The Best Parts of My Week - 1/25/16--1/29/16

Hi everyone,
     I had a fantastic week!  I tried some new things, shared some ideas, took a trip down memory lane, and connected with other PE professionals!  I actually can't believe I fit it all in in just one week!

.....If you have ready this blog before you probably know that I absolutely love technology!  I have been experimenting with some different video apps for assessment during the past few months.  There are so many good apps out there and each one has it's pros and cons.  This week I set up my iPad minis on carts and tripods and asked students in grades 3-5 watch themselves doing a jump rope skill.  My students were so excited to see themselves on the screen!  One of my fifth grade students watched himself and said:  "That's not so bad!"  It made me realize the value of using video not just for skill acquisition or assessment, but also for self-esteem and validation........Another student told me that he liked using video because it shows him what he is doing well and what he needs to do better!  Perfect!

.....A second grade student quote:  "Since I did 19 push-ups I got a muscle!"

.....I received the SHAPE America journal called Strategies in the mail this week.  I am grateful to say that my article:  "What is the PE Password?  Incorporating Vocabulary in Your Elementary PE Program" was published in this month's issue!

.....Speaking of the PE Password, one of my fifth grade students stopped me in the hallway this week and said:  "I wonder what the next PE Password is?"  It was "F" day and I change the password every "A" day.  I gave him a sneak preview (Cardiovascular) at the end of the day while he was waiting to be picked up!

.....I had fun comparing Fit Bit stats this week with one of my fourth grade students!  It's great to see students and families embracing technology to improve physical fitness!

.....My students are getting ready for Jump Rope for Heart and I have been asking students to practice a variety of jumping and jumping rope activities.  I love it when they are so proud of their improvement!  Many students told me that they were so surprised that they could jump so many times in a row!  Other students were challenging themselves with new tricks!  I am even trying a few new tricks myself!

.....We had a special "Buddy Reading" program during one afternoon this week.  It was so nice to see older students reading to younger students and younger students reading their favorite books to their older reading buddies!  Since I am the webmaster for our school website I had the privilege of taking pictures during the event to share on our website.  The pictures are priceless!

.....There were hugs all around this week for some reason......students saying hello and goodbye, or sometimes just for the sake of a hug to show they care.......

.....On Friday I had the honor of presenting at the Central South Zone of NYS AHPERD's mini conference at SUNY Cortland.  I graduated from SUNY Cortland quite some time ago.  I had a fantastic time being at the conference and reminiscing about my time there "back in the day".  I spoke to PE majors, connected with friends and colleagues, met some great PE professionals, learned some new things, and even had a chance to speak with a former professor!

     I wonder what next week will bring!

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

The Best Parts of My Week - 1/19/16--1/22/16

Hi everyone,
     It was a bit of a short week due to the Martin Luther King Holiday on Monday but we sure packed in as much education and enrichment as we could this week! 

.....One of the biggest events that we do during the school year (other than Field Day of course....) is our annual Jump Rope for Heart event.  Since the gym was painted during the summer and floor work was planned, I did not have our Jump Rope for Heart banners hung up on the walls.  I finally got them all up and boy do they look great!   My students noticed them right away and it was a perfect opportunity for me to talk about the event.  It is so great that the students are excited about helping others! 

.....I was demonstrating a jump rope trick to a third grade class and I was having a hard time getting it right.  I often don't mind when this happens because it shows my students that I have to work hard too.  During my attempt there was a snicker or two in the crowd but I was so proud of one of my students who told the class that when someone makes a mistake you should not laugh because they are trying really hard.......

.....This week I asked students to consider the question:  "How can I challenge myself?"  That question was answered loud and clear when one of my fifth graders performed a combination jump rope trick.  He added a skier's jump to a front cross!  It was amazing!

.....I love listening to student reactions when they learn a skill that they had previously not been able to do.  I often hear things like:  "I did it!"  or "I could not do it before but now I can!"  There were lots of those reactions this week as students practiced new jump rope and jumping skills.

