April 27th- Field experience #18

Student with Special Needs

This would be our last visit to St. Mary's. We would show up a class period early again to see the special needs student. He started off the class talking about the weather. He would go off on several different tangents as he started to walk off around the gym. He would grab onto a jump rope lying in the corner of the equipment closet and bring it out to the middle of the court where a cone sat. He would give himself a few feet between the cone and try and lasso it as if he was a cowboy. Instead he would just end up whipping the jump rope into the cone trying to knock it over or hit it with as much force as possible. He would continue this mayhem for a little while before giving up and getting some water. There is no schedule or curriculum for him. He does not seem interested in doing anything else but what is on his mind. It also seems that he ultimately gets what he wants regardless of the situation.  There is no real concern for the students physical education teaching. I am unaware of his activities outside of school. He is overweight. It seems like a very bright student but really could use a physical activity to keep him active. It is almost like he should be integrated into his grade. I would've liked to have seen what he is like in a classroom setting or with his class in physical education. He only has his one guide to interact with. I hope they can get him active and interested in a sport or activity he likes.

April 24th- field experience #17

Other Areas: Taught in class
Today in class my partner and I taught our lesson on rolling. The classes previously have been going over multiple gymnastics skills. We decided to have a george in the jungle themed obstacle course which would give us time to post assess the students while they were still active in other stations. The class went pretty smoothly. We started it off with temple tag to warm them up. We gave them instructions on what we wanted to see on the forward roll and went through the rest of the stations with a capable classmate that could perform all the skills. Our host teacher helped spot the kids that went over the balance beam while I helped with the rope swing and injuries. My partner was doing the post assessing as the kids performed the forward roll down a decline mat. Things went pretty well most of the class except one student that continuously got hurt. We were able to complete everything we needed to do. The kids finished the class with a sweat and smiles on their faces. I got to give them high fives on their way out and finish up cleaning the gym. Overall I wouldn't change too much. We weren't able to figure out how to untangle some of the lines but things went well to say the least.

Field Experience April 20th - #16

Students with Special Needs
Today in field experience we went in a little earlier to watch one student with a very mild form of autism. His autism is hardly noticeable and is a very bright kid. As smart as he is he is not very active. He is overweight and not very active in this class period. He has a teacher that watches over him but doesn't know how to help him out in physical education. He is given choices of activities to participate in but does not have any ambition to do anything. It does not help that he is the only one in his class and doesn't have any other student interaction. I would like to have seen him have some more direction in this class so that he can be more physically active. I will probably see him again in one of the upcoming sessions and hope to see more on his attitude in this class. Maybe their will be more of a guided instruction the next time I see him again.

Field Experience April 18th #15

Reflection of Lesson
Today in class we spent our time going over scooping in lacrosse. This is a more advanced skill that not even I learned until close to 3rd or 4th grade. There was a wide variety of skills from a visual stand point. Some were able to scoop every time and some were able to just push the ball along tried with the head of their stick as they tried to scoop. The teacher started off the class with labeling the different parts of the stick. Head, shaft, neck. Showed how to grip it. He compared scooping to shoveling snow as an analogy which actually makes a lot of sense but is hard for kindergarten students to completely relate too. He asked them if they have ever shoveled and most of them said yes. He could have gone over the footing to scooping a little better. Many of the kids understood the arm motions but did not know the proper foot work. They would not approach the ball from the side but from behind making it more difficult. I would try and fix this and emphasize the scoop by saying that it needed to be done quickly in order to get the ball off the floor. I do feel like lacrosse can be incorporated into PE early but maybe not this early. Catching and throwing are important skills too but may be inconsistent but will require good scooping skills in order to get to that stage. It is good to see a new rising sport being incorporated into physical education.

Field Experience 14 - 4/3/2012

Assessments Of Student Learning
Today in class was another day of gymnastics. There were several more stations added to the previous courses. This time me and my partner would be assessing the forward roll down a decline mat. The course itself was Indiana Jones themed. Music from the movie Indiana Jones would be playing as kids quickly made their way through the course. We would have students come up to the mat and grab a bean bag ball. They would stand on top of the mat with the ball pinned between their chin and chest. This was so that kids remembered to tuck there head to avoid injury. Each student would perform the task three times. We would use a holystic rubric that we previously made to determine each child's performance. Many of the kids were pretty good at performing the skill. They would move on to the next task without any hesitation. There was only a select few students that were slightly intimidated and struggled performing the skill. The assessment will be put into an Excel spreadsheet. We now have some time off for easter break to get ahead on the curriculum project.

