Arrghhh a Pirates day at Saint Mary's

Monday we had our first real lab expirence at Saint Mary's school. It was full of fun and after the exhausting time I realized I have alot to learn in order to become a good Physical Education teacher eventually. First I realized I wasnt being loud enough , than I couldnt get the childrens attetion and lastly I forgot certain points to my game in which I wanted to highlight. However I am not upset and I cant wait to go back and build on these expirences. I am so excited though by how we seem to have themes every week and the children really thrive on that fact. Some of the children were afraid of the pirates theme while others loved it and would have dressed up like pirates too if they had known. I also learned some key functions like executive control and executive function. I didnt think much of it when Professor Yang first told me because it seemed simple and I was over confident but after a minute of trying to explain the game I was teaching I knew what it meant to be able to make children understand and do what we are trying to teach to them. I am excited as well to learn new ways to teach children in ways in which they all understand and more easily picked up on. Thats all for this weeks lab write up... now off to walk the plank.... arghhhhhhh !!!!

Chapter 1 - Learning through Movement not just Movement

After reading Chapter 1 I realized that my P.E class in high school wasn't a very good experience in how P.E should be taught. I guess I kind of feel a little robbed in the sense that because I was an athlete sports were fun for me so I didn't struggle with it as much. But after looking at how P.E is supposed to be taught I couldn't help but feel sorry for the kids I knew growing up that didn't participate in P.E. and I always looked at them funny and thought they just couldn't do it because they were not good enough. However now I realize that the way P.E class went did not encourage this children to be active and want to try and learn new and lifetime type sports. I love the concept of learning through movement opposed to learning to move. I think it is so smart to have cognitive development Incorporated into physical play and activities. This helps children that don't do so well in school stay on top of school work because it makes it fun. I also think it helps children that are smart because they can use their skills and ideas through sports to feel apart of the game and feel as if they are more than just a target in a game of dodge ball or an easy out in kickball. Chapter 1 does a good job explaining aims and goals of Physical Education and this is important in making sure that we reach these but not in the traditional old school Phys. Ed class setting. As times change we as advocates for Physical Education need to change as well to make sure everyone is included and our goals and aims are met.

DodgeBall can be Positive (+)

After reading the articles and looking at our book it is hard to see how Dodge Ball really fits in to an effective thing to teach in a Physical Education setting. However not everything we do in our Physical Education classes can always be something in which it is aimed towards our principles. I believe that Dodgeball is a reward for participating in other activites in PE in which many children consider boring or not fun after a certain age. Now the problem with this is that traditional dodgeball is not okay because it is too risky and is not a mainstream sport. In an article http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-10765874_ITMI found the argument is made that many injuries occur in basketball, baseball and football in which children are targets and also in those sports in many cases there are eliminations of players based on how good the players are to play certian postions or play at all. I support having dodgeball as a reward based idea. However though we need to change the way dodgeball is played to protect children. Also we need to make it more enjoyable for everyone who is playing and not have traditonal roles in which one student is the one getting hit by the ball and another is the one hitting the other child. Like we discussed in class using other objects as targets highly reduces injuries and discoruagment to certain children who are usually targets. Also adding a number of modifications inlcuding team work , specific roles and other things could strongly improve the outcome of dodgeball. By changing how dodgeball is played you could identify that it is a great way for children to develope fine and gross motor skills in throwing and catching.

How children playing with sticks can be dangerous

In my opinion sticks can be very dangerous when related to sports or not related to sports... giving children sticks when their motor devlopment and other movement skills are limited is not a very good thing in my mind to do. I have seen on a number of ocassions accidents happen with baseball bats, hockey sticks and golf clubs. When I was 9 one of my best freinds walked near another child swinging a golf stick in a crazy motion and my freind was struck in the side of the face breaking his jaw and cheek bone. Depending on the age group some children can handle playing sports with sticks and no better than to swing the sticks in dangerous motions and what not. However according to this internet source article I found many eye injuries in sports are caused by blunt force trauma from sticks such as hockey sticks or lacrosse sticks. Even with proper eye protection and goggles injuries still accur at alarming rates when dealing with sports and eye injuries. Of the 40,000 eye cases reported each year one third of them occur while playing sports. Im not sure what age group exactly should be allowed to start using sticks and playing in stick sports because you have to learn some day and somehow but I believe we introduce these sports a little to earlier relating to our physical development and gross and fine motor skills.

First Lab at Saint Mary's

Yesterday I had my first lab experience at Saint Mary's school. It was an exciting and very fun time for not only me but also my peers who also attended lab as well. Many of the children were very reluctant to talk to me when I engaged them in a basic conversation at first, but as time went on many of the same children warmed up and enjoyed playing games and just showing me what they could do. I look forward to many more lab experiences and I am excited to learn new games and ideas in which I can share with the children and eventually one day lead my own ideas and games to a number of children. One thing that was a little different to me was seeing the children fall so much and trying to remember if I myself fell that much too when I was little.The motor development from one child to another in some instances is very obvious. Many of the children would fall and get right back up in no time and be playing as hard if  not harder than before the fall. 

Lab Write Up 1

 

Cortland Expirence

I cant wait to learn more and expand my learning at SUNY Cortland !!!

First Day of PED 201

The Motor Development class seems like it is going to be a good expirence and I look forward to class tomorrow morning ... the facilites at Cortland are amazing and Im glad Professor Yang gave us a tour of Park Center !!!!