups as fast as possible. Tournaments are held world wide for Speed Stacking where children of all ages can compete. Not only is this something that will keep a child active and motivated, it is something that a Physical Educator can use in their own class. Using these cups you can set up relay races and obstacle courses. Use physical activity and an event that is fun for the student so that the student doesn't feel like physical activity is a chore, it should be seen as fun.

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Labrotory #1

During my lab, my group worked with 1st, 5th, and 6th graders at the St. Mary’s school. While working with the kids I noticed many different motor and social behaviors within the group. During our play time out in the playground, the younger kids who played on the swing set needed more help with the monkey bars and such, the older kids did not need any help. Age in motor behavior plays a huge role in what the kids can and cannot do. When we moved to the gym, the social behavior also has its differences between the age group in that the older kids were more up to playing different games and are willing to do more things. Also their understandance of the games that we were trying to get them to play was at a higher level. The younger kids were not really interested in playing any games or interacting with other kids that they really did not know. Also, their understandance of the games was very low in that they needed to be catered to the entire time of the games. Age definitely plays a role in motor and social behavior. I do not agree with gender playing a role in the behavior that they displayed during the time that I worked with them. While working with the group there was obvious differences in their fine motor activities. I noticed them when we were in the cafeteria downstairs when it was snack time. The younger kids played with their food such as dunking their cookies and cheese puffs into their milk and making a mess that they were not going to clean up if not told. The older kids just ate their snacks quietly and were not as messy. When they were finished the older kids got up and threw out their garbage and went to the area after they finished moving on to something else. The younger kids needed to be told what to do and to sit down and more of a authoritative role needed to be taken with the younger kids than the older kids. Also, when they were standing on line waiting to go outside the older kids stood quietly and were waiting to leave, the younger kids were yelling and playing online, being told numerous times to be quiet and get back in line. Again, I do not believe that gender has anything to do with their fine motor activities that I observed, both boys and girls of the same age group acted in the same manner.