The Best Parts of My Week - 12/5/16--12/9/16

It is holiday time and students are so excited they can barely contain themselves!  We started off the week with some snow which had students singing holiday songs and thinking that our school festivities are right around the corner…...they are!  

…..This is my student teacher’s seventh week and he finishes his experience next week.  The time has flown by and this week I had the privilege of seeing him be successful and more independent.  It has been gratifying to see the growth.  The contrast between the opposite stages of our careers while he begins his and I am close to ending mine as I move toward retirement has made me think back and enjoy some memories…..

…..After the conclusion and success of Circus Week last week I had fun congratulating our 5th grade students on their amazing Circus Show!  I could see the pride on their faces and they even seemed to walk a little taller this week……

…..As a result of a data team meeting that I attended a few weeks back I decided to create a “Sensory Corner” for students who need a break with some sensory input.  We have so many students who have so many needs and I am constantly trying to find out what I can do to meet these needs.  After talking with our Occupational Therapist, Kindergarten teachers, and our principal, I came up with a corner that includes a small play tent and a variety of tactile, visual, and sensory equipment for use by students.  I decided to call it the “Vacation Corner” and students must “work” in order to take a vacation (don’t we all???).  Included in the corner is a sand timer and students must use the timer and when it is finished they must come out and try again (work).  While this certainly does not meet the need of every student I was pleased at the success of this relatively simple idea.  I’m still learning after all these years!

…..While having a student teacher involves work and is a labor of love, there are advantages to having one.  This week I was able to help out some individual students while my student teacher led the class.  I was having a discussion with a new student and I was explaining to him what a student teacher is and that our student teacher would finish next week.  He looked at me and said:  “wait...do you actually work here?”

…..Physical Eddie is spending time in a kindergarten class and they are just beginning to get to know him.  As I was walking back to PE with a student who was holding him I noticed that the student was having a conversation with Physical Eddie and was talking to him like he is real!  (isn’t he????)  There is something magical about stuffed animals in general and teddy bears in particular and the personalities that we have created for our fitness bears have allowed students to experience the magic!  

…..On Friday my student teacher and I went to a kindergarten classroom to do a Fitness Friday activity using Go Noodle.  We had so much fun!  Physical Eddie was in attendance too and students were so cute as they were sharing him and continuing their conversation with him!  The adults in the room jumped right on board and exercised too…..that’s part of what makes North Park so special……….

…..I told a second grade student that it was her turn to take Fitness Frankie home for the weekend.  She responded with YESSSSS!!; along with a fist pump!  She was ready and excited to have a healthy adventure with him!  

…..It was a quiet week after the wonderful intensity of Circus Week.  I think we all needed one!

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.  

The Best Parts of My Week - 11/28/16--12/2/16

Hi everyone,

    This week was all about the Circus and perseverance!  We were fortunate to have artists from the National Circus Project spend the week with us!  It is such an intense and amazing week and there were so many “best parts!”

…..Monday morning the students were extremely excited to arrive to school because it was Circus Week!  It is a highlight of the year for many students and staff.  The week began with a show put on by Little Lou and Adam - National Circus Project artists.  They are so talented!  Students learned that they would need to persevere to learn the skills because it took Little Lou and Adam years to perfect their skills!

…..Each day the excitement continued and every time a group arrived for a workshops the smiles on their faces were a mile wide!

…..During the week I heard many positive statements from students when they were finally able to do a particular skill.  Here are some of the statements I heard:

    .…..”I’m doing it!”

    …...I’m new to this school and I already learned the trick!

    …..”Look at what I can do!”

…..In the middle of the week a new fifth grader arrived to our school and we so very much wanted to welcome him and have him be a part of the circus. I was amazed at his willingness to trust us!  Lou and Adam asked him to come down to the gymnasium to try out all of the circus activities to determine what he would like to do in the show (which was only 3 days away!).  I was so proud of his perseverance!  He tried out all of the skills and settled on the flower sticks.  By the end of the day he was improving and smiling!

…..If you have ever tried circus skills like spinning a plate, juggling, stilt walking, balancing, using a diabolo or flower sticks, you know that they are not easy to master.  As a school we explained that students would need to persevere and keep trying even when something was hard.  During the week I was proud of our students and noticed perseverance in every corner of the room!