Field Experience - 3/30/2012

Curriculum and NYS standards

Today was another class with the Pre K group. I have come to realize that the Pre K class kids are only three or four years old at the most. They are just getting a hold of the skill themes we are learning in class. So I've been wondering this whole time when these kids are going to get started on an actual lesson. But then when I started thinking about it I realize how creative these kids are on their own and with just a little spark given by a teacher. I would like to see what classes were like before our experience started. With three or more older idolized people playing and directing the kids there is sometimes no need to have an organized lesson. Just by tossing out different types of balls, hoola hoops and bean bags kids incorporate skill themes by themselves. There are also ropes and mats that work on other skill themes that don't require objects. Kids find some form of a game or activity to play with you or another group of kids. As I look around I notice that all kids are active and moving with a smile on their face. There has been a few times where I wanted to help kids by giving them a few cues but for most of them they don't stick with them for more than two or three attempts. They then revert to their old ways. I think it it is too early for a specific curriculum to be implemented for kids so young. Most of it should be by feel. I hope to see how these progress within these next few weeks. 

Field Experience 3/30/2012

1. How is the classroom arranged and decorated
1. The classroom has big tables that has name tags for assigned seating. There are two more desks for the teachers and an open space for other activities. There are cubbies for the students stuff. The walls of the classroom are covered in many colors and posters along with decorations that the students have already made.
2. How does the classroom differ from the gymnasium as an educational setting?
1. These students are working on their numbers and counting still. So the teacher went over the amount of days of school that the kids have attended. The class reiterates the numbers over and over and over. This does not happen as much from the physical education standpoint. We do reiterate some skills from a physical standpoint but not as much from the mental side.
3. How would you describe the classroom atmosphere?
1. The classroom atmosphere gives off a positive feeling. There are a ton of pictures and bright colors. They even have some projects that they did themselves up on the wall.
4. What was the topic and structure of the portion of the lesson you observed?
1. The lesson we listened in to was mostly about counting. It was almost the last day of March and the teacher talked about the change in months. They also went over how to count by tens to one hundred. They also counted the amount of days that they have been in school in total.
5. How would you describe the language and literacy levels of the students?
1. The kids are in a Pre K class. They are at a developing level where they are just learning the basics to everything. The tenses of verbs are off occasionally along with the pronunciation of some of the numbers while counting.
6. How did the teacher engage the students in the lesson segment that you observed?
1. The teacher had the kids sit in a circle while she sat in a chair. She talked at a good level making sure that most of the kids were trying their best to pay attention.
7. How would you describe the social behaviors of students in this age group?
1. Most of the students were not used to having other people in the classroom and were distracted because of it. Many of them were just saying things out loud without raising their hand. When they were sent to their seats for the birthday cupcakes they all started to get a little out of control when we started talking about their penguin poster.
8. What did you learn from this observation that will help you teach this age group more effectively?
1. Having student teachers or observers leads to the kids becoming more rambunctious. Prepare the kids for having guests but also staying in control of themselves.
9. What other insights did you gain from this observation?

1. I got to see what the atmosphere of the classroom and how and elementary school teacher approaches their kids. 

Field Experience - 3/27/2012

Management Strategies

During tuesdays class we continued our gymnastics unit. Our host teacher set up several stations. He  added the rope climb and the rock climb to the activities incorporated in the lesson. He split the class up into groups and let  me know that things will probably bit crowded over by the balance beam (where I was working at). He was right. Within the first minute of rotations the balance beam line became extremely crowded. The next plan was to add another station so that it could keep the kids more occupied. He brought out a couple 4 wheeled scooters for the kids to maneuver up and across mid court. This would help delay the line getting longer but would not prevail. After everybody got a few rounds of getting on the beam I was told to skip students that already proved that they were more than capable of performing the task at a proficient level. By doing this it would eliminate the delay for the beam line but right after it was the wall climbing line which took just as long. I would have to move the kids along past the rock climbing wall too. This management of activities need to be organized differently so that everybody gets an equal opportunity to do the tasks without feeling rushed or uncomfortable.

