The Best Parts of My Week - 3/14/16--3/18/16

Hi everyone,

     After the wonderful intensity of circus week last week it was nice to get back to a fun but relatively normal week.  That being said, there were so many “Best Parts!”

…..Speaking of the intensity of circus week, I had so many things to write about last week that I actually forgot to add one of the “Best Parts!”  One day after school during circus week a few of our teachers came down to the gym while we were cleaning up.  Two of the teachers wanted to walk on the wire and the other one wanted to practice spinning a plate.  The circus artists from the National Circus Project were fantastic and brought the wire back out so that these teachers could try it.  They were encouraging and engaging and took the extra time with these teachers that made this experience one to remember for sure!  I had a chance to interact with the teacher who wanted to practice spinning a plate.  We had a terrific conversation!  He shared with me that when he was a student the National Circus Project came to his school (he is much younger than I am…..) and he remembered the week fondly.  He talked about the acts that he performed in and wanted to see if he could remember how to do the plate spinning.  What a powerful message that these kinds of experiences can have long-range effects……

…..Sometimes students say the most adorable and memorable things!  On Monday, one of my students was trying to tie his shoes and was having a bit of trouble.  I commented that the shoelaces seemed a bit slippery.  I mentioned this to him and he agreed and said:  “Slippery Dippery”!

…..This week my students were finishing a set of stations that were being used to help students improve their ball handling skills.  One of the stations involved dribbling a ball to create a personal “world record”.  I encouraged students to share their world record with me.  One student came up to me and said:  “I beat my world record!  I went from 44-53!”

…..During these stations, students were able to watch themselves on video after they dribbled a ball using a zig-zag pathway around some cones.  While watching himself one student called over to me to say:  “Hey Mrs. R, I’m getting better!”  I asked:  “ Do you think the camera is helping?”  He replied with an enthusiastic “YES!”

…..This week I began a warm-up involving an active version of Rock, Paper, Scissors that we had started prior to circus week.  I was reminding a first grade class of the rules and procedures and how rock breaks scissors, scissors cuts papers, and paper covers rock when one of the students said:  “it’s like they all have weaknesses!”  I was struck by this comment as it showed an interesting level of thinking and it was also a great way to explain the procedures of the game.

…..While a fifth grade class was beginning their warm-up using the Rock, Paper, Scissors game I noticed one student helping another student who is learning English Language for the first time learn the game.  I stood back and observed the process and was impressed.  I was thinking that this student might be a future teacher! 

…..As I planned for the week I needed to write substitute plans for Friday because I was going to be at a conference.  I wrote the plans and shared them before Friday with the person who was going to substitute for me since she was in school as a substitute for another teacher.  The next day this person told me that she shared the Rock, Paper, Scissors warm-up with her husband and daughter who is in high school.  They had so much fun playing it at home!  That made me smile!

…..During a second grade class I had a great conversation with a student who is very interested in rocks and minerals.  He mentioned that his birthday month birthstone meant that he had courage.  He asked me about my birthday month and based on my answer he thought that mine meant hope.  The next day I happened to be in his classroom and he took the time to share his book with me.  We looked up my birthstone and he was correct.  It was so great to be able to  take part in something that he was interested in outside of PE class! 

…..On Wednesday I had the pleasure of having a visitor come to my school.  This person is a friend (on Twitter @PEtop5) but also a representative for the US Games OPEN (Online Physical Education Network).  Truly by accident I had happened to be using the OPEN resources and it was so fun to be able to show how we were using the program at North Park!  I have learned so much from so many amazing professionals and I am always happy to share what I have learned.  I often say and I always believe "Together we are stronger!"

…..Physical Eddie was being taken care of by a kindergarten class and he got right into the middle of the action during our station work to get better at bouncing and catching a ball! 

……On Friday I was at Adelphi University for the Nassau Zone of NYS AHPERD conference.  It was fun to see friends and like-minded professionals and continue to learn from others.  I know that I have so many opportunities to attend and present at conferences and I try very hard not to take these opportunities for granted.  I presented two sessions and met some fantastic PE professionals.  There were so many great moments at the conference but the best one was the conversation I had with a former student who is now a PE teacher and Athletic Director himself!  We had the best time reminiscing and I was so touched when he thanked me for teaching him……..I responded that moments like this are a rare privilege and they touch my heart in ways that I can’t express…..

