Oh, the Places You'll Go!

Day 31 (66) - Monday May 16, 2011

This would be the beginning of the final three-day stretch of student teaching. It is simply astonishing how quickly time has gone. In not but five days I will be graduating with my degree in physical education. However, before we can get there, there are three more fun-filled days at Ridge Elementary School teaching kindergarten and first grade. This week, we would begin the testing of the shuttle run for the President's Challenge Physical Fitness test on the second day of class. On the first day, I made sure to explain, thoroughly, once again how to perform the shuttle run and tips for being successful. It is always interesting to note that the children will immediately cheer for the student who is in first but not for the one in second. I made sure to note that students are simply running against the clock and not each other. Therefore, everyone had an equal opportunity to win and be successful. I also stress that cheering people on means to cheer on everyone. This enlightened the students to cheer for all of their classmates leading to improved performance. It is important to note these humanistic behaviors and address them as such. This can help develop and create positive sportsmanship within all children at a very young age for them to carry through the rest of their lives.
Saying goodbye to someone can be a very difficult task. None more difficult than saying it to a group of kindergarten children. For one class, it was my last day as their teacher. I made sure to give them a meaningful and thoughtful closure that they could help bring forth to their parents and families. Strangely, it was their sadness that made me happy. They had become so accustomed to me and welcoming that they were upset to see me go. And I was equally upset to part with them as well.

Day 32 (67) - Tuesday May 17, 2011

After a week and a half of non-stop practice, it was time to begin testing for the shuttle run component of the President's Challenge within some of the classes. The students were understandably nervous because they had not had an extended amount of practice but enough that we the teachers were confident in their abilities to perform the test accurately. In order to model the proper way to run the assessment for the class, Ms. Hinton assessed their abilities on the test while I observed and acted as the field judge for any potential disqualifications. It is interesting to note that even after repeated practice and constant feedback that the children are still making the same repeated errors. They only have two opportunities to perform the test and it is nerve-racking for both them and me to see these errors happen. However, since this is the test, I am confident they will 'wake-up' and fix these errors on their second attempt.
In our adapted physical education class, today's thunder proved to be quite the distraction. Some students became frightened with the noise. As the teacher, along with the one-on-ones, we were able to calm the students down and continue our scooter activities. One may not know what can scare a children so the teacher must be ready to act on their toes.
My goodbyes to the students continued through today and they were not any easier. It is always sad to say goodbye but it makes me feel very good when the students tell me that they are going to miss me. To me, it signifies that I was able to make an impact big enough to affect them. This is truly what teaching is all about.

Day 33 (68) - Wednesday May 18, 2011

It is difficult to say goodbye but no scenario is more difficult than to say goodbye to groups of kindergarten and first grade students after eight weeks of being their teacher. Today was my last day during my student teaching experience at Ridge Elementary School. It is rather sad to go from the school. The students and faculty have all been very welcoming and I could not have asked for a better placement here and in the district in general. As a final closure to each class, I discussed their futures using the book 'Oh the Places You'll Go!' by Dr. Seuss. I described how they can do anything as long as they try and that in 2022 and 2023 respectively, I will know that my Ridge munchkins graduated from Longwood High School and be excited about all the places they will go. As I graduate from SUNY Cortland this Saturday, I look forward to my future as well, and all the places I will go during my journey.

The Munchkins are Running! The Munchkins are Running!

Day 26 (61) - Monday May 9, 2011

This would be the final full week at Ridge Elementary School and of my student teaching experience in general. It is almost unbelievable that it went to fast. Nonetheless, it was my time. All of the classes this week were mine to teach. Ms. Hinton put the grade-book and President's Challenge score sheets in my hands and it was all me this week. I was very excited to begin the week. I have been looking forward to the opportunity to display all of the skills I had acquired. I made sure that we caught up on all of the testing that had already been completed before continuing any further. This would be the first day to introduce the shuttle run to many of the classes. Ms. Hinton modeled it for the first class and I went from there. I knew that for all of the students, repetition in both observing and participating would facilitate the knowledge acquisition. Many students had never seen the shuttle run so it was vital to go over everything. When it came time for them to practice, I was surprised at how well each of them was able to complete the task. I made sure to use simple directions so that they would be able to comprehend the material and it seemed to have worked extremely well. Even though the times were a little high, it is still early in the practice stages and the students have six classes of practice before taking the test. I will ensure that each lesson is meaningful and conductive to the improvement of their abilities.