Field Experience - 3/23/2012

Communication with colleagues, others  

Friday consisted of another beautiful day out on the playground. I was previously told by my host teacher that we would be inside regardless of the weather. He informed me on my arrival that we would be going outside because of future weather conditions being poor. I was also not informed that we would be combining two of the Pre-K classes. So there was around 30 kids running around on the play ground. A few other people in the class working also showed up. There was four of us essentially being attacked by most of the class. The kids continue to be entertained and active just by playing tag. Tag turns into more of chase the teacher. The whole time we kept the kids moving and active. We did not communicate well at organizing a game or activity. We let the kids have their freedom and let them become active on their own. During the tag games the teachers were the ones being chased. When we were caught we were put in the “lava.” At this time we all understood that we were to play along and continue to stimulate their imagination. By the end of class the host teacher and ourselves talked about upcoming assignments we need to do for curriculum project. Hopefully a step in the right direction.

Field Experience - 3/20/2012

Knowledge of Students

I spent another day with the kindergarten class. Since the weather was nice outside my host teacher decided to take the kids out to the playground. The playground was still wet from the night before when it rained but that wouldn't stop the kids from being active. I have come to notice that simple games like tag are a go to game for younger kids. Many of the kids can play this for a full 30 minutes. I have noticed that a select few of the students get agitated when they are constantly being targeted. This tension built up and lead to a small altercation that was settled shortly after. This class consists mostly of boys with only a few girls. Some of the girls participate in tag for a majority of the class but aren't chased as much or can't always tag somebody. Today they spent the last ten minutes or so pretending to be ice cream saleswomen. They would hand out imaginary ice cream to those that came buy their shop. In return you would have to give them imaginary money. Tendencies have shown that boys will run themselves to exhaustion while many of the girls will be conservative and play along until they become mentally tired of the activity.

Field Experience - 3/12/2012

Skill Themes and Student Abilities

Today in class the kindergarten started a gymnastics lesson. They started off and ended the class by playing Temple Tag. The three teachers split up the class into three different activities. There was log/pencil rolls, summersaults, and balance beam. I took the balance beam. There were about 6 or 7 kids to each group. There was one foam bar that laid on the ground with no distance to fall. The other bar was raised about a foot and a half off the ground. This was more realistic to regulation balance beams. I would have one student walk the main one as I spotted them from a close distance. If the student didn’t feel comfortable I would give them a hand or two for them to use as support. The rest of the kids practiced on the lower bar as they waited for their next turn. A majority of the class was very skilled and were able to cross the beam without any help or hesitation. I challenged these kids by telling them to stop in the center of the beam and stand on one foot for “two Mississippi seconds.” This made it a little more difficult but just about all of the people that attempted it except one were able to do it. The entire class showed good coordination and balance. There was only one student that struggled and required guidance the whole way through. She was very timid and clearly not comfortable attempting it by herself.  

Field Experience - 3/3/2012

Curriculum and NYS standards
Friday was another average day for the class. The kids were given tons of equipment and activities to choose from. They used their imagination to make up and play games. Since we do not get to see what the class does on the other days I am not sure of what their curriculum consists of. This class is a Pre K group that doesn't need to worry about the third standard. Students work on gross and fine motor movements during the different activities that are done. They learn through observation of teachers and through listening to cues given by teachers. So when I'm interacting with the students I can demonstrate and give them a word of advice as they practice that skill. 