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 - 3/7/16--3/11/16

Hi everyone,
     This past week was Circus Week and it is one of the most amazing, intense, enjoyable, amazing, exhausting, incredible, and fun weeks of the year!  Our PTA is so generous and it is no small task to support this project.  I am so grateful and I have so many "Best Parts" to share that I had to use two pages of paper to write it all down!

.....During Circus Week the National Circus Project comes to our school to do an artist in residency program.  Two circus artists spend the week at school teaching our students how to do a variety of skills but students learn so much more than how to juggle, walk on stilts, spin plates, use a diablo, balance feathers, and use flower sticks.  The week begins with a show by the artists and this year's beginning assembly did not disappoint!  The students have been waiting for Circus Week to begin so the excitement in the air on Monday morning was palpable!  Students were walking by the gym and peeking in the doorway to see what was set up and it was so nice to see the smiles spread across their faces when they saw the backdrop, balloons, and equipment set up!

.....So it was time for the show to begin and students filed into the gymnasium.  They could barely contain their excitement!  Since I know what the week entails, I could hardly contain my excitement too!  The show was amazing and the circus artists impressed us with their incredible juggling skills, balancing and dance moves, plate spinning, clowning, and showmanship!  Students left the show and could not wait to come back to learn the skills themselves!

.....The general idea of the week is that all students come to the gymnasium for workshops to learn circus skills and that the fifth grade students pick and act to learn, practice all week, and then perform for the school on Friday morning and then again for families and friends on Friday evening.   As the first groups came in they could not wait to begin.  I was so proud of how the students behaved.  They made me proud this week!

.....As fifth graders were trying out all of the different skills they were asked to find a skill that they would like to perform in the show.  The show is divided into eight acts:  plate spinning, clowning, stilt walking, diablo, flower sticks, balancing, juggling, and wire (yes - the wire!).  Students must show their skill to a circus artist and then be signed up for the act.  One of the fifth graders had just made the plate spinning team and he smiled and said:  "I have been waiting my whole life to be on that team!

.....As students in other classes came to the gymnasium for their chance to learn circus skills many of them commented on what skill they will perform when they are in fifth grade.  It is so great that they are planning ahead!  

.....I love to practice my circus skills too and this week I was practicing my stilt walking (how many people can say that???).  It was great to hear one of my fifth grade students encouraging my while I worked hard to walk without falling!

.....After school we have an enrichment program that meets a few days per week.  One of the groups is using some electronics to create circuits that turn things on and off.  After school this week a group came to the gym to show me that they created a circuit that would make a clown nose light up!

.....Having nothing to do with circus week we met with our student ambassadors on Tuesday morning.  They are a wonderful group and I smiled when one of the fifth graders arrived with a clown nose on!  She was planning on being on the clown team and was dressing in character!

.....From time to time I have students who are reluctant to participate in PE for a variety of reasons.  I could not believe it this week when one of those students arrived prepared for PE and excited to learn how to spin a plate!  This is one of the many benefits of this type of program.....

.....Due to the change in the PE schedule this week I took a kindergarten class outside on the playground for PE class.  This almost never happens but it was a beautiful day and the gym was being used for the circus activities.  I was so touched when I saw a kindergarten student give up her swing for another student who was waiting to use one........

.....As the week continued I began to notice the progress that all students were making.  5th graders were becoming more confident, fourth graders were picking out their favorite skill and sticking with it, and first graders were surprised at what they could do by themselves.  At some moments I just stood back and enjoyed the view.........

.....As the fifth grade clown team was leaving a practice session this week one of the students called:  "Clown Huddle!"  They all stopped and huddled together.  What a team!

.....The circus artists invited me to juggle with them at the end of a first grade circus session.  We had a few minutes left and they were performing for the students.  They needed me for a trick.  I had no idea what to expect but readily volunteered.  They had me stand in the middle while they juggled clubs in front and behind me.  It was fun!  As the first graders left one of them said:  " I can't believe you were brave enough to do that!" 