Day 27 (62) - Tuesday May 10, 2011

As I sat there transcribing the times for the quarter-mile run onto the President's Challenge score sheet, Ms. Hinton walked into the office with a familiar face. My student teaching supervisor, Terry Phelan, dropped by for my final observation of my student teaching experience. We did not a class for quite a bit of time so we spent some time having a conversation about various topics. It was nice to have this time to talk as I rarely have the opportunity to sit down and speak with him face-to-face. As we looked at the clock, it was time for class. He would be observing a class with some behavioral concerns but nothing more than any other class. I introduced the shuttle run and allowed the students to practice within the lesson. It went rather well and Terry commended me on a job well done. For the last six weeks, I have been only receiving feedback from Ms. Hinton to improve my teaching skills so it was nice to receive praise from another source indicating my improvements with her. The entire day was not as easy. At the end of the day, the first grade class was acting very silly and not listening to directions. When we came in from outside, we sat in silence after a lecture on listening to directions. It is important to stop a class before things get out of hand. If you give kids an inch they will take a yard. It is very important to identify parameters to facilitate instruction.

Day 28 (63) - Wednesday May 11, 2011

To teach physical education does not simply entail the teaching of physical skills and their application. A physical education teacher has the same responsibility of any other teacher; to teach the students virtues and character. During one of the classes, we went outside to run the quarter-mile as we normally would. One of the alternative learning classes was on the playground at the same time. There was no problem with this as neither class would wind up crossing paths with the other. However, some of the children would laugh and make comments about the students also outside. When we came inside, I sat everyone down on the mat and discussed the situation I observed outdoors. It is important at Ridge Elementary School to combat bullying at all costs. Many students wear shirts indicating their commitment to the pledge. I told them that all children are differently-abled but that they are all the same. It is their differences that make each child special and strong and weak. I made sure to note that each student needs to treat others the way they would like to be treated. After letting this sink in for a few minutes, I continued with class. It is very important to use these teachable moments in class. It is critical for students to understand and comply with this topic to create a safe and healthy learning environment.

Day 29 (64) - Thursday May 12, 2011

The annual Ridge Munchkin Run would finally be held today in the late afternoon! However, before we could get to that, there was lots of practice to be held for the shuttle run in physical education class. In order to allow ample time to set up the Munchkin Run, Ms. Hinton moved two of the afternoon classes into the morning thus creating two back-to-back double classes, both kindergarten. It was my task to manage these classes and to get as many students as possible to practice the shuttle run. We had four stations therefore four children could go at any given time. After a review of the shuttle run procedures, we were ready to begin. I let two children from one class run on one side and two from the other run on the opposite side. I was able to get each student to run at least once. Those who were watching had the ability to note mistakes and were given the opportunity to speak of what they had seen. This was very important for kindergarten students are they need repetition in performing the task and observing the task in order to become successful.
When it came time for the Munchkin Run, the students were more than excited to run. All of the first grade classes, administration, and parents came to watch the race and that made for a very exciting and positive environment. Each student who competed received a medal and a certificate and were applauded by their classmates. Activities like this are very important to hold as a teacher. It brings the school and the community together in a positive setting. I am very happy to have been a part of the Munchkin Run and look to explore similar activities in my future as a teacher!

Day 30 (65) - Friday May 13, 2011

As we came to the end of my last full week at Ridge Elementary School, it proved to be a very light workload. The kindergarten students had a field trip to the Holtsville Ecology Center and therefore three of the seven classes today would not take place. I used this time to finish up transcribing all of the results of the President's Challenge that had been obtained thus far. In honor of my birthday, Ms. Rosenthal and Ms. Hinton took me out to lunch and we had a nice little conversation and bonding experience before returning back to the school. It is very nice to have colleagues who become friends as well as co-workers. It makes the job more fun and enjoyable plus you have a friend in which to confide in. As the day drew to a close, the kindergarten students returned from their trip. The last two classes of the day were filled with kindergarten children exhausted from their trip. Their teacher informed me that they walked over one mile just before they left and their little legs were tired! This was immediately apparent in physical education class; however, I immediately switched to entertainer mode and got them up and moving for the thirty minutes. They did the best they could and certainly earned a paw print for the day. It is very understandable that very young children can easily tire from physical activity. As the teacher, I need to take this into consideration and motivate them to do the best that their little bodies will allow them!

Who Wants to be Strong? Wii Want to be Strong!