Lab 16- Feb 29th 2012

1. Cardiovascular fitness

2. Flexibility

3. Strength

4. Muscular Endurance

5. Explosive Power

6. Agility

7. Reaction Time

8. Balance

9. Coordination

10. Speed

Lab16- Feb 27, 2012

1. Observe elementary students in a formal or informal play setting as they play any sport such as basketball, softball, soccer, tennis. Utilize the four stages of game play to carefully determine what stage represents their level of play. Provide a brief written description of their skill level and stage of play. Write a three to five recommendations for steps that could be taken to improve their level of play.
There has only been one class that has incorporated any form of noticeable sports play. The kindergarten started playing floor hockey. They only reached stage I of the the four stages of game play. They were given a stick and a ball and were working on stick skills. This included ball handling and shooting. They were not combined skills but separated. Moving on to Stage II I would combine the two skills learned in stage one. I would set up some lanes so that the kids can try and stay in between the lines. As they approach the end they can take a shot on goal or the wall. As they progress you can then put cones in the way so they have to avoid them. I would then switch the cones to students. I would have them stand on a polly spot where they could try and swipe the ball away. This makes it more realistic to a scenario in a game. I wouldn't make it too much more difficult because these students are still in kindergarten and won't fully understand all of the concepts for offense and defense.
2. Explain how you would use the four stages of game play by Rink as a rubric with students in your own physical education classes.
I would use them as progressions from lesson to lesson. It would help set up the scope and sequence of the sport or skills being taught. This would be more applicable for older grades that has students that can understand rules and concepts. It does work nicely for three on three game play and is a good way to lead up to games.

Lab 15- Feb 27th 2012

1. Reflect upon your lab teaching experience. Describe your teaching strengths and weaknesses for teaching in this lab.
I was actually pretty proud of the quick lesson that I taught. I got some good feedback from my classmates and teacher. I was able to use an appropriate voice while teaching my activities. I was also told that I did a good job motivating the students and switching up the difficulty of the tasks. I could have worked on the creativity of my first activity that involved dodging imaginary seagulls. I could have used foam noodles or balloons for them to actually dodge instead. Overall I was happy with my presentation.
2. Identify one of your most effective teachers. What teaching behaviors did you admire most in the way he/she taught?
One of my classmates did a good job involving themselves in the lesson. The lesson comprised of fitness activities which is not an easy lesson to work with but by involving herself in the lesson the students were able to copy/follow along and make it interpersonal. It also challenged the students to work harder and enjoy it.
3. What goals will you set for yourself as you prepare to teach in the Education 300 Field Experience?

I would like to continue to give a good professional voice as I interact with the kids. Making the activities fun and creative will have to be a priority though.  I hope to make my class an enjoyable and informative class.

Field Experience 6 - Feb 28th 2012

Assessments of student learning

Today was the first day back from the kids spring break and you could tell that they were all happy to be back with their classmates and to be back in physical education.  The teacher introduced an activity that the kids were already well aware of. It is called the "run club." Depending on the age group kids are asked to be constantly moving for a certain period of time. This class was asked to walk, jog, or run for six minutes straight without stopping. There are several cones set up on the outskirts of the gym that they stay on outside of. Music is played as kids move at their own pace. "Pace" is a term that is clearly defined and taught to the class. Even though many kids know the meaning they do not adhere to it during their exercise. Many kids sprint the first two laps or so then start to split up. If a students continues jogging for the full six minutes they get their name placed on a poster on the wall of the gymnasium. This grade is not assessed on their capability to keep moving the entire six minutes but in the later grades kids are assessed on their progress. This activity is done once a month. The younger kids were thrilled to be doing this simple activity. Some of the kids walked in and started screaming just at the thought of running in circles for circles. This activity did incorporate both the psychomotor and cognitive domains. 

Lab 11

1. Find information on the history of the parachute and how a parachute works.
Da Vinci is given credit for being the first person to come up with the idea of a cloth that would lower man as a maximum drag decelerator. By the 1800's people that used parachutes were known as dare devils. As planes started to develop in the early 1900's people started to jump out of them and use their silk parachutes to guide them safely to the ground. A parachute works because of its huge surface area. This creates drag and gently lowers its user safely to the ground.
2. Create a parachute routine composed of various parachute activities learned in class.
I would start off with ripples, waves, and storm. Then make a cloud to stepping under. I would then do an Igloo game incorporate games inside. Depending on the class I would then do Cook a Healthy Soup. I would then incorporate some more fitness activities so that I could end with an Air Conditioning activity.
3. Practice the yoga routine for a week and keep journal of how you feel.