.....When I ask students to make small groups I require that everyone be included.  Even so, sometimes there are students who stand off to the side because they can't find a group.  I saw this happen this week and asked the student who she would like to be with.  She told me and we went over to the group.  I told the group that this student would be joining them and without hesitation, one of the students said:  "Sure!"  She had the biggest smile on her face!  If I needed a group to play that reaction would have made my day!

.....I smiled to myself this week while I watched my fifth grade students jumping rope.  I thought back to when they were in kindergarten and were just learning to jump.  I am so proud of how much they have grown and learned!  I shared this thought with a few students and they seemed proud of their accomplishments too!

.....One of my students asked me a question this week with a very thoughtful look on his face.  He said:  "Kids say gym, but what does PE mean?"  I explained that PE stood for Physical Education and that in PE we learn all about how to move, why it is important to move and all about moving our bodies, in addition to other things.  I guess that cleared it up because he nodded his head and went on his way to do the warm-up!

.....This week I introduced the use of the pulse bar type of heart rate monitors to students in grades 3-5.  I was explaining what the number on the bar means and and that our hearts are like the engine in a car.  One of the students said that his heart rate number was miles per hour! 

.....I also shared my Fitbit with my students again this week because it tracks my heart rate.  One of my students showed me that she has a Fitbit just like mine!  She said that she and her mom both have one and they are competing with each other for steps!  Earlier in the class I had asked students to raise their hand if someone else in their family exercises too.  I wanted to make the point that exercise is important for everyone - not just children in school.  I was impressed at the number of hands that went up immediately!  Students were happy to share what kind of exercise some of their family members do on a regular basis!  

.....Last week we finished some lessons learning about clocks, compasses, and orienteering.  A student showed me his watch on the way out of PE this week because it also had N, S, E, and W on it!  It made me feel good that he had learned something that created a connection in his life!  

.....At the end of the week we held our Healthy Highway assembly as we begin to travel down Respect Road.  We had a great time at the assembly as some of the faculty and staff put on skits to illustrate the need for Respect for everyone.  During the assembly students also shared their Kindness Projects during our travel down Kindness Way.  The projects were so touching.......food for the hungry, thank you notes for Veterans, Kindness Fortune Cookies (I got one!), compliments to friends, Stop Bullying Signs, appreciation signs for our bus drivers, and giant kindness murals hung up in the hallways.  It was a great way to end the week!  

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

The Best Parts of My Week - 1/11/16--1/15/16

Hi everyone,
    While we wait for snow to arrive in the northeast, we continue to enjoy the wonderful opportunities we have to learn and grow in our school!  Oh...and our new floor is still BEAUTIFUL!

.....Fitness Frankie is back from break and spent the weekend with a second grade friend!  He arrived back on Monday morning after having a terrific adventure playing basketball!  

.....I have been very excited about the reaction to the Clock Fitness activities and this week we moved on to Compass Fitness!  Students had a chance to use a compass and learn a bit about orienteering while finding their way to different stations using the directions on a compass.  When a fourth grade class was picked up by their teacher I was told that they were learning about explorers and how they found their way.....it was a great connection!  

.....Physical Eddie has been having a great adventure in fourth grade.....He learned about how to use a compass and wanted to read about different sports with a friend!  He is so easy to hug and as he left PE he was being hugged by a friend........

                      

.....On Tuesday we held our January Fuel Up to Play 60 Student Ambassador meeting.  It is such an enthusiastic and energetic group!  We had a great time reporting on our recent Let's Dance Fitness Friday event and choosing our team name!

.....One of my students told me that she PE was her favorite special and she loved all of the activities that I plan....it made me smile from ear to ear!

.....During the winter months we often have indoor recess due to the temperature outdoors.  This week we had several indoor recess days and one of my fifth grade students asked to borrow some juggling scarves so that she could practice her juggling!  She is getting very good!  I was so happy that she thought to ask!