…..We are so very grateful to our wonderful and supportive PTA for their work to insure that the National Circus Project program has continued for the past four years in a row.  5th grade students are the show group, which means that they are the group that works hard to learn skills and put on a show for the school on Friday afternoon for students and staff and Friday evening for families and friends.  Students in the younger grades look forward to the day when they will be in the show too!  While we tell them there are no guarantees, they hope to be in the show when they are fifth graders and actually plan on the skill they would like to do.  I heard more than once this week:  “When I’m in fifth grade I’m going to do __________ (fill in the blank with plate spinning, stilt walking, juggling, etc.)  It’s so great that they are working toward a goal that is in the distant future!  

…...As a special area teacher I only see my 5th grade students for PE class twice in a six-day cycle.  Circus Week allows me the opportunity to work with the 5th graders every day.  At the end of the week I feel like I have gotten to know them even better and I am grateful for that opportunity!

…...The growth that we see from our students from Monday to Friday is nothing short of miraculous!  Students that are just beginning to juggle two scarves on Monday are juggling three scarves, juggling balls, and even basketballs!  Students also grow in confidence and perseverance and each year I am reminded that this program is powerful and valuable in so many ways!  

…….It was such a pleasure getting to know the circus artists this week!  I loved their approach! They said that this week was not about the show, it was about the experience of the week and learning a new skill while persevering!  They made a great connection between perseverance and learning many things, not just circus skills!

…..This was the first time my student teacher had the chance to be a part of Circus Week and it was awesome to be able to share this experience with him!  He learned to juggle and was very proud of his new skill!

…..I had the chance to give out some Courage Cards this week to students who were showing the courage to do the right thing.  One fourth grade student was working so hard to learn a skill and he did not give up!  As he was working hard and trying again and again another fourth grade student who had mastered the skill came over to help him.  He did not leave his classmate until he was able to get it!  I had goosebumps watching this unfold and gave them both Courage Cards for their teamwork and perseverance!  

…..A fifth grade student in the balance group was working on a new skill.  The idea was to take some props from the side and put them together and balance them.  One student took two foam hurdles, put them together and said:  “I call this the pause button!”   He was right….it looked exactly like a pause button!

…..One of the things that I love about my school is the fact that we come together in unexpected ways.  Without my asking or facilitating I noticed that there were circus-themed activities throughout the school!  The K-1 classroom had a “How tall are you?” measurement card in the hallway that had circus pictures on it, a  kindergarten counting activity included a circus theme, a fourth grade class was given a homework assignment to write about their favorite circus skill and the Library display case included lots of books about the circus!  How great is that to work in a school that jumps on board with you?

…..Later in the week the acrobat team was working on their show routine.  I was standing nearby and one fifth grader said:  “This is exciting!  Now I know how last year’s fifth graders felt!”

…..At the end of the week it was Show Time!  The fifth grade students performed on Friday afternoon for students and staff and the cheers and applause were endless!  The performers were nervous but got reassurance from our circus artists, their classroom teachers, and of course - me!  The did a fantastic job!  Friday night they also performed for their families and friends.  This show was held at our middle school gymnasium so that we could accommodate a larger crowd.  It was a packed house with standing room only!  Our PTA made popcorn, had face painters available, and invited the audience to participate in some circus games while the performers were getting ready.  So many of our fifth grade teachers came to the show too!  The show was even better than the afternoon show (hard to believe it could be) and students and families were so proud!  One of the best parts of the night however,  was when a student was having trouble with a skill, kept trying, and was successful in the end.  The crowd went wild!  This kind of support is what we need and want daily for all of the challenges we face……..I hope students remember this experience and work to meet whatever challenges they face in life.  I know I will remember the experience of Circus Week with a smile and a determination to persevere………..

…..…... I took so many pictures this week!  Each one is priceless! Click here for pictures of our Circus Week and Circus Shows!

.....Fitness Frankie had fun too!  

Little Lou and Fitness Frankie!

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.  