4. Use pictures to diagram each pose in the Salute to the Sun yoga routine.

Equestrian pose

Mountain Pose

Cobra Pose

Field Experience 5 - Feb 17th 2012

Communication with colleagues and others
On Friday communication was not easy for me because I was sick. I had a sore throat and speaking was not comforting. Communication between the host teacher and field experience students was important for setting up the activities done in class. Directions were given to lay out hoola hoops and bean bags at three different stations. Kids would be sent to their stations where they were already instructed on what to do. Since I was having trouble speaking I did the best I could to monitor the kids and make sure that they were staying on task. Our host teacher did a good job letting us know that we would be doing this for several minutes and to make sure the kids got to throw at the different targets. After that the kids were given time for free play again. The kids are taught very basic locomotor skills and are then observed as they demonstrate them in free play.

Field Experience 4

Management Strategies
At tuesdays field experience there were several subtle things that our teacher did to keep the class together and in line. So far all of his classes have entered the gymnasium and gotten into a line around the three point line of the basketball court. From here he gets across any information he needs to or if the kids have any questions everybody can hear them. The games then shortly begin with the usual playing of music. When the activity is coming to an end the teacher blows the whistle quickly and the entire class freezes and listens to the next set of directions. Even though these kids are only in Kindergarden they behave pretty well for their age. The only trouble during last class was one student hitting the ball with his foam hockey stick clearly after the whistle. The teacher took his stick till the end of his directions were explained and then returned it to him after. When he gave out the sticks he had kids line up along the baseline. From there they took their sticks and chose a foam ball that was rolled out. He then understood that all kids want to hit the ball as hard as they can. So he lined up one half of the class on one sideline and the other half on the other sideline. From here he had them face the wall and swing on his count down. There would only be one hit taken for safety concerns. By the end of class he instructed how he wanted everything properly put away and gave directions to what order the line up was in. Girls were first followed by boys. Everything was very organized and flowed very nicely.

Lab 10

1. Identify a fitness theme and design appropriate fitness stations to enhance various health and skill related components of fitness.

The fitness theme is the Hulk.

Station 1: Strength-Wall Pushups 

Station 2: Power-Frog jumps on elevated mats

Station 3: Speed- Curved run around cones

Station 4: Cardiovascular Endurance- Jump rope

Station 5: Catching and throwing- use bean bags

2. Identify people that are famous for use of imagination and creativity such as Einstein, Picasso and Bach.

Phil Jackson, Muhammah Ali, Shaquille O'neal, Bill Gates, and Steve Jobs. 

3. Design a rubric for assessing the acting-out of inanimate objects by students in small groups as described in the activity close of this lab. 

Everybody is involved in group- /1

Acting is of inanimate object- /1

Creative demonstration- /1

Total: /3

Lab 8

1. Explain three important benefits of hoop play.
Hoola Hoops are able to work on several fitness aspects such as muscular strength and cardiovascular endurance. They can work on skills such as agility and coordination. They can also set up classroom management opportunities because of their different colors.
2. Give an example of how hoops can be used to reinforce a cognitive concept linked with classroom learning.
Hoola Hoops can be put used as a analog clock. You can give directions to walk around the hoop to show the time. You can also teach the kids the difference between clockwise and counter clockwise.
3. Describe how hoops can be utilized to promote growth in the affective domain.
Students can be put into pairs and be asked to hold hands with their partner as they make their way into each hoola hoop that has the color they chose. The partners aren't allowed to talk and must communicate non verbally in order to be safe and make their way through all the hoops.
4. Utilize the internet to gather information about ponds and related ecology to use in your field experience teaching or future teaching.

What lives in ponds? Turtles, fish, ducks, snails, dragon flies. Use props and pictures. Can incorporate groups as different animals. 

