Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Letter to the super

Dear Dr. Superintendent

I am writing to you today for many reasons, as you know our students need more physical and mental stimulation while in there physical education class. I feel I can accomplish this goal by adding in a step aerobic unit. Step aerobics has many positive benefits, such as, social interaction, increased heart rate, increased flexibility and stamina. Also while performing step aerobics students can burn up to 300-500 calories in just one class. Also while doing the step aerobic routine the students have to think what foot goes on the board and what moves come next. This constant cognitive stimulation will help the students react faster. Step aerobics has been around since the 1990’s it is a minimal impact activity that increases the heart rate. There are many opportunities for students to partake in this activity such as using the Wii, taking classes or purchasing DVD’s. All these item’s cost money, so the students are un interested, I feel if we offer step aerobics during class students will understand the importance of this activity.
There is minimal cost in this step aerobic unit. What would be needed to purchase is step boards, these step boards range anywhere from $9.00 to $46.00. There is no need for the school to create a special room for this activity either. The students can set the step boards up before class and put them away after class. There is no need for videos or DVD players because I am a trained step aerobic instructor. I have created routines and activities for about 3 years now. All we need are step boards and a boom box. This activity is very feasible, not only does it help the students with there physical endurance but it helps them socially and mentally.
Not only can we offer this activity during school, we can use the step boards and run after school work out programs for students that are interested. Also we can run programs that faculty and community members can pay and sign up for. This way we can get a little bit of money back to pay off the step boards. Not only are we creating healthy students but we can create a healthy community. This is an inexpensive and creative way to give back to the school.

255 daily burn






III. I really don’t like the daily burn. It is very confusing I don’t know what they want me to put in and what I should be looking at. I don’t feel I need to track when I work out or what I eat. I am already at a healthy fitness zone, and I know what to eat how much to eat and when to eat. This program would be good for a person who need’s out side motivation to watch what they eat and how to work out.

iv. I would use this website as a guide line for all students. I wouldn’t tell them to lose weight or to gain weight. I would have this website for them to look at to see for them selves to get into a healthy fitness zone. Some students maybe more interested in building muscles or cutting carbohydrates. This website will serve as an outside source for information. For them to have there own outside the class room motivation this website will help. The students can have a constant reminder and assistance all on line.

V.I think one tool that would be most reliable for the LS#1A would be pedometers and heart rate monitors. These’s are the most accurate tool measuring the students fitness in the class room. Out side the class room students can make up there data and the calorie intake. Also the students will be able to track there step count. There are some wonderful sites that track step counts. Everyday they can log in there step counts and see how far they are walking across the United States or the wall of china.

255 final

1. The website is from CBC.ca, North America, Canada, Saskatoon

2. I think it’s really sad how the students are being sent to this school, not knowing how to read and write when in 8th grade. It is interesting that the study shows that when they are physically active they are able to get a mental work out too. It refreshing to see administrators and principles behind this findings. I don’t know if I agree with the physical fitness in the classroom, because most teachers are not as educated in physical activity as we are.

3. The teachers are putting the physical fitness in the classroom, totally getting rid of physical education in a gym. I feel that minimal physical activity in a classroom would be appropriate. But the bulk of there physical fitness should be in the gym. Being a physical education teacher we are trained to teach physical fitness.

4. Students that participate in physical activity in class are easier to deal with. The behavioral problems drop and the teacher can actually teach. I feel like the old physical education will not have these outcomes but the new physical education that we are trying to get into will have these same benefits and outcomes if the teacher actually cares abut there students. The NYS standards are pushing toward these goals but they don’t give you the proper material, they are just guide lines to follow. The teacher can follow them or not, so the teacher is the main source of pushing the standards or not.

5. BDNF, is a protein also know as brain derived neurotrophic factor. This protein help’s with the growth of neutrons. The more neutrons we have the faster our reaction time and mental capacity increases. Two books that talk about BDNF are : Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain by John Ratey and
“Nature's Ritalin for the Marathon Mind” by Stephen C. Putnam

Monday, May 10, 2010

Show your self off


Today I went to the portfolio showcase. It was really cool to see how everyone did there portfolio, some where done very clean cut and boring. While others had bright colors and cool cut out which really brought out there personality. The one girl I talked to was very nice, while iI was looking through her portfolio I realized we had taken some of the same classes, so this gave me ideas for my own portfolio. It was also refreshing to hear there stories of how hard it was but they made it through. A lot of the people there kept saying save everything, everything and anything can go into your book. Everyone there was very personable and excited to show off what they had accomplished. I'm glad I went and saw what I need to strive to be. I have some work a head of me. But sooner or later I will be on the other end of the table showing off what I got.