The Best Parts of My Week - 11/21/16--11/22/16

Hi everyone,

As weeks go it was incredibly short due to the Thanksgiving holiday and parent/teacher conferences but it was a good week to reflect on what I am thankful for…….

…..Tuesday was the 50th day of school and for many years some of the primary classes have celebrated with 1950’s themed activities.  I have had the opportunity to celebrate with them by creating the 50th Day of School Sock Hop.  During this event, students and teachers dress up as if they were living in the 1950’s and then we dance some of the popular dances of the time.  I showed the students a YouTube video of Chubby Checker doing the twist on American Bandstand (no color TV back then!) and then we danced to the Twist, Hand Jive and the Lollipop Song.  We also played with hula hoops to the Hula Hoop Song.  It was so much fun!  Of course, I have a bear with a poodle skirt so “Sandy” comes out for the event as well!  Click here for pictures!

…..Fitness Frankie is being taken care of by a fourth grade class and we are collaborating with a fourth grade class from Texas!  This week I filmed some video of a blindfold trust activity to share with our friends from Texas.  Fitness Frankie got into the act too!  The students did a great job and thought FF was adorable! Don't you think so too?

…..A fourth grader came to PE this week and immediately showed off his new hair cut.  His dad’s badge number was shaved into the hair cut!  His dad is a firefighter and his son is very proud……...We are thankful for his service!

.....Circus Week is coming next week! I had fun making this display case this week!

Other things I am thankful for:

…...my family

……my friends

…....a career that I love

…...a beautiful gymnasium

…..incredible professional development opportunities

…..my student teacher and the chance to share my experience

…..technology

…..coffee

…..clean water

…..exercise - kayaking, golf, bicycling, working out

…..the beautiful Hudson Valley

…..food to eat, work to do, time to play

…..my school

…..my home

…..a chance to share all of this using this blog!

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.  

The Best Parts of My Week - 11/14/16--11/20/16

Hi everyone,

    It was an unconventional week but the “Best Parts” continue to happen!  Just when I think that I can not write about anything new or interesting, something happens to make my day!  

…..Students in the primary grades were beginning to learn how to cooperate using the parachute.  The parachute is so much fun and I was recalling the different parachutes I have had over the years.  The original parachute we used was actually a real parachute!  We started by going over the safety rules and one of the kindergarten students said that you should not jump out of a plane without one!  We had so much fun bringing the parachute up and down and then we played a game that I call “Under the Rainbow”.   The idea is to bring the parachute up and take a step in so the it rises higher.  When students have taken a few steps and the parachute is nice and high we go under it and sit down on the edge to keep the air in as long as possible.  One of the students was so excited I could see it on his face.  His eyes lit up and he said:  “This is AWESOME!”

…...As I was eating lunch in my office one day I noticed that Physical Eddie (who is being cared for by a fourth grade class) was outside playing 4 Square at recess!  It looked like he was having fun!  Check out the adventures of Fitness Frankie and Friends by clicking here!

…..We had a Fuel Up to Play 60 Student Ambassador meeting this week and I continued to feel grateful to be a part of this great group of students!  We hung up a Fuel Up to Play 60 banner in the cafeteria and they were so proud….me too!  We are continuing to work on the Great Fitness Calendar Race and I am so proud that this idea came directly from the students.  When we started this group we hoped that they would step up and lead the charge to encourage their peers to make healthy choices and that is exactly what they are doing!  

…..We have been using feelings cards as a way to assess how students were feeling during a cooperative activity.  One student said:   “I felt frustrated because I couldn’t talk and sometimes I just need to talk!”  I totally get it!  Check out our Cooperative Activities Unit by clicking here!

…..I was only at school for Monday and Tuesday and then I had the honor and privilege of attending and presenting at the NYS AHPERD Conference for the rest of the week.  While I miss the students at school, I know that I am growing professionally and sharing some of our successes when I present.  I learned so many new things and spent time with some of the best and brightest of our profession.  I continue to be humbled to be a part of this group…...My advice to any and all who will listen is “Never Stop Learning!”  This is my 34th school year and these kinds of opportunities continue to energize me to do my very best!  I am grateful to work in a district that recognizes that and allows me to grow…..

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.  