Field Experience 3

Knowledge of Students

With my third trip to St. Mary's I got to see the Pre-K class for the second time. A bunch of them remembered my face but could not recall my name. This was the same way for me. I remembered only three or four kids' names and felt ashamed not knowing all their names. Even though I was still getting a hold of their names I did remember their faces and some of their abilities from the first time we met. A few of the boys I played with in the beginning of the class were shooting/throwing various balls on the small hoop and asking for me to shoot their ball on the main hoop. Many of the kids would get very close, borderline underneath the basket, and try and push the ball with all the power they could create. As they continued to shoot I would move them a foot or two back so that they could get a better angle to shoot. A few caught on and realized that it made it easier. I then made my way to two kids having a Frisbee catch with a soft, bendable, cushioned Frisbee. They were both pretty talented for Pre-K kids. They were able to throw a proper backhand toss. They stepped with the same foot, snapped the wrist, and followed through. Not until two other classmates joined did I notice a difference in skill level. The one student with the most trouble did just about everything right but the timing on the release needed work. He would hold it too long and throw it behind him instead of the intended target. Otherwise I was rather impressed by the classmates abilities that used the Frisbee. Lastly I made my way to the rope and rock climbing wall where kids are allowed to climb on their own up to a certain area as long as there are mats in place underneath. A few of the girls really enjoyed climbing the ropes and wanted to prove to me that they could do it. They were able to climb up and down with ease but when I challenged them to the rock climbing wall they were all hesitant. A few attempted it but were too timid to reach for the next rock because it was just a little bit out of their initial standing reach. With a little bit of time this could be taught and the kids could do it. It was another good trip to St. Mary's and I am looking forward to Tuesday.

Lab 7

1. Can a child in a wheelchair enter the front door and the back door? What modifications would you make?
It is possible for a wheelchair student to enter through the front door. This way allows any students to just pass through. By going through the back door you have to be in the air for a short period of time. I would tie two jump ropes together and do big loops to give more time for those trying to go through.
2. How would you apply goal setting to this lesson?
Each child should set their goals from a previous class. They can set a reachable goal for the amount of jumps in a row. This can apply to and of the different jumps learned in class. Can range from one footed jumps to partners adding their scores together. This will also work on the cognitive component of teaching.
3. Design a long rope jumping routine for a pair of students jumping at the same time.
Students can tie two jump ropes together and put two kids jumping at the same time. If there is enough time teach the kids a sing along song that goes with the jumping. Sesame street made on designed for elementary kids working on the alphabet.
5. Describe how you would go about organizing a rope jumping club for your elementary school.
I would probably have kids sign up that would like to participate. Jump ropes could be assigned to certain students to use during recess or after school to bring home. There can be a binder with different songs and activities if the kids are old enough to read and comprehend the activities. There could be posters set up with big pictures showing the activity.
6. Find out what stimulus variation is. Provide an example.
Stimulus variation has to do with the ability to keep the students attention for a period of time. This may mean that a teacher will have to move around. Move their arms to create physical gestures along with other non verbal ways of communication.

Field Experience 2

Skill Themes and Student Abilities
Today was my second day at my field experience. It was with a different class that were kindergardeners. The host teacher gave us another proper introduction and had an instant activity that helped us learn the students name. As the class continued the host teacher set up a catching and balancing lesson very similar to the one we learned in lab the other day. Bean bags were set up on polly spots and each kid was to listen to the teacher as he explained the task. It started off with balancing of the beanbag on your head, then the shoulder, then elbow and so on. The students abilities varied along with their self esteem. Some said it was "too easy" as some said "I can't do it." The real change in abilities was in the catching. Everybody was pretty good tossing the bean bag from hand to hand with little vertical tosses. When the tosses gradually got higher the catches became more inconsistent. The tosses were less controlled and could be tossed several feet away from their initial position. Students that thought the task was too easy still did not catch the ball every time. This was a good lesson to teach this class because each kid had room for improvement and was challenged.

Lab 5

1. Use the internet to search for information about turtles and how they live.
Turtles are able to spend long periods of time under water depending on the amount of physical energy is used. They are able to also absorb some oxygen from the water through two sacs on their backside. Since their lungs are placed in between their carapace and their back. By rolling on their back they put too much pressure on their lungs creating oxygen deprivation and a choking like effect.
2. Identify the fitness components being addressed in squad square fitness. Where are these components located on the NYS Conceptual Framework for K-12 PE?
Muscular endurance was constantly used throughout the song. This is used in the step ups, ski jumps, sit ups, and plank walks. This also works on body composition.
3. Prescribe a series of ball handling skills for a second grade boy or girl that is afraid of catching a ball. What kinds of objects might you prescribe for throwing and catching?
Start off with very soft objects such as bean bags, scarves and foam balls. Make sure the partners are very close together and are making soft tosses. Show that there is no need to be afraid of the ball(s).
4. What are some of the guidelines you would follow in pairing students for throwing and catching?
I would previously know what skill level the kids are on and make sure that certain kids get set up together so they can get the most out of the activities. They could also be put in a group of kids with similar skill levels and rotate them.
5. How would you help a special needs student learn to catch that displays delayed motor control and lack of fine motor control dexterity?