.....After all of the wonderful moments of the week and getting to know the circus artists it was Show Time!  The fifth graders were nervous of course, but they were indeed ready to perform!  I could not have been more proud and I was happy to tell them so!  The daytime show was super and students were so excited to perform for their teachers, siblings and friends.  When the applause began after each act finished you could see the looks of relief and pride on the faces of the students.  I definitely had a tear or two in my eyes as I watched students persevere and succeed at a difficult trick.  The evening show was held at our high school gymnasium to accommodate a larger crowd and our PTA supported the event with popcorn, face painting, decorations, and circus games while the performers were getting ready.  It was so great to have so much help and support!  Again, it was an amazing show and if possible, even better the second time around!  At the end of the evening when all was said and done I was happy and exhausted and I did not even have to perform!

.....I can't say enough about this program but one of the great things about it is that it is a program that finds success for all.  Regardless of physical limitations, academic challenges, language barriers and more, every single student found success on some level this week.  My principal is a great advocate for this program and knows that there is more to school than test scores.......!!!!  I am fortunate and grateful to so many for so much........

Fitness Frankie enjoyed the circus too!  

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 - 2/29/16 - 3/4/16

Hi everyone,
   It was a great week and I have so many reasons to be grateful...........

.....Our school runs on a six day cycle so Monday is not always "A" day.  This week Monday was actually "D" day and so I continued some of the activities with new classes that I had started the week before.  One of those activities was combining dribbling practice with spelling practice.  One of my second grade classes was working on this activity and when I asked a student which word he spelled he said "Pride".  When I commented that it was a great word and asked why he chose that word he showed me that he was using a ball that had Character Education traits written on it and PRIDE was clearly spelled out!  What a great problem solving strategy!

.....I also continued a Tabata warm-up that I had been using the week before and I giggled when I heard one of my kindergarten students say:  "OK team!  Follow me!"  Is she a leader in the making???? I think so!

.....I have many opportunities to share ideas with my colleagues and recently I shared how I use Plickers with my students to assess learning.  I always hope what I share has use and value for others.  This week I learned that one of my colleagues is so excited about Plickers and uses it everyday!  It makes me happy to know that someone else is as excited about Plickers as I am and it also reminds me that sharing our knowledge makes us all stronger.....

.....Students in all grades are learning about different ways to bounce and dribble a ball and older students are learning about the knowledge, skills, and values needed for the sport of basketball.  As one of my second graders was practicing her skills she came up to me and said:  You know, basketball is actually Math!"  She went on to tell me that angles were really important in basketball for bouncing and shooting the ball.  I was shocked that she knew so much about the connection between Math and Basketball and I asked her where she learned that.  She responded that she learned it by watching a TV show!  She asked if she could share her knowledge with the class.  At the end of class she did just that and impressed us all!

.....My first graders were practicing bouncing a ball to a partner and playing a game where the object was to hit a fluff ball on the bounce.  It is a simple yet fun game and the students were having a great time.  I overheard one of the students really getting into the game as he asked to see the instant replay in slow motion!

.....Later in the week I set up a variety of stations so that students could practice their ball handling skills in a fun and exciting way.  In the younger classes, students were allowed to choose how they would spend their PE time by choosing which areas they were most interested in, as long as they were working on the class goals.  As I stood back a bit to observe each class work on the goals it struck me how different each class and each student is.  No two classes were alike and just when I began to think that a station area was not that popular and that I should make some changes, a group of students arrived to the area and enjoyed it tremendously!   

.....As a first grade class came into the gymnasium and saw all of the equipment set up for the stations a student said:  "You worked hard on this!"  I just smiled and felt good that my hard work was appreciated!  We have so much wonderful equipment and I try to remember to be grateful but when I see that my students are grateful it warms my heart.........

.....A tremendous amount of excitement this past week had to do with the anticipation of Circus Week.  The National Circus Project is coming to North Park during the week of March 7-11 and everyone is so excited!  I set up a display case in our lobby with spinning plates, clowns, stilts, juggling equipment, and pictures of popcorn and circus tickets.  I had fun setting it up but even more fun seeing the faces of the students and staff as they realized that Circus Week was coming soon!  Stay tuned for the Best Parts of My Week next week as it will surely be filled with moments from this special 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 - 2/22/16 - 2/26/16

Hi everyone,
     As we look forward to Spring I decided to try some new things this week.   They were pretty successful so they are definitely included as some of the "Best Parts!"

.....We held our annual Science Fair this week and as the "Digital Media Coordinator" (basically the webmaster of the school website) I had the chance to take some pictures of the event in action.  The projects were fantastic and one of them was called:  "Get Moving!"  It was all about using a pedometer to measure how active you could be doing different sports, games, and exercises.  It caught my eye as I was taking pictures and I was impressed that it was done by a second grade student!  I guess he already gets the message that it is important to move!