The Best Parts of My Week - 11/7/16--11/11/16

Hi everyone,

    It was a choppy week since teachers had a Teacher Training Day (more about that later) and school was closed on Friday for Veterans Day.  Nonetheless, we packed a lot into three days! 

●      On Monday morning one of my students was eager to tell me that he went to a football game over the weekend.  I asked him what game it was and he said Army vs. Air Force.  Then he said:  “Air Force Won!”  When I expressed my sadness for him thinking that he wanted Army to wind because we are so close to West Point he corrected me and said that he wanted Air Force to win!  I guess you never know.  My dad always said:  “Know your audience.”  That is good advice……next time I will follow it!

●      Our Fuel Up to Play Student Ambassadors have come up with a great idea to generate interest in our Fitness Calendar program.  It is called the Great Fitness CalendarRace and the idea is that each class has to submit a minimum number of completed Fitness Calendars at the end of each month in order to stay in the race.  Each month, the minimum number increases.  Each class gets one miss and the class that stays in the race the longest will be designated as the winner of the race!  This week we gathered to find out who is still in the race.  One of the ambassadors brought Physical Eddie to the meeting because he is being taken care of by her class.  She said:  “He’s one of us!”  Students are so excited!  It is definitely generating interest and I am so proud of their idea! 

●      Second graders are having a great time bringing FitnessFrankie home during the weekends.  He came back right on time this week after a healthy weekend adventure!  Every time I get to peek in his backpack to see the newest journal entry I smile!

●      Students have been participating in cooperative activities recently and students in grades three through five have been working on a game called Islands.  I spoke about it last week in my blog.  I was interested to find out how students felt during the game because these kinds of activities often bring up a myriad of feelings and debriefing can be powerful.  Students were asked to answer the question using Plickers and had a choice of four feelings:  alone, proud, happy, and frustrated.  Along with the question, students had cards to view to help them choose.  Physical Eddie decided to work on it too!  The results were interesting and powerful…….which reminds me of the impact that cooperative education can have on student learning……..

●      A second grader wore a shirt this week that said:  “Spread kindness like confetti….” What a great shirt and they are words to live by! 

●      Just when I was having a challenging day students appeared with random hugs….

●      A fourth grade class is hosting Physical Eddie this week and he came to PE to play the Islands game.  He does not appear to be afraid of our sharks!  Not only did he come to PE this week but he also had fun in Technology class!  He is having an excellent adventure!

                                                   

●      During the Teacher Training Day on Tuesday I had the opportunity to be a part of a conference hosted by the Southeastern Zone of NYS AHPERD.  I am proud to be the president of this zone and our conference directors and conference team did an amazing job putting on this conference!  I met some incredible teachers and presenters from across the country!  It was a terrific day to learn and grow professionally!  I learned some new ideas that I can’t wait to try! 

●      One of the connections I made during this conference was with Jim DeLine of Texas.  He is so unbelievably professional and humble and he is a fantastic teacher!  While I was talking with him after the conference we realized that we have some things in common and are working on getting our students to work on a project together!  More on that as the weeks progress but suffice it to say that Fitness Frankie is involved!  There are so many exciting possibilities!  

●      During an activity using blindfolds, one student decided to wear his glasses over the blindfold.  He looked just like a superhero!  Maybe he is…….. J

●      At the end of the week a second grade invited some Veterans to a ceremony thanking them for their service.  As the Webmaster for our school website, I received some pictures of the event to put up on the website.  Our second grade students wrote thank you notes to our Veterans and dressed up in red, white, and blue.  What an inspiring project……….Our second graders said thank you and so will I.  Thank you to all of our Veterans for your service.  I am grateful……..

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.  

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The Best Parts of My Week - 10/31/16--11/4/16

      

Hi everyone,

     This week flew by!  We had some snow recently and we are fast forwarding through the Fall Students are already starting to sing holiday songs.........but we are working hard to stay on task!  Hope you enjoying reading about the "Best Parts!"