.....Students in the band, orchestra, and chorus performed for the school this week as a dress rehearsal for their evening Winter Concert performance.  I always enjoy being a part of student events that are outside of PE class.  Students have worked so hard and for many students this is their first performance.  They were so excited and nervous at the same time but it was clear that they appreciated seeing the smiling faces of friends and teachers ready to support their effort!  Later I told them how proud I was of their performance.   I also had a chance to share that I too was once a music student so that I knew how much practice it takes to put on such a terrific performance!  

.....I have recently taken over as the President of the Southeastern Zone of NYS AHPERD and this week I held my first meeting as president.  I was so nervous because I wanted the meeting to go well and I also wanted to live up to the fantastic work of those who have gone before me in this position.  After the meeting was over I was relieved that it went well but realized I had nothing to be nervous about since the SEZ group is so amazing and supportive!  I am SEZ proud!  

.....I had a discussion with a student this week about the possibilities in life.  We agreed that she could be anything she wanted to be!

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

The Best Parts of My Week - 1/4/16--1/8/16

Hi everyone,
     Happy New Year!  Wow.......2016!  After a great winter break I was ready to start the new year!  I started teaching in January of 1984 so this return to school after the holidays marks the 32nd anniversary of the beginning of my career!  As I walked out the door on my way to school on Monday I was lost in thought about my first day in 1984.  I was excited and nervous at the same time and I never imagined that these past 32 years would fly by so fast and that I would have so many amazing memories and fantastic opportunities along the way......

.....Before the week even started I had the opportunity to be a part of a SHAPE America Podcast.  This podcast was about classroom management and I was invited to share some thoughts with some other great educators.  It comes out this week!

.....I arrived at school on Monday morning to find that my floor had been refinished and repainted!  I knew that the work was going to be done but I could not believe how truly beautiful it came out!  I asked for new lines and for my "rainbow track" (I had been using floor tape for years) to be painted as well and it was all done and so fantastic I wanted to cry tears of joy!  My students were just as excited as I was!  I enjoyed watching the looks on the faces of my students as they came into the gym and talking about how it was done.  It was absolutely priceless!  How about this!

As I was talking to the students about taking care of the floor by using it respectfully and responsibly I noticed one of my fifth graders nodding in agreement.  It was so nice to see his thoughtful response as  I was explaining that this was not my gym, but OUR gym and it was our job to use it in a way that allows others to enjoy it for years to come......All week I kept saying:  "It's still beautiful!"

.....One of my third graders was excited to see that we had the same kind of sweatpants on!  He was sure to point it out and it was great to know that he thought it was cool!

.....One of my kindergarten students was so kind this week!  She was getting some equipment and if you work with young students you know that the color of equipment matters more to some than others!  She told me that someone wanted the color she had so she decided to give it to the student that asked for it.....what a kind heart at such a young age!

.....A colleague of mine and I have been working for awhile to create lessons that would introduce orienteering to our students in grades 3-5.  We decided that we would start the new year by trying out the beginning lesson.  We decided to create "Clock Fitness" and compare the clock to a compass by having students spin to determine a clock time and then find the correct station.  I was a little unsure about how it would go but I am happy to say that it exceeded my expectations!  Students were very excited to participate and seemed very interested in learning something new!

.....I started a new warm-up late in the week with my primary students.  The idea was that a student would show a dance move and the rest of us would follow by doing the same move.  It was so much fun! My students have some great dance moves!

.....Second graders worked on their healthy resolutions this week to add to their portfolios.  They had some great resolutions!  Some wanted to eat more fruits and vegetables, others promised to play less video games, but everyone wrote down a healthy idea to start the new year!  

.....On Friday I was playing music during an activity and one of my students (who is normally pretty quiet) said:  "I love this music!  I just want to dance to it!"  He had the biggest smile on his face and so did I!

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