......I was taking pictures as the older students were being judged on their projects and I ran into one of the judges who asked me if I remembered her.  Our judges are high school students who are in advanced Science classes and I said "Of course I do"!  It was great to see her and catch up!  I am certainly proud of her accomplishments and it is so great when students come back to school and are excited to be there!

.....Some of the Science Fair projects are set up in the gymnasium so as a result, PE classes are held in the classroom on Science Fair day.  While this is not ideal I always try to make the best of this day.  I have been wanting to try out Kahoot and took this opportunity to set up a Kahoot for my older classes.  Kahoot is an online game and students enter answers on tablets or smartphones.  Students earn points for correct and speedy answers.  I told my fourth grade class that I know that they are open to new ideas so they are my "go to" class when I want to try out a new idea.  They seemed excited and after I explained the basics we began the game.  We had a great time!  We played a twenty question game which included questions on nutrition, muscles, physical fitness, and even Fitness Frankie!  At the end of the game I asked students for feedback and I was impressed with their thoughts.  I explained that I was proud of how they worked together and took turns with our iPad minis.  I said that it would be nice to have more devices but that I am grateful that we have three to use.  One student said that she thought it was good that we had large groups because it helped them to work together and another said that he like the game because it helped him learn the knowledge!  This is why they are my "go to" class!

.....Fitness Frankie was invited to be a part of the evening Science Fair activities this year!  He was part of a scavenger hunt.  Students were asked to look for him based on some clues.  Parents took pictures and a great time was had by all!  I love that he is involved in everything - not just PE activities!

.....We finished Jump Rope for Heart a couple of weeks ago but this week one of my students made a special poster celebrating our efforts and offered it to the American Heart Association!  It was such a thoughtful gesture.....what a great heart........

.....One of my first grade students who was waiting to be picked up came over to me with a worried look on her face.  I asked her what was wrong and she told me that her friend who always gets picked up too was not in the gym and she was worried.  I told her I would help and we figured out that this student had been picked up a bit early that day and all was fine.... I was struck by the fact that this student was so caring and wanted to make sure a friend was ok.......

.....I tried a new Tabata warm-up with my students this week.  Older students did a Tabata with four exercises using a basketball and younger students used a scarf for their Tabata warm-up.  The warm-ups were challenging but fun and I used a special Tabata timer on my iPad.  Kindergarten students enjoyed counting down out loud, older students enjoyed using the basketball to exercise, other students enjoyed the challenge, and a first grader told me:  "This is so awesome I could do this forever!"  How can you not love your job when you have days like this!

.....One of my third grade students was smiling from ear to ear at the end of class one day this week.  I asked her why she was so happy and she said that it was the first time she had logged more than 1,000 steps on her pedometer.  She had met the goal and she was so proud of herself!

.....Speaking of happy.........As students in grades K-2 are improving their ability to bounce and dribble a ball I asked them to spell words using letter tiles and letter spots on the floor.  After spelling a word, students were asked to come to me at the whiteboard and tell me the word that they spelled so that I could write it on the white board and add it to the list.  Second graders were asked to spell PE words, first graders were asked to spell words that they know, and Kindergartners were asked to spell their names and also words that they know.  I was blown away by the word selections and spelling ability!  One of my kindergarten students came to me with a grin on his face and said that he spelled happy!  He sure was!!!!  When classroom teachers came to pick up their classes I was happy to share the list and classroom teachers were very proud!

.....I am honored and proud to be the president of the Southeastern Zone of NYS AHPERD and this week our zone sponsored a Co-Ed Volleyball Tournament.  While all of the work to organize and run this event was done by other members, I wanted to go to the event to support it.  What a great event!  I was so impressed by the energy in the gymnasiums, the hard work of the teams, the sportsmanship of the teenagers, and the quality of the event!  I am so glad that I went.   Our young people of today are our future and what an impressive group it was and will continue to be I am sure!  

.....We finished up the week with a Friday morning Fitness Friday activity.  We got the whole school moving at once and when I asked students about it later they said that they had so much fun!  What a great way to start the day! 

.....On Friday afternoon I was treated to a healthy birthday treat that one of my students left for me.  This student brought cantaloupe in for his birthday snack!  Can you say HEALTHY?