Day 21 (56) - Monday May 2, 2011

In 1983, the United States Congress declared the month of May as 'National Physical Education and Sports Month.' As Longwood director of physical education Gina Curiale made note to the district's physical education teachers, the first week in May would be 'National Physical Education and Sport Week'. Together with Ms. Hinton, we developed a simple outline for the week to integrate physical activity into the classroom with the cognitive, affective, and psychomotor domains. This would be known at the Ridge Primary Center Fitness Week. Through this, we hope to have the classroom teachers and the administrators within the building become advocates for physical education during the month of May and beyond. When I earn my own teaching job, I become the unofficial physical activity director of the school building. I need to explore new means in which to excite students about physical education and make it more inviting for all to participate. Today in class I announced my commitment to the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award (PALA). I decided that if they children will be taking the President's Challenge, then I should join them by taking a fitness challenge as well. By sharing this information with them, I hope to inspire them to work for their goals. After all, I need to practice what I preach.
In athletics, the Longwood Lady Lions track and field team defeated the William Floyd Lady Colonials track and field team. This was a extra special meet is it placed myself and my good friend Patrick Wingler against one another as 'coaches'. While it was fun to see Patrick, it was even better to see the Lady Lions improve to 4-0 on the season!

Day 22 (57) - Tuesday May 3, 2011

As we continued our President's Challenge assessment, I was looking for different ways in which to get the students active while I was assessing. Initially, we tried stations but that did not work out too well. There was too much action going on at one time that I was unable to focus on assessing the student and paying attention to the rest of the class. Our next attempt was to have students simply watch their classmates go one at a time. While this was the best way to observe everyone, it tended to be a little boring for some students. Today, I decided it was time to reintroduce a few stations as well as the Wii Fit! Even though these students are in kindergarten and first grade, they are all very familiar with the Wii Fit system and games (even more than I was!) Needless to say, once they saw the television the students became very excited about their being able to play the game. All was going well until some student became upset that they were unable to hold the remote and did not have a chance to play as long as others. At the end of the day I decided to only reintroduce the Wii Fit at random or different times in order to make it more special. Technology is a driving force in today's society and we as educators need to use it to our advantage when teaching. Students of all ages are very familiar with various forms of technology and are always willing to learn more. In order to create a stimulating and entertaining learning environment, the teacher must evolve with technology.

Day 23 (58) - Wednesday May 4, 2011

After six weeks at Ridge Elementary School learning the ropes and practicing my teaching skills in different classes, Ms. Hinton placed me at the helm of the classes being taught today. While it took some mental preparation to teach eight classes (four in a row, lunch, four in a row), I was very excited to have the day in my hands. Today I would have five first grade classes, one kindergarten, and two adapted physical education classes. The day started off on a great note with the first adapted physical education class and helped set the stage for the rest of the day. I remained calm, confident, and excited out the material within each class. We continued our President's Challenge assessment by completed the curl-up test and by beginning, and completing, the sit-and-reach test. I made sure that my rules were concise and yet direct. I always had a full view of the class and consistently reinforced positive behavior. The students were excellent! They performed very well on the assessment and were very well behaved. In order to keep their attention, I would continue to act silly at appropriate times to keep their attention and strengthen skill acquisition. The second adapted physical education class was a little tough but I was able to rebound during it and finished the day on a positive note with the last class. In the high school, I taught each class everyday. However, here at Ridge, it was quite different. There were eight classes instead of five to teach and time management was a huge factor. I felt very confident today and Ms. Hinton was very impressed. She noted, "Last week sucked but this week is awesome!" This got a pretty hearty laugh out of me! I am very happy with today and look forward to the rest of this adventure at Ridge Elementary School!

Day 24 (59) - Thursday May 5, 2011

As the school year begins to approach the end, it is almost time for the school's field days for the kindergarten and first grade students. Ms. Hinton organizes all of the activities for the day and today was the second day of meeting with the teachers to go over the activities. This would be the first year in which the teachers would be in charge of leading their classes through each station and although some where initially unsure they quickly began to become more comfortable and excited with the upcoming festivities which I unfortunately will be unable to attend. Today Ms. Hinton took the morning classes and I had the afternoon. She told me how it can be good and bad to have a student teacher. It is good because she gets to help them grow professionally and it is bad because she has to take a step back and not teach as much. As we continue to reach the end of my experience, I am teaching more often but Ms. Hinton is still getting her fair share of work! When I someday become a cooperating teacher, I will revisit these words from Ms. Hinton and model the student teaching experience in a similar way. Through that I hope to develop strong teachers in the same manner in which my skills were developed. Today was very successful and I look forward to teaching all day once again tomorrow!