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Being a leader in the Community

For 255 we were told that we had to do 10 hours of leadership experience. It was a great opportunity to get into the community and show them how excited I am to be a teacher. My first 5 hours was being the captain of my all night volleyball team. This took a lot of efforts and phone calls to get together. I first had to assemble my team i asked many many people and finally I got a team of 3 guys and 4 girls. Next I had to make sure that everyone had a team shirt, and if they didn't I made them one so they would feel included. Next I got the team together before the event to go over strategy's. Once the competition started i had to make sure our team was at our games on time so we could start. When we were playing i was constantly cheering them on and saying how well we were doing. It turned out that we won 3 out of 5 games. It as a great night, there was a lot of laughs. My next 5 hours came from ABCD Day, I was able to work with children with disabilities, this was a very exciting day because i want to work with students with disabilities after college. It was a lot of fun all of the children were happy and excited to be there. After the ABCD Day i knew i wanted to be an adaptive teacher those children need all the help they can get and i willing to devote my life to there to help them live a little easier. These 10 hours at first seems like forever. But doing something that I enjoy doing made the 10 hours fly by. I am on my way to becoming a teacher and I can't wait.

Sunday, April 11, 2010

The final teaching lab..... HORRAY!!

Lab D was probably the hardest and easiest lab that I have done this far. What was hard about this lab was the fact that i had one week from lab C to lab D, so i was constatnly working on the lab C packet and then trying to get everything ready for lab D. Also what was hard was trying to think of technology to use. I really wanted to use pedometers but the ones th schools have were broken. I thought it would have been cool to see how many miles we steped. What made this lab easy was the time. We finally had 20 minutes to do a whole lesson, we could actually enjoy teaching. Over all I feel my lesson went well, what I really need to work on is my voice. I need to be louder.









LESSON PLAN
20 Task's
Time coding
Feedback

Monday, March 29, 2010

Folow your own teaching path...

For lab C I taught free running, it was out of the normal activities that we taught but it was so much fun. Free running pretty much ruled my life for the 2 weeks leading up to the teaching date. I was so nervous about teaching, I don't know why i was so nervous but i was. It felt really good to get the feedback after class that i did really well. 255 has had its ups and downs but its a lot of hard work and if you fall behind you have to double the work to catch back up. I'm ready to move on to lab D and teach step aerobics.




Task Progressions
Lesson plan
Time coding
Content developing
Feedback

Sunday, February 28, 2010

More time to teach :)

This time we had 7 minutes to teach, we all so had the ability to choose and pick what we wanted to teach. We had 5 tasks but we can pick and choose what we were going to teach and when. For this class i was much more prepared. I had a whistle for me signal of attention because I always for get to mention what it is. The whistle reminded me. I also thought of a few hooks to use when I told the task. I felt much better about this time teaching. It is getting easier and easier.

MP3
transcript

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Being a prepared teacher



It really shows if you are prepared or not to teach. With this particular skill i had to idea what it wanted me to do. I had to do the progressions for the backwards 180 but instead i did the actual backwards 180. I forgot to say the cues and signal for attention. Everything I plan on saying never seems to come out. I need to make a cue card or something. But the ore i work on teacher the better i am getting. Each video keeps getting better and better.

Transcript
Feedback

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Ready--Set--TEACH


The second time teaching I feel that it went a lot better. This time I was more confident and used my teaching techniques. I know when I am at camp or I am coaching all these techniques come natural but once I am put on the spot and in front of a camera they fly right out the window. I just have to get used to the camera and being put on the spot. But its nothing I can't handle.I do feel that all these teaching tools are helping but sometimes they are a bit overwhelming. I know we are still new to this but there are so many things we have to remember. It just means more study time for 255 :).

Transcript
Time Coding

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Creating music....with bubble wrap!


Today in class we were able to play with bubble wrap. Doesn't seem to be too exciting, but it was really fun. Bubble wrap defiantly brings out the inner child in all of us. Our activity was to create a beat or a song that Incorporated the bubble wrap. My group which consisted of Mile, Harris and I used an NBA theme. We popped the beat to the defense song. It was a really fun. I love the fact that we can use the simplest items and create a whole new environment. We also learned about the time coding, I'm not sure that I understand it fully but I did give it an attempt. http://docs.google.com/View?id=dcn22j7_1g8sh3sds

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Building to success


(http://avonsidedisplayteam.homestead.com/files/pyramid.JPG)

The other day Regina and I had to create an instant activity. Our instant activity was about trust, team bonding and creativity. We had the students try and replicate a pyramid design that we printed out from the gymnastics book. There were two of these pyramids for the students to create. Once the successfully did both they could move on to the next station. Once all four stations we're completed we met in the middle and made 4 big pyramids. It was a great time watching the group think and talk over how they were going to create the pyramid. Over all i think is was a success everyone had fun and we all walked away being more comfortable with each other.

Teaching take 2





I know I have to become louder and more clear in what I am saying. My body language shows me that I'm a bit timid and nerves. Also I for got my signal for attention. Over all I know I need to work on becoming more confident and being louder so that everyone can hear me. But over all I think I did okay for only the second time teaching. There is a lot more to learn so I'm ready.

Monday, February 1, 2010

1st time teaching....bum bum bum....

First time teaching in front of a camera can be kind of nerve racking but I feel that I did pretty well. I knew the material that I was teaching, and i also had progressions and activities planed out. But there is always room for improvement I feel that I need to work on my vocal abilities. I need to talk louder and clearer. Also I need to be assertive, i need to take charge and make sure everyone is doing what they are supposed to be doing. If I improve on these aspects I feel that my students will have better time in class. If I am having a good time the students will notice my attitude and feed off of it.