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 - 2/15/16--2/19/16

Hi everyone,
    Many school districts were on vacation for a mid-winter break but in our county teachers worked during a conference day on Tuesday and students were in attendance from Wednesday-Friday.  After a jam-packed Jump Rope for Heart last week it was a quieter week, but still, there were some amazing "Best Parts"!

.....On Tuesday I had the opportunity to present a professional development session on Plickers to my district PE colleagues.  I learned about Plickers on Twitter about one year ago and I have been experimenting with it ever since.  I absolutely love using it to assess my students and I shared that excitement with my colleagues.  They got pretty excited about it too!

.....We started a Basketball/Ball Handling unit with our students this week and used a YouTube video about a young boy who is amazing at basketball to begin the unit.  He has some incredible moves and shots and he put on quite a show.  It was fun to watch the look on my students' faces when they saw him dribble and make some terrific shots!  It got them excited but it also gave me the opportunity to remind them that practice is important when you want to achieve a goal!  (PS....the PE Password is Achievement!)

.....I shared the book SWISH by my friend Lynn Hefele (LEPE, Inc.) this week as my younger students were beginning our ball handling unit.  They loved it and Fitness Frankie loved it too!

.....I spent a good part of this week cutting out what I am calling "Honor Hearts".  My students completed these as part of a Jump Rope for Heart station activity.  The idea was that students were honoring themselves and others for their hard work in getting ready for and participating in Jump Rope for Heart as well as those whom they were jumping for.  Since the station times were brief there was not time for everyone to cut them out.  Cutting out more than 400 hearts is no small task but while I was doing it (in shifts.... of course) I had the chance to enjoy the work that the students put into the task.  I originally thought that I would put some on my bulletin board in the hallway but they were so amazing that I could not choose which to display so I decided to glue them on poster paper and hang them all up.  I saw some students looking for their heart on the bulletin board later in the week and they were so proud when they found their own heart displayed!  These pictures show just some of the amazing hearts! 

.....I received a new key chain this week that one of my fourth graders made.  I am so touched when a student takes time to think of me.......

.....Fitness Frankie had a great adventure at a birthday party last weekend!  He went rollerskating with a bunch of classmates!  This second grade program has been so fun this year!  In one class, the student whose turn it is to take him home on the weekend gets to keep him on his/her desk all week.  One student decided to bring him to PE one week and now everyone does!  He has a great time and so do I!  

....We had a Fuel Up to Play 60 Student Ambassador meeting this week.  The energy is incredible and these students have such great ideas!  We are planning some spring events, completed a School Wellness Investigation by asking our Cafeteria Manager some questions, and scored some points on our dashboards by completing some mini-lessons.  It was a busy meeting!  

.....Unfortunately some students miss Jump Rope for Heart each year due to illness.  One of my first graders missed the event but wanted to complete an Honor Heart because she worked so hard to get ready for the event.  I gave her one to take home and it came back the next day!  It was colorful and held great meaning for her......  The benefits of Jump Rope for Heart do not end when the event is over....

.....As I was walking down the hall during student arrival one morning a student took time to tell me how she stuck up for a friend of hers - our character education program in action!

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 - 2/8/16--2/12/16

Hi everyone,
     This week was all about Jump Rope for Heart!  It is a very big event in our school and most of the "Best Parts" this week revolve around the event.  There were so many great moments that I ran out of space on my notes page this week!

.....As the week began on Monday we were putting the finishing touches on our practice for Jump Rope for Heart.  My kindergarten students were learning how to use a piece of equipment that I call a "ball hop" and others call a "skip-it" but basically it is a ball on a string attached to a small hoop that goes over the foot and around the ankle.  The idea is to turn it in a circle with your foot and hop over it with the other foot as it goes around in circles.  It is a challenging task but after some practice most students are successful.  I was ready to help one of my students who was having trouble with it when another student who had just mastered the skill said:  "I can help her".  I left them to it and she indeed helped!  I love it when students take ownership and become the teachers!  Of course, not everyone embraced the idea as one of my kindergarten students came to tell me that it was too tricky for her since she is only 5 1/2!  Then she said maybe she would be able to do it when she grows up!