Day 25 (60) - Friday May 6, 2011

To close out the week, Ms. Hinton once again had me teach each class of the day. After a successful week, I was very much looking forward to this. It proved to be an incredibly beautiful day out and we were able to finish testing for the running and curl-ups for each class and many were able to finish the sit-and-reach test. All was going well until we hit the end of the day. There is a notable difference between kindergarten and first grade both developmentally and behavioral wise. Ms. Hinton noticed early on that I sometimes let the kids have a little too much fun and that puts the control of the class into their hands. She noted that I need to be a little more stern and decisive while still allowing the students to have fun. During the class, the students were noisy and did not follow directions very well. I mainly did not pay attention to them in order to get through the assessment. At the end, I let them know how I was upset with their behavior and how we may not continue if they do not listen. This harkened back to the high school hockey lesson where I tried to teach to no success due to constant disruptive behavior until I finally called it quits and lectured the class. For students of any age I need to lay down and enforce the rules at all costs, otherwise, they will be meaningless. Even though this was a tough class to end the week on, Ms. Hinton told me not to be discouraged as I had a great week. I now look forward to my final eight days in which each of them will be fully in my hands.

The Champ is Here!!

Day 16 (51) - Monday April 25, 2011

After a nice relaxing week-long spring break, it was back-to-school for the final 18 day stretch of my student teaching experience! It is hard to believe that in less than one month, not only will student teaching have been completed, but I will have graduated from SUNY Cortland with my undergraduate degree in physical education. However, in order to get to that point, I need to continue to shape the children at Ridge Elementary School into physically educated individuals. This week would be an important turning point in my student teaching experience as we would begin to assess the students under the President's Challenge at the end of the week. In order to get the students focused on the impending assessment, I adopted a new phrase for the week; it is time to get serious. I needed to have them all focus on their exercises and practice as if they were being assessed in every practice. At this age, it is not very difficult to motivate children however I felt it necessary to go a little beyond what was necessary in order to get them motivated. With the WWE World Heavyweight Championship around my waist, I told the story of my spring break where I won the title by using the very same exercises in which they were performing. I stressed the fact that while someone may or may not be the strongest person, if they practice regularly and set goals, then they can achieve anything. That is the first step in their path to the President's Challenge. As I continue into my teaching career, motivating students to succeed is one of the most important aspects to focus on. I need to show them that they too can reach their goals if they simply set and work toward them. Anything is possible for those who want it most.

Day 17 (52) - Tuesday April 26, 2011

Every now and then, everyone goes through bumps in the road that can affect their performance in their everyday lives and responsibilities. With many things in my personal life not going too well, it seemed as if my stress and frustration came out a little bit in my teaching. I would begin each class well; however, as they progressed, each lesson seemed to come off a little stale and a little boring. Ms. Hinton wanted me to stick simply to the basics and not add 'filler' to my speaking during the lesson. Between personal issues and a focus on what I had to say, I lost my composure once in a while and therefore the lesson was adversely affected. Again, I was nit-picking behavior and not being overly positive. Ultimately I fell back upon the words of Stephen Yang from my motor development class (the very class where my teaching journey began); "even with all of your problems and personal convictions, you can never let them show through to your students... each day you need to wear your teaching mask." I now understand these words truer than ever before. The educational experience of the children should not be compromised because I am having a bad day. I need to shake off any worries or concerns at the door and let the energy of the lessons and the students guide my actions. One of the most important things I have discovered is that you must live the lesson and not force the lesson to live your life.

Day 18 (53) - Wednesday April 27, 2011

After two days of bumps in the road, I was back on the highway ready to move forward. In order to mentally get to the place I needed to be, I viewed each class I taught today as the best class in the entire school. Through this, I would be able to utilize all of the components of my personality and teaching skills in order present a quality lesson to the students. Today was the first day of assessing the students for the President's Challenge. The test of the day was for curl-ups. In order to ensure that the students were engaged in some sort of activity while we were assessing, we implemented stations into the lesson. The testing station was located in the corner and had a bird's eye view of all students within the gymnasium. After a brief introduction, we were off and running and the students provided the skills. Each student in both classes that were assessed met the criteria for either the National or the Presidential awards. This was very enlightening as it was a sign that all of the practice paid off and the students were able to become physically stronger. As a teacher it is a pleasure to see student improvement because it is a product of both parties' collaborative efforts. The adapted physical education class also proved to be a successful lesson as well. Ms. Hinton and I were very satisfied with my improvements since the last few days and I look forward to a strong finish to this experience. It is now safe to say that the champ... is... here!!