Depending on the lacking fine motor movement I would adjust the motions in order to simplify the catch. The distance and speed will make a difference. It would also help to give the student a warning as to when you are going to throw it so that reaction time is quicker and anticipation is in effect. The location of the toss will also make a difference.

Field Experience Day 1

Reflection on Lesson

The first day of Field Experience was a great way to start off from my standpoint. I got to meet several people at the front desk along with the Principal. It was pajama day and everybody was wearing their favorite sleeping attire. My partner and I made our way to the gym to meet our host teacher who was also dressed very nicely. The Pre-K walked in with their classroom teachers in a straight, formal line. Our host teacher was nice enough to introduce us to the kids then move on with the class period. The kids did not have a formal class but had a class period to play with themselves. Music was put to set the mood. Hoola Hoops, basketballs, and foam soccer balls were put out for the kids to play with. The kids were told to go and as soon as they heard that they were off! Me and my partner quickly chased after them wanting to make new friends. I initially helped some of the students play basketball at the lowered portable basketball hoop. Even on a seven foot hoop the kids had trouble reaching the rim. Regardless whether or it went in or not the kids had a blast heaving the ball to the sky. They got tired of shooting and proceeded to kick the basketballs as I chased after them. The game quickly changed to tag with eight or so kids. Each one of them had a smile from ear to ear. We would later take the hoola hoops and put them together to make a modified hop scotch. Most of the kids were able to hop or jump depending on the next hoops placement. Before we knew it the class was over and the kids were back in a single file line on the way to their next class. Even though a formal lesson was not taught it was an inclusive class that had all kids moving and showed us what some of their capabilities were.

Lab 4

1. Explain how a unit based on lessons of this nature would serve as a foundation for acquiring specialized throwing and catching skills.
This lesson worked on the very basics to catching and throwing. Bean bags are a great choice for kids that are very young. They have a solid amount of weight to have a feel but also are soft enough to not hurt anyone. It always helps determine if the kids have "soft" hands. This is one of the first lessons in teaching catching and throwing.
2. Identify a theme that could be applied to health hopping appropriate for young children.
I like the Lion King theme that we had in class. At an early age Space Jam was one of my favorites. It has several popular songs that are easy to tap your feet to. There are a ton of characters that the kids could relate to. You could then design certain qualities to each of activities based on the characters.
3. Design a checklist of critical elements to look for when observing a child performing a locomotor movement.
Throwing- Ball/object on pad of fingers ___
                 Step in opposition ____
                Athletic stance ____
                Elbow up ____
                Point with opposite hand ___
4. Two other catching activities with bean bags.
Underhand tossing to partner. Working on soft hands. As kids get good you can tell each of them to take a step back. Work on eye hand coordination and "giving" as you receive the catch.

You and your partner both have a bean bag and have to throw them  simultaneously. Soft lofting  throw. Gets harder as you get further apart. Make sure there is a count down before the throw itself. Works on eye hand coordination and transition between basic motor movements.

             

Lab 3

1. Select one of the locomotor skills and create your own set of teaching cues.
Hop- pretend like the leg up got hit with a heavy object. Ex. It is hurting because your friend accidently stepped on your foot. Bend and extend the jumping leg. Wave to the floor goodbye with hopping foot. Double scoop the ice cream with your arms.

2. Identify the specific pathways used in each of the low organized games presented in the lesson focus.
The 3 pathways in the games played were. Straight pathways, Zi-zag pathways, and curved pathways.

