Sunday, October 31, 2010

The Best Parts of My Week....10/25-10/29

Hi everyone,
As each week begins, I wonder what will emerge as the "Best Parts". Sometimes I wonder if I will be able to write about something meaningful that others will relate to as they read this blog. Let's face it.....teaching is a labor of love and some days seem more challenging than others. However, challenges lead to hard work, and hard work leads to success. Nevertheless, as each week ends and I reflect on the week as a whole, I always come back to the positive moments; The Best Parts of My Week!

.....Several of our kindergarten and first grade classes went on a field trip this week to a local performing arts center. At the end of the day I was asking one of the teachers how the trip was and I inquired about what show they saw. I was told that they saw a show about several Leo Lionni books. One of these books is called Swimmy. I replied excitedly that I had recently used that book as a lead up to one of my cooperative activities with my first grade classes. The book is about a fish named Swimmy who teaches his fish friends to work together so that they can keep each other safe in the ocean. The teacher then said that her students told her all about the PE class where I read the book and they played a game called "Giant Tuna" where they learned to help their friends! I truly felt like that lesson made a difference in these students' lives. This experience also pointed out to me that there are many opportunities to collaborate with classroom teachers that are missed and I hope to capitalize on those opportunities in the future.

.....Healthy Highway continues to grow! This week I was assigned bus duty in the fourth and fifth grade wing. I used my "Traffic Light" sign that we made in our committee. Showing red means "Stop and think about it"; yellow means "Slow down and think about it"; and green means "All systems go". One of the places we use these signs is in the hallway during dismissal to remind students to move safely. It is pretty amazing how these simple signs work! As one student was racing down the hallway I showed the yellow sign to her and she immediately slowed down! I did not have to say a word! Other times this week students spontaneously used the hand signals to the color that I was showing! One of our parents who saw the signs in action wished that she had a similar prop to use at home!

.....Each week I have a "Question in the Pocket" as I call it. This is a question that is placed in a wall hanging that has four pockets. The top pocket holds the question, the next holds a picture of a smiling face, the next holds a picture of a thinking face, and the last holds a picture of a sad face. This wall hanging is placed at the exit doors of the gymnasium. As students leave PE they are asked to "Choose a face". This is an exercise in self-reflection for students. Students "answer" the question by touching the face that best reflects their behavior during PE related to the question. This week's question was "Did you help others during PE today?" Prior to answering the question, I asked students to tell me who and how they helped during PE. The answers they gave validated my belief that students are great helpers! They really do want to help others. They just need the opportunity and the example......

Have a great week everyone!

Monday, October 25, 2010

The Best Parts of My Week - 10/18-10/22

Hi Everyone,
This was a jam-packed week! There were many great events of the week!

.....Tuesday was Fire Safety Day. During this day the gymnasium is used for one of the Fire Safety Stations so I make plans to be outside when the weather permits. I made an announcement that all PE classes would be held outside. After the announcements, one of my second graders walked by the gymnasium and said "Sorry you lost your house today!" He was very sincere and I was impressed that he had the empathy to recognize that the gymnasium could be my "house" and that being out of it might be something to be sad about!

.....I mentioned last week that my students are participating in a unit on cooperative education and that some classes are struggling with some of the lessons. I was thrilled at the messages that my students shared this week after completing the cooperative activities. Students in grades K-5 shared how others helped them and that it felt good to help and be helped!

.....I had the opportunity to attend and participate in a Care to Share event at Manhattanville College sponsored by the Southeastern Zone of NYS AHPERD. I shared some pedometer activities and explained my PE Packs to GO program to the graduate students in PE. This was a great opportunity for me to share some of what I do to enthusiastic students, but I also learned some new activities from some of my colleagues in the SEZ! This was certainly an opportunity to continue as a lifetime learner!

.....I created and sent home my monthly newsletter this week - The Fizz-Ed Times. I couldn't believe the number of Fitness Fanatics we had this month!We had a record 36 Fitness Fanatics! Fitness Fanatics have completed and turned in our monthly Fitness Calendar.