Day 19 (54) - Thursday April 28, 2011

I'm sorry but we will not be having physical education class today in the gymnasium. That was the big news story today. There seemed to have been some issues with the gymnasium which made it unusable for the day. Rather than use the gym, we used the school's all-purpose room located down the hall. Unfortunately, this room was a quarter of the size of the gymnasium but we had to make due. We moved select pieces of equipment into the all-purpose room and continued our station rotation and President's Challenge curl-up test. Even with the limited space, the classes still went well and there were very good results on the curl-up test. Some kindergarten students were able to perform over thirty curl-ups in one minute! This situation demonstrated that a teacher has to be ready with alternative plan in the event that their teaching facilities were unusable. When it was decided that we were not to use the gymnasium today, Ms. Hinton immediately sprung into action and we were set up in the all-purpose room within ten minutes. However, not all things went well today. The stations proved to be a little chaotic and it was difficult, as the teacher, to split time between assessing the students and monitoring behavior. After an evaluation at the end of the day, Ms. Hinton and I determined that it was better to eliminate the stations and develop a new course of action for testing. It is sometimes more important to sacrifice activity time to ensure the student's safety.

Day 20 (55) - Friday April 29, 2011

Lights, cameras, action! Oh wait, the lights just went out. That would be how the day would begin. Just before the first class of the day, the electricity in the school went off. And not but five minutes later, the fire alarm went off. While these may seem like detrimental parts of the day, I did get some valuable experiences out of it. This was my first opportunity to bring students out and monitor them during a fire drill. As it turned out, we were outside for quite a while and the kids were becoming restless. However, I did my best to maintain their focus and entertain them in order to keep them quiet. After the fire drill was all over, we were still unable to use the gymnasium for the first half of the day. We continued our curl-up testing for the President's Challenge in the school's all-purpose room. Unlike the previous few days, we no longer used stations in the gymnasium or all-purpose room. We instead had the students sit and watch their classmates perform their exercises during the test. While it seemed as if this would be a poor judgment, it was a necessary one. Students were in one area where I was able to observe them and know that they were safe. We stretched in-between tests and ran outside so that they were somewhat active. It is a fair trade-off to have a few classes of inactivity rather than a few classes of chaotic mayhem. In my future, I need to ensure that I develop teaching environments conductive to safety and activity.

Before You Leave for Spring Break, Let's Learn Some History!

Day 11 (46) - Monday April 11, 2011

Since we are doing the President's Challenge test preparation, I figured that this could be a good opportunity to teach the students about some of the Presidents of the United States. Unlike the physical education teacher in The Simpsons, I will be much more patient and not penalize incorrect answers! I decided to incorporate the 'President of the Day' into each lesson. I would select a President who had contributed to the field of fitness in some way and also focus on some of the lesser known Presidents in order to expand the students' knowledge. The first candidate was President Dwight D. Eisenhower (34th). What makes President Eisenhower special in the field of fitness is not simple his athletic days at West Point. President Eisenhower was the man who developed the President's Council on Youth Fitness in 1956 (currently known at the President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition). Having noticed that European children were healthier and more physically fit than American children, Eisenhower established the council which would eventually create the President's Challenge under Lyndon B. Johnson's Presidency. I feel that it is important for these children to not simply perform the content but also to understand why they are performing it and how the program came to be. Throughout the unit, I will look for more ways to incorporate these teachable moments.

Day 12 (47) - Tuesday April 12, 2011

Nothing says you're struggling as a teacher until a kindergarten student flips you off. Needless to say, I addressed the situation and discovered that she did not know what the gesture meant and was only mimicking what she had seen others do outside of school. Needless to say this was a minor, unimportant issue that I simply laughed off after school. However, there I did not have control of the students in that same class. They were noisy, unruly, and, as Ms. Hinton said to me afterward, they were in control of the class at certain points. This was truly the first time I sat a class down and let them know how upset I was with them and disappointed in their actions. Generally, I tend not to hand out consequences unless students are blatantly not following directions. Due to their overbearing and disrespectful actions, I had to sit them about and talk to them about respect and my role as a teacher. I am there to teach them not to play with them. Due to this we were unable to perform all of the exercises, however, it was the faults of both parties. From this session, I know that I must begin to lay out expectations and potential consequences or rewards immediately at the beginning of class (this is what I want... if you do it we can play this... if you do not then this will happen...). In order to get the respect of the students, I need to be personable, but also authoritative.