.....Another jumping activity early in the week involved a station that I called "alphabet soup".  Using the circle in the gym I placed letter tiles on the floor.  Students were asked to spell their names and words that they know by jumping three times on each letter.  One of my kindergarten students came over to me and asked me how to spell my name because that's the word that he wanted to spell!  I helped him out and he was very proud to have spelled it!

.....Our Jump Rope for Heart event was scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday.  I strongly believe that all students should have the opportunity to be a part of this event, regardless of their ability to donate money so we hold our event during the school day and include everyone.  Our school is quite large and in order to accommodate all classes, we need two days to fit everyone in.  Planning any event in the northeast during the winter months is tricky because you never know what the weather is going to be like.  This has been a mild winter so far and up until Tuesday we had not even had a delay, let alone a snow day.  Unfortunately this week winter decided to return and we had two days of delays in a row!  I was proud of my students because even though they were disappointed they knew that I would reschedule the event for those that missed it.  As a result, a two day event became a two and a half day event so the gym was hopping (or should I say jumping....) Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday!

.....The first day of the event was Wednesday and we had some special guests participate in our event.  Our interim PE Director, our Youth Market Director for the American Heart Association, and a reporter from a local paper all came to see the event and everyone had a great time!

.....One of the stations at our event allows students the opportunity to use stethoscopes to hear their heartbeat.  One student had a hard time hearing his heartbeat and I noticed that he did not have the end of the stethoscope in the correct spot.  When I told him that he had to move it to the other side to hear his heartbeat he said: "I'm a lefty!"  I smiled and told him that everybody's heart is in the same place and that it doesn't matter whether you are a lefty or a righty.  He seemed skeptical but when he heard his heartbeat he realized that I was correct!

.....Students are so excited about Jump Rope for Heart and so proud of the banners that represent 11 years of JRFH at North Park.  After Wednesday's event, a student stopped by on the way down to her classroom to tell me that she really liked Jump Rope for Heart!

.....Thursday morning I was setting up for Jump Rope for Heart when a teacher brought a student into the gym to show me the shirt that she was wearing.  It was amazing!  This student and her family created her own JRFH shirt!  On the front it had a heart with Jump Rope for Heart in the middle and on the back it had "In honor of......" and then it listed her family members that she was jumping for!  I had goosebumps...........

.....Thursday's JFRH event brought another visitor to our gymnasium - our Superintendent!  It was a great honor to have her there and she is a great supporter of Physical Education in our district.  Not only did she visit but she also joined one of the groups and participated in the entire event!  She jumped and jumped rope, used a heart rate monitor and stethoscope, turned ropes for the jumpers, and immersed herself in the experience!  I have been in education long enough to know that this kind of support does not happen everywhere and I am grateful.......

.....When I create the schedule for Jump Rope for Heart I usually schedule two classes at a time that are of the same or close to the same grade level.  Scheduling is never simple as I try to work around other specials (Art, Music, Library), recess, lunch, etc.  For some reason this year was particularly challenging and I was left with two classes of different grade levels to schedule.  I thought it might work well to have an upper grade and lower grade work together and so I decided to put these two classes - a third grade and a kindergarten class - together.  I spoke to the third graders earlier in the week and explained that they would be "buddies" to the kindergarten students and that I was expecting them to be helpful and to be good role models.  I was very impressed with their reaction and excitement and I was even more impressed when I saw them in action!  These third graders were so incredibly helpful and kind and they helped to make a great first Jump Rope for Heart experience for these kindergarten students!

.....A teacher came to me about a student who told her that he was going to miss Jump Rope for Heart because of a doctor's appointment.  She then asked me if we could work something out so that he could come to the event at a different time.  I was thrilled that she asked and was willing to make this work for her student.  We indeed worked it out and he came with another class the next day.  He was so happy to be with friends from another class and we were proud of him for asking!

.....After a third grade class attended the JRFH event this week one of the students who is new to our school told her teacher that:  "this was the funnest PE class ever!"

.....As I was wrapping up the JRFH session that a fifth grade class attended I was pointing out all of the banners on the wall and told them that they were a big part of all of those banners.  One of the students said that when he was old enough to drive he was going to come back and see all of the banners on the wall!  Then he asked me if the middle school does JRFH.  I said that at this time they do not but there was no reason not to start it up when they get there next year!  I told them to let me know and if they are able to hold an event I will come to support it!

.....I found some heart glasses in the dollar store and decided to wear them during JRFH.  The smiles and giggles were terrific!