• A fourth grade arrived to PE class this week and it was evident that the classroom teacher was absent.  I reminded students that the last line of our school pledge says, “even when no one is watching”, and that this also means even when their teacher is not in school.  Then I said that there should be no change in their behavior just because they have a substitute teacher.  One student raised his hand and said that the behavior should change because it should be even better!  I thought that was a great example and I complimented him on his observation and character.  That was a great way to set the tone for the class!  The next day his teacher was back in school and I had a chance to tell her the story.  She was proud of him too!
• It shouldn’t surprise me anymore that students like to report to me their healthy choices, yet each week I am pleased and proud when students stop me to tell me about what exercises they do and the healthy foods that they choose to eat. This week a fourth grader told me all about jogging with his younger sister up and down their long driveway.  I sometimes feel like the Healthy Highway police…. but I think that is a good thing!
•  I have a student teacher for the next few weeks and he is doing a cooperative activity called Islands.  I have done a similar activity for years but it has been refreshing to see it done in a new way.  As the cooperating teacher I have a chance to step back and observe.  I love the cooperative process, which includes students playing fair even if they think no one is watching, students who emerge as leaders, others who quietly plod along helping others, and the frustration that turns into smiles of success after hard work and problem solving!  During this particular activity talking is not allowed and it is amazing how that rule helped the process by helping students focus.  During a debriefing activity students had some great ideas to help them succeed on the next attempt.  I am looking forward to seeing them try out their solutions.  This activity has been the talk of the students in grades 3-5.  A second grade student who has a fifth grade sibling asked if he was going to do the activity during PE class.  We explained that it was a lesson for older classes.  He said that his sister was talking about it at home and he wanted to try it too!  When students talk at home about what they have done in PE class you know you have made an impact!  Click here for more pictures of our cooperative activities.

Basketball Betty made a friend during our Islands activity!

• A second grade student made a mistake during an activity.  A classmate immediately went over to him and said:  I learned that we all make mistakes sometimes.”  He was very caring and patted him on the shoulder while he was doing it.  What made this moment so special is the fact that until recently this student has had a very hard time accepting his mistakes.  It was such a wonderful moment…….and a good lesson for everyone! 
• A kindergarten student who loves dinosaurs (who doesn’t?) earned a reward of being able to see a special fossil after good behavior during PE class.  As he was leaving he said:  “Reminds me of 55 million years ago!” 
• I have mentioned before that our school was honored with the Let’s Move Active Schools National Recognition Award.  We are very proud of this accomplishment and this week I was hanging up the banner in our gym.  It is a wonderful reminder of the team effort from students, staff, administrators, and our community and I am proud to see it hang in the gymnasium.  The first class of the day came in not long after we finished hanging it up and they immediately noticed it and were very excited.  Even though I had made the announcement they had not yet seen the banner.  One student exclaimed:  “We won the national award!”  Basketball Betty is proud of it too and definitely wanted her picture taken with it! 

• One of the questions I like to ask students when we are working on a cooperative activity is what does Cooperation, look like, feels like, and sound like?  I love the answers that students give.  One student said that it feels good inside because you know you are helping...........
•  Second grade students were given the task of using foam bricks to cooperatively build a tower.  I noticed that one of the groups was not following directions and were kicking and throwing the bricks.  I went over to them and asked if they were following directions.  They of course said no and I responded by telling them that if they know they are not doing the right thing a little “bell” should be going off in their heads to tell them to stop.  Of course I was talking about a pretend bell but one of the students looked at me with surprise and said There's a bell inside your head?
• During the same cooperative brick building lesson another student described his experience by saying “That was intense!” 
• We often encourage students to use “butterfly claps” to show they are excited about an activity without making noise.  This week I learned a new way to do it from a second grade class.  They showed me how to do “Ghost claps”.  Basically they are claps that fall short of contact so no noise is made.  There is always room in the “Teacher toolbox” for one more tip!
• I invited two classes to come to the gym for a Fitness Friday activity.  Both classes accepted the invitation and we had some fun! We used a Wheel Of Fitness and students got to spin the wheel for an exercise and then we did the Cha Cha Slide!  It was great to see our teachers dancing right along with the students!  This team effort is what makes our school so wonderful!  Physical Eddie got a “Fitness Friday coupon, which earned him a mile! Students started off the day with exercise and then they were ready for the classroom!

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

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