Day 13 (48) - Wednesday April 13, 2011

As we had reached the middle of the week, I was met with a surprise when I arrived at school in the morning. Ms. Hinton had an appointment in the middle of the day and would only be in school up until noon. She requested that I not stay with a substitute as she did not want me to interact with the students without her guidance and gave me permission to leave. After consideration, I accepted the offer to leave. After all, I would not receive adequate feedback otherwise and the safety of the children was a priority. I only taught one class today and it proved to be a rather successful one. We were able to run outside and complete all of our exercises. However, the students were a little noisy which caused me to switch unconsciously into authoritative mode in order to regain their attention. After class Ms. Hinton said that I am now focusing too much on the consequences and discipline. She discovered me identifying kids for the smallest errors and waiting for the class to become 'perfect' before continuing. In order to be a successful and effective teacher, I must find an even balance for disciplinary measures and the flow and control of the class. Otherwise, I will lean too far to one side and the students will be negatively impacted.

Day 14 (49) - Thursday April 14, 2011

After a rainy Wednesday, Thursday proved to be the day the school was able to hold their 'unity day'. This outdoor assembly generally ran over the allotted time and one of the classroom teachers asked Ms. Hinton if she could have their physical education class later in the day. Therefore the first class of the day would start a little later. With a ring of the phone, we discover Terry Phelan, my college supervisor, dropped by for an observation. With my assigned classes not starting until later in the day, I taught a different class for my observation. I had not taught this particular class before, however, I had observed them and it was generally a well-behaved and respectful kindergarten class. This would be their first day running outside so I had a little bit to explain in the introduction. They all listened intently and were excited to go back outside. This was the first class of the week to run the correct route outdoors for the quarter-mile! I made sure I gave explicit directions and they seemed to have understood it fully. Overall, I would say this was my best teaching experience at Ridge Elementary. Afterward, Terry said "they all had their eyes glued on you and I think you may have found where you should be." This was an excellent start to the day and carried over into the other classes.

Day 15 (50) - Friday April 15, 2011

Friday. The last day before spring break. The students were excited about getting out of school and going on vacation. However, it was still my job to make them physically fit before they left! One student said it best during an introduction, "we need to listen to the teacher because we are still in school and we need to get strong." This set the tone for many of the classes and had gotten the children excited about the day. It was beautiful out so we were able to go outside and run the quarter-mile during each class. However, that one statement from earlier in the day did not carry over to all classes. Friday is generally full of kindergarten classes and they get easily distracted. Talking in little whispers became a big issue both inside and outside. From my experiences earlier in the week, I knew I had to be firm with them and hand out discipline where appropriate. I had learned that with regularly mentioning the amount of time remaining, and the possibility of losing a paw print or game, it refocuses the students. However, I need to develop a means to never let them lose focus at all. The creative story lessons have been working, but now I think it's time for more props and word selection to full immerse the students. Ms. Hinton said that all student teachers hit a rough stretch of the road but it clears up quickly once you regain control of the wheel.

Hey Ridge Kids! I'm Back from California and the President has a Challenge!

Day 6 (41) - Monday April 4, 2011

After a week on the west coast it was back to work on the eastern seaboard. I had only had one week of experience in this school before I had left for California so I needed to get back into the elementary teaching mentality. Perhaps the best part of the day was how excited the students were to see me back in school. I had only met them for one week but they treated me as if I had been their teacher all year. This was a wonderful welcome back to school and I was immediately confident of the next few weeks. Today was the first day of the President's Challenge unit. In this unit, the students would practice their curl-ups, pull-ups, sit-and-reach, quarter-mile run, and shuttle run each class session until the completion of the unit in the beginning of May. Ms. Hinton explained it to me as, "they had fun all year with scooter highway, the obstacle course, parachutes, etc., and now it's time for them to work!" I had selected this unit as the one in which I would perform my student teacher work sample upon. I selected a first grade class and broke the assessment period into two days; curl-ups, pull-ups, and sit-and-reach would be today. While it was a little disorganized and chaotic at times, I was able to gather all of the information I needed for these first three tests. I need to ensure that the pre-assessment remains organized in order to gather what I need.

Day 7 (42) - Tuesday April 5, 2011

The pre-assessment resumed today with the first grade class. During my first week in the elementary school, I observed each class in order to determine which class it would be that I would perform the assessment upon. All of the classes were different based upon skill level. I determined I would assess first grade rather than kindergarten in order to facilitate the process. After careful examination of each first grade class, I selected the one I thought would benefit the most out of the experience. Today we assessed the quarter-mile run and the shuttle run. These were two of the more difficult tests to manage so I put them on the same day were there would be enough time for both. For the quarter-mile run, I needed to explain the rules about running outside as well as the course for the students to follow. With the shuttle run, I needed to describe how the test was performed without giving hints on how to run it. Needless to say, there was confusion in both of the assessments. During the pre-assessment, I am not supposed to tell students how to perform the task but merely demonstrate how to the activity. As we progress into the unit, I need to ensure that I am describing, in detail how to do each exercise in order to be successful.

