The Best Parts of My Week! 12/14/15--12/18/15

Hi everyone,

      I'm not sure that the word "exciting" quite captures the feeling in the air at school this week!  We are counting down to winter break but it has been so warm in the Northeast it seems a bit more like late Spring!  

.....First I have to mention something that happened last week.  I keep a pad of paper in the gym ready to go so that I can write down the little moments and events that make up the "Best Parts".  Sometimes these moments happen outside of the gym and while I try to remember everything, I sometimes forget to write about one of them.  Event though this moment happened last week it is too good to let go so here it is!  I was leaving on Friday afternoon as students were going to their buses.  I usually stay late but this day I had an appointment to get to right after school.  I have a rolling backpack that I use for all of my school needs and I was walking down the hall with it to get to my car.  Two of my kindergarten students were saying good-bye and they asked me if I was going on vacation!  I did not make the connection at first because I thought they were asking because I was leaving at the same time that they were leaving and then I got it....they thought my backpack was a suitcase!

.....On to this week!

.....We have several holiday events at this time of year during which we recognize holidays of many different faiths and cultures.  While it has had a few different names during the years, the Pageant for Peace, as it is called now, is one of those events.  The Pageant for Peace is an event which calls to mind many holidays and allows students and families to help others by bringing in donations of food to those in need.  After the donations are brought in and assembled on tables, we sing songs of holidays and peace.  It is always an event which brings tears to my eyes as I appreciate my profession, my friends, my family, and all of the wonderful opportunities in my life......

.....The Pageant for Peace is held in our gymnasium and after the event parent volunteers work really hard to box up the donations quickly so that we can resume PE classes in the gym.  As the parents were finishing up my colleague and I started to set up the volleyball nets and equipment for our next class.  The parents were so excited and asked if they could play for a few minutes!  They had a great time volleying the ball back and forth and as we talked I asked if they would be interested in a "Bring your parents to PE" day.  They were all for it!  I am hoping to plan something in the spring!

.....My students in grades 3-5 are learning about Volleyball and practicing skills and activities using nets and a variety of balls.  We had several nets and activities set up as a double third grade class arrived for PE.  One of the students was so excited she looked at me and silently mouthed and gestured "thank you!"

.....Through my connections on Twitter I have had the good fortune to see the amazing work that Pete Charrette does for Physical Education.  He created the Superheroes of PE and I have them posted on my goal chart when they pertain to the lessons we are teaching.  This week I had "Agent Agility" posted because I wanted students to understand that agility is necessary in volleyball.  I overheard one of the students encouraging his partner as he said:   "Be Agent Agility!"  I guess they were listening to my instructions!

.....I met with a former student this week who is working on his Eagle Scout project by giving back to our PE program.  Every time we meet about this project I am so impressed!

.....I use a goal chart to set goals for the classes, post vocabulary words, and add some character education messages to my lessons.  In an attempt to collaborate and support the first grade curriculum I had two words posted on the chart this week that first graders are learning.  The words were germs and diseases.  Since this is a time of year when colds and flu are prevalent I thought it would be a good time for these words.  I asked a first grade class if they could read the words and if they knew what they meant.  I was amazed when one of my first grade students told me that "germs are microscopic things that make you sick."  He actually used the word microscopic........first grade!!!

I hope you enjoyed the "Best Parts of My Week"!  Visit my website:  North Park Physical Education to find out more about our Physical Education program.  

Follow me on Twitter!  @mrobPE