.....We held our first assembly for Healthy Highway this week. Our school is participating as a pilot school for the Healthy Highway program created by Wendy Cooper. The assembly was terrific! Students quickly learned hand signals for the Green, Red, and Yellow traffic light signs and some of our teachers and I taught our school the "Healthy Highway Dance"! The next morning after the assembly I held up the red side of our traffic light sign and my fifth graders spontaneously showed me the hand signals to go with the red light which means "Stop and think about it". I guess we are on the "Road to Success"!

Saturday, October 16, 2010

The Best Parts of My Week - 10/13-10/15

Hi everyone,
It was a short week due to our Columbus Day Holiday, but there was no shortage of great moments during the week!

.....I smiled as I watched the pure joy on the faces of kindergarten students as we played a game called "Clean Up Your Own Backyard"! This is such a simple game that reinforces the concept of over and under, yet the students absolutely love it! I sneak in some "Garbage Math" during this activity. Students count the "garbage" at the end of each round and we add it up together. I am quite sure that they did not realize that they were doing Math during PE, but PE is so much more than just "throwing out the ball" and playing games!

.....While I watched a third grade class struggle with a new cooperative activity, I realized that the value and need for cooperative/adventure education can not be underestimated. I am looking forward to the journey that this group will take as they learn to work together and problem solve for the greater good!

.....Listening to my fifth grade students answer my question about what was important during a cooperative game that we had just played called "Scrunchie Tag" was an amazing experience. We use something I call the "Magic Microphone". It is a microphone that is "Magic" because it only allows the person holding it to speak. Students shared ideas about the importance of playing fair, having fun, helping their classmates during the game by "donating" a scrunchie to someone in need of one, and playing safe while tagging. The power of cooperative/adventure education continues!

Have a great week!

Monday, October 11, 2010

The Best Parts of My Week....10/4-10/8

Hi everyone,
It was a pretty busy week at North Park......actually, they all are! That's what keeps me going! Enjoy the best parts of my week!

.....Our school is beginning a journey this year by participating as a pilot school for Healthy Highway. This is a program that was created by Wendy Cooper. I met Wendy five years ago at a conference and I have watched her program grow. I am pleased to say that we are on the "Road to Success" now as a Healthy Highway school! This program uses traffic signs and a highway theme to teach and reinforce safety rules, fitness, and nutrition concepts to elementary children. We were fortunate to have Wendy at our school this week for training. It was a terrific day and we have a wonderful group of teachers, food service staff, administrators, and support staff that will make this journey one to remember! I am looking forward to this program!

.....I received a card from a kindergarten student this week. In the card, the mom of the student wrote me a note to say that her child wanted to write me a card and that although she physically wrote the card, the words and feelings were all her child's. The kindergarten student wrote to tell me that she loved PE and how PE makes you tired but strong! That card made my day! I went to the student's classroom to thank her and she was all smiles! So was I! Sometimes the words and smiles of a student are all you need to know that you are on the right path and making a difference!

Monday, October 4, 2010

The Best Parts of My Week 9/27-10/1

Hi everyone,

School is in full swing! I hope you enjoy the "Best Parts of My Week"!

.....During an "Alphabet Soup" warm-up students were spelling words that they knew by actively moving about the gymnasium and touching alphabet tiles scattered on the floor. At the end of warm-up, I asked a second grade class to share the words that they spelled. One student said "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, but I didn't have time to finish!" Since we do the same warm-up for the three days of the PE Week, each day she spent time spelling the word and finally finished! You really can't make this stuff up! By the way, I spell-checked this to be sure I knew how to spell it, but I am quite sure that my second grader did not need to!

.....On Friday morning I arrived to find a wonderful gift at my door! Our school Cub Scout Den is learning about community and made me a decorated pencil holder for my desk! It is decorated with sports labels and "R" and a "star" for "Rock star"! I always say that teaching in an elementary school makes you feel like a Rock star! One of the moms involved told me that I am their Rock star! What an amazing feeling! Thanks to our thoughtful Cub Scouts!

Have a great week!