Day 8 (43) - Wednesday April 6, 2011

Prior to the beginning of the unit, I knew that we would be doing the same activities and exercises each class session. After all, in order to perform well on the President's Challenge one must practice each of the tests in order to improve their skills. For children in kindergarten and first grade (and students of all ages for that matter), lessons can become redundant when you are doing the same things day in and day out. Therefore, I decided that in order to keep the students' attention throughout the entire lesson, I had to alter some of my teaching style. First, I decided to make each lesson a story and enlist the class as the characters (i.e. pirate-in-training, detective school, etc.). Even though we would be performing the same activities, the story was different and they perceive is as an entirely different experience. This will help me maintain their attention great a positive and fun learning environment. Secondly, I need to offer them some kind of incentive for good behavior (i.e. a game at the end of class, a paw print for the class, or individual cub cash). This way, they are working toward a common and individual goal at the end of class. I feel that as a result of these changes, there will be an improvement in behavior as well as physical fitness level.

Day 9 (44) - Thursday April 7, 2011

Toward the end of the day, it was time to teach the adapted physical education class. Throughout the week, they had all been on their very best behavior and I was looking forward to the class. Generally, each class session for this class is the same; exercises and stretching in the beginning and then ten minutes of free activity time. In the target unit, it was simple as they would go to a station and rotate throughout the gymnasium. Now, however, it was up to me to decide which activities would fill in that remainder of time. Today I decided to have each student and their one-on-one take a hula-hoop and a ball. The one-on-one would hold the hoop and the student would throw or roll the ball through. I was paired up with a student who was a little apprehensive at first to play but eventually did so. When it came time to clean up, he did not want to do so. He began crying and would not relinquish the equipment. He would run through the gymnasium yelling and screaming. Eventually, I was able to calm him down and get him to line-up and leave with his class. These classes take a lot of patience combined with assertiveness in order to get the students to listen. While this was undoubtedly one of my more difficult teaching experiences, it nonetheless helped to strengthen my abilities.

Day 10 (45) - Friday April 8, 2011

In the blink of an eye it seemed as if the week had flown by! Friday is generally a day with numerous kindergarten classes so I need to be a little more attentive to their behavior to ensure that they are listening and remained focused. Throughout the day, I noticed that many students would lose focus when I demonstrated all of the exercises (except pull-ups). I eventually formulated a way in which to combat this. During the last class of the day, I would call upon students randomly to come up and demonstrate the activities in front of the class. Generally, I would select students whom I knew could perform the exercises exceptionally well and those students whom I had noticed at the ones to lose focus during introductions. This helped immensely to keep the class attentive and prompted students to want to volunteer. One of the features I focused on was a positive learning environment. After each student would perform the exercise, I would encourage the class to applaud their abilities and 'bravery' to be in front of the class performing. I want all students to feel comfortable in class and have a positive outlook on physical education. I still demonstrated the pull-ups as many students could not perform one (and I liked hearing the oohs and ahhs when I was demonstrating!). Perhaps the best thing I heard today was a student telling me that they want to be as strong as me because I am their hero. This was an excellent note to leave the week upon!

Maybe it's the Power Trying to Come Back On?

Day 1 (36) - Monday March 21, 2011

Do you feel that? Is there something coming? Sometimes you don't have to see something to know it is coming. That is exactly what I walked in expecting at Ridge Elementary School. After 8 weeks of teaching 11th and 12th grade students, it was time to begin the next 8 weeks of teaching kindergarten and first grade students. And unlike high school students, these children were all ecstatic to be in physical education class. My cooperating teaching, Ms. Beverly Hinton, was beginning the target unit today which is a culmination of the acquired skills of the overhand, underhand, and Frisbee throws. As soon as the kids walked in the gymnasium, their eyes lit up at all the stations set up for them to us. However, being that this was the first day, each station needed to be explained beforehand giving them limited, albeit some, playing time in the end. The teaching load was more than the high school where I taught 5 classes. Here at Ridge, in one day the physical education teacher can teach as many as 8 classes. By the end of the day, Ms. Hinton felt it time for me to give it a shot and teach the last class of the day. Even though I was a little nervous, I gave it my best and had the kids' attention the entire time. Ms. Hinton gave me a positive review and I look forward to working with her for the duration of this experience. Just as I stated earlier, even though I can tell when the kids are coming by a glass of water, I know not to expect the roar of the mighty tyrannosaurus but rather bright smiles and positive attitudes.

Take a look at the first edition of The Park Center Enquirer: Ridge Edition!!