3. Select a topic for a class talk and outline the questions and key points that would help you guide a class talk.
Topic: Respect. What is respect? How do you show respect to your friends and family? 
"when a person values another's opinion and thoughts then treats that person with dignity, it shows how valuable that person is to the other." 
When is it used? Why do we use it?
Make sure kids are raising hands and are given ample time to answer. Rephrase/summarize what each student has to say. Positivity.
4. Make a checklist of performance points to look for in one of the locomotor movements.
Running:  Everything in opposition  __
              Knees are up (not dragging feet) __
              Arms at/close to 90 degrees __

              Small amount of time where both feet are off the ground __

Lab 2

1. Explain why exercises such as sit ups and push ups have to be modified for kindergarten and first grade students in the DVL 1 group.
These exercises appear to be placed as negative consequences to getting out in a game or being punished. Most of these DVL 1 kids also don't show proper technique in these exercises. There are other activities and movements that can take place of push ups and sit ups.
2. Why is rhythmic activity important for young children?
Song and rhythm are applied to everyday scenarios for kids. Kids are naturally attracted to music and a beat. Most of the music played has a positive or influential message. It is also a good way to keep the kids attentive and keep them participating.
3. Define laterality and explain why tracing giant letters helps reinforce cognitive learning.
Laterality is the ability to use both sides of the body to complete a skill or task. In class today we drew the first letter of our name. This made me think of the components that go into spelling the letter H. By having elementary students do this it makes them recall the appearance of the letter and perform the motion to spell.
4. Why are educators concerned about young children not being able to keep an internal beat?
Keeping an internal beat is pretty basic and is helpful to have for many activities. Activities and lessons will have to be adjusted in order for that student to still partake in the class and improve.
5.Define homo-lateral and cross lateral movements.
Homo-lateral means pertaining to the same side or the body while cross lateral means that a limb is crossing the midline of the body in order to perform a task or skill.

Lab 1

1. Why do class management and effective teaching go hand in hand throughout every day of the teaching?
By keeping your kids organized and controlled you can easily transition between activities. This leads to a more productive class that keeps your students more active and informed.
2. Why should your list of class rules be short and positive?
By keeping them short it makes it easier to read the whole thing through without being side tracked. Some students have shorter attention spans then others. By putting words like "no" it makes the kids want to be rebellious and go against the rules.
3. List three reasons why students enjoy the squad square structure as well as three reasons why teachers benefit from employing the squad square structure for management.
Students benefit because they can see the rest of their classmates, they feel like they're apart of a group/squad/team, and their are no line leaders. The teacher benefits because it has the kids organized and in groups, can easily monitor if the kids shoes are tied, and can make it easy put equipment away.
4. What common elements do all of the activities in this management lab share?
The lab went through basic gross motor movements. It also covered students listening skills. Went over the difference between personal and general space. The listening skills were tested in the activities. The rules were changed depending on the activity (boundaries, personal space, buddies).
5. How is the affective domain addressed in this lesson? How is the psychomotor domain addressed in this lesson? How is the cognitive domain addressed in this lesson?
The lesson included a lot of activities that required communication (Affective Domain). The first activity was the "Hello" game. This required students to read a classmates name tag and say "Hello Sarah" for example. The class also comprised of gross and fine motor movements (Psychomotor Domain). Things like hopping, skipping, and jogging were all included in the activities. One of the last games was to pretend like you had a string attached to a body part given by the teacher (Cognitive Domain). So if the teacher said that the string was attached to your elbow each student would have to pretend like they were getting pulled at their elbow.
6. Find a different management game.
Have the students line up on a line in the gym. Choose a student that did well during class and have them select an animal for the class to imitate. The entire class will pretend to be that animal. The gross motor movements are encouraged. Flamingo would be balancing on one foot and rabbit would be hopping on two feet.

Introduction

Hey there!

I am Harrison Hefele. I am from Greenlawn, New York. I play Basketball here at SUNY Cortland. I like to play in any intramural sports that I get the chance to play. I especially like the volleyball tournaments. I do have many close family friends that have kids that are in Elementary schools. I am lucky enough to not only hang out with these cool kids that have unique personalities but I also get to teach them sports related skills all the time. All of these kids are very active and are always wanting to compete. I do have personal relationships with these kids and love them more than they know. I hope that I can create some new friendships while teaching them the knowledge and skills that I have learned myself.