.....During JRFH I asked students to color in their own "honor hearts" to honor their hard work to help themselves and others.  My plan is to cut these out and place them on a bulletin board in the hallway next week.  On Friday I was cutting them out and I noticed that one of the students had written "Jump Rope for Heart makes me proud."
Wow.......me too!

North Park Jump Rope for Heart 2016 Pictures

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: 2/1/16--2/5/16

Hi everyone,
     In many ways this was a challenging week, which is precisely the reason why I write this blog.  Focusing on the many, many, positive moments helps me to keep everything in perspective and reminds me that the positive always outweighs the challenges!

.....I was out of school on Friday 1/29 because I was presenting at a conference.  I am not absent very often and I usually let my students know when I have the opportunity to go to a conference and share some lessons that we enjoy. When I was absent I missed one of my third grade classes.  When they arrived at the gymnasium this week one of the students smiled and said:  "It's back to normal!"  When I asked him what he meant he said that because I was back everything was where it was supposed to be and everything was back to normal like it should be!  It was so nice to be missed!

.....Physical Eddie is being taken care of by a second grade class for a few weeks and he came to PE this week.  While he was on the floor one of the students bumped into him by accident.  While another student and I checked to make sure Physical Eddie was OK, another student did not seem so worried because he said Physical Eddie was not real.  As a result of that statement a very nice discussion began about the importance of imagination and the fact that Physical Eddie is indeed real to me and to my friends at North Park!

.....We have a new employee in our building and I met her this week as she was stopping to see what was happening in PE.  I invited her to come into the gymnasium and she smiled and said that she feels a "good vibe" every time she passes by the gym doors!  I am so happy that the "vibe" is positive and is felt right through the doors and walls!

.....As we get ready for Jump Rope for Heart students are using heart rate monitors to check their heart rate when warming up and jumping rope.  Students were so excited this week to share their heart rate with me to show me that they were warming up at the right level and exercising to make their hearts stronger!

.....I have had a variety of jumping areas set up for my students so that they could practice and get ready for Jump Rope for Heart.  Students are allowed to choose their activity as long as they are working on the goals for the day.  I encourage creativity and challenge and I was so happy to see that some of my students were creating their own ways to jump and land with balance!  One of my second grade students used a scissor jump successfully to jump while turning her own rope and another was able to do a hop while turning his own rope.  He was so excited (and surprised I think...) he shouted:  "I hopped!" .....A first grader was jumping in my long turning rope as I was turning it.  She had just come from the Hippity Hop station and told the rest of the jumpers that it was "crazy fun!"

.....At various times during the year I have students who are medically excused for one reason or another.  Most are only excused for a short period of time but once in a while a more serious injury or illness prevents students from participating for a more lengthy period of time.  Each student handles the situation in his/her own way and some are more patient than others.  (I would probably be far less patient than some of my students are!)  I have a student right now who has been excused for quite some time but is now able to participate with limited mobility.  She is not allowed to jump and this week she and one of her friends came up with a new rope trick so that she could turn one end of a short rope and her friend could turn the other end and still jump in it.  Not only was it an amazing trick but it was also a true testament to friendship and inclusion!

.....As I challenged my students in grades 3-5 with some pretty fancy jump rope tricks I was impressed with their perseverance and skill.  While I still can't do it (I am practicing.....), one of my third graders showed me that he learned how to do a double-under (rope turns twice while the jumper only jumps once)!

.....I asked my students to help advertise our upcoming Jump Rope for Heart by creating posters to hang in our hallways.  I received SO MANY posters this week and each one had a terrific heart healthy message!  One student even asked one of her friends to make a poster and her friend goes to school in an entirely different school district!

.....On Friday some of our classes were invited to attend a taping of Master Chef Jr. - Hyde Park at the Culinary Institute of America.  The CIA is right in our own backyard if you will, and we have been fortunate to have CIA chefs be a part of our Family Fitness Nights in the past.  When I heard about the opportunity I asked if I could go along.  I was thrilled to be a part of it and our students were so excited about the opportunity too!  Some of our students were selected to be a part of a friendly competition during which students made healthy sandwiches and raspberry lemonade as well as a sweet cupcake treat!  It was so great to see that students were engaged in this opportunity and that this kind of alternative learning situation was embraced and supported by the administrators in our building and district!  Fitness Frankie went along too!

  

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