Day 2 (37) - Tuesday March 22, 2011

You're not going to learn how to teach unless you go up in front of a class and give it a shot. This seems to be Ms. Hinton's philosophy with student teachers! Since I already completed my experience in the high school, she is gradually increasing the number of classes I am teaching each day starting yesterday and proceeding through today. I taught a kindergarten class and a first grade class. It would be the first time the kindergarten class was introduced to the target unit, and the second day of the target unit for the first grade class. I felt very comfortable in front of both classes and did my best to keep their attention all the while explaining what I needed to say. The kindergarten class was a little rough to teach. All of this was new to them and I tried to explain too much to them rather than simplify everything so that they could grasp the concepts easier. Things went better in the first grade class as I connected psychically with Dr. Kniffin and applied some of the teaching tactics he taught us to this class. Following each lesson, Ms. Hinton was ready with a list of things, both positive and negative aspects, regarding the lesson. This form of constructive feedback is extremely valuable to me. She is the veteran teacher and I take every word she says and I apply it to the very next lesson I teach. With her support and input, I can already tell that this experience will improve my teaching abilities vastly!

Day 3 (38) - Wednesday March 23, 2011

Even though I am three days into my placement at Ridge Elementary School, it is still proving to be a rather tedious transition and adjustment. This does not include the difference in age of the students but rather the later start time of the school, the increased workload of class periods, change in scenery/coworkers, and transport to the high school at the end of the day. However this will all hopefully fade as I continue my experience here at Ridge. Ms. Hinton and Ms. Rosenthal have both been very welcoming and I am very appreciative of that. It is nice to see the two of them teach together with the combined classes (a much more manageable number of 32 compared to the 50-60 in a high school combined class). With this being day three, Ms. Hinton had me teach three classes today. I taught one combined class, one first grade class, and one adapted physical education class. The two former classes went very well with the first grade class being hailed by Ms. Hinton as my best one yet. However, the adapted physical education class, my first experience since my course at Cortland, proved to be a little more challenging to instruct. There were only five in the class but it was quite a bit to handle. It was easy for students to fall off task or not listen to directions. Transitions proved difficult as well as explanations. Ms. Hinton said I handled it well but I know I can do better. For next time, I know that I need more patience and a stronger game-plan.

Day 4 (39) - Thursday March 24, 2011

On day four at Ridge Elementary School that meant it was time for me to teach four of the seven of Ms. Hinton's classes. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, Ms. Rosenthal, the other physical education teacher, is up in the intermediate center teaching which leaves all classes in the hands of Ms. Hinton and as of now my hands as well. Each class I would teach and Ms. Hinton would sit back as if she were a fly on the wall observing and taking notes. For the most part, the classes were all very well behaved today. One class of note started off very well but quickly fell off track behaviorally. They began class quietly, finished warm-ups quickly, and listened while I told directions. However, when it can time to play, they were loud and not responsive to some directions. I did my best to get them back on task using negative reinforcement to ween them off the undesirable behaviors by praising the positive. It seemed to work but I still think it could have gone better. Directions and guidelines need to be laid out at the beginning of class and reinforced throughout the class session. Next time, I will be sure to focus on this. On a side note, I had another adapted physical education class today and it went great! The students were very responsive and cooperative with my directions and instruction. Ms. Hinton commended me on a job well done and I look forward my next experience with them!

Day 5 (40) - Friday March 25, 2011

It is the end of the first week at Ridge Elementary School! Surprisingly, this week went extremely quick. It has been quite the fun week. Not but one week ago, I was doing my best to get high school students to get up and jog around the gym and now I am trying to get students to focus so we can get to their favorite games and activities. In the high school, physical activity seemed to be a punishment and sitting out was a blessing. It's totally opposite in the elementary school. The students just want to play! Due to having less classes and two teachers, I did not max the week out at five classes taught. But rather I taught three. Since it was Friday and the weather was beautiful, the kids were excited for the weekend and to get outside. My main focus was to get them to focus! And it all went pretty well today. I am inching closer and closer to completing my elementary teaching style. I am more animated, goofy, and, most importantly, stern when I need to be. The kids have grown to respect me and Ms. Hinton told me this was the best first week for a student teacher she has had in years! One drawback of the elementary school is the lack of conversation outlets. In the high school, there were 14 teachers and various others who would come to chat. In the elementary school, it's two teachers and the seldom visitor if any. I seem to notice that there is an abundance of female teachers. This is something that I will get adjusted to in time. I look forward to my future weeks here at Ridge Elementary School but first, it's time to head to San Diego!