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EDUCATION
CYCLE OF PE NEEDS A CHANGE: HOW TO USE
TOOLS FOR A MORE PRODUCTIVE PE
By Kim
Nygaard, Peninsula Heritage School,
California
 What
is the meaning of "the Education
Cycle needs a change?"
In the past
few years I have come to realize that
something needed to change. After 30
years of teaching PE and coaching I
felt most of my time in class was spent
re-directing children, consoling children
when they lost the game, or teaching
them how to tie shoes. I felt that at
least 5-10 minutes was used in a way
that was not productive, especially
when evaluating students' skills. Though
these skills are important, I felt that
waiting for children to be quiet, re-directing
children back into activities, listening
to complaints of "I’m too
tired to play, it's too hot, or I don't
want to play that game," my frustration
levels were growing and I knew that
I needed a change.
 I
didn't feel like a professional in my
field of training, I felt more like
a babysitter. I knew in order for me
to use my expertise to educate the children
in the field of fitness I needed to
change something before I burned out.
I wasn't sure if it was my discipline
techniques, the level of skills I was
teaching, or the naïve feeling
that all children already know how to
fall, how to dodge, and how to tag in
activities and games that made me feel
this way. I wondered why so much of
my time was consumed by involving the
children in play or skill activities,
and not actually teaching the skill.
The bell would ring and I would ask
myself "What did I accomplish this
period?"
I have always
kept children moving in PE. I worked
on skills. I brought adventure into
games, and different kinds of styles
of movement in my classes, but I had
to take a step back when I realized
this level of re-directing didn't just
happen with my younger children. It
was happening with the primary level
also (grades 3-5th ).
Times have
and are changing. Children have too
many obstacles in their pathway to play.
Children's technological world has grown
and has over taken fitness and health.
The rate of obesity is so alarming.
I guess my expectation of educating
the children in the field of health
and fitness has made me take an important
step back. A step I needed to try and
evaluate what tools I could use to make
a change. After watching my classes
for a couple weeks and observing behavior
and character, I knew what I was missing
and what I needed to change. We all
start our school year in September with
new ideas and goals. We strive for the
best curriculum, and plan out what our
year will bring. I changed that this
year and with confidence I feel this
will work. My change is that instead
of starting my new year in September,
I actually start it in January.
 For
the first few months, September to November,
my goals were to raise levels of discipline
and character, not necessarily physical
skills. I had to realize that these
lessons I was about to teach had nothing
to do with the sport or physical skills
of my classes. I did not put pressure
on myself to teach the skills, and to
make sure I had 100% success at the
beginning of the school year. Rather,
I wanted to make a break-through into
the character and discipline of the
child and of the class.
This was
the time that I would discuss and work
on character. I mean daily lessons.
Not only did we discuss, I also demonstrated
and made the children think about their
choices when it came to respect, rules,
expectations, and following directions
which also concentrated on self control.
I introduced the children to sportsmanship
and how important winning and losing
were, how to tie shoes, how to resolve
conflicts and simple tools used when
there is an argument during class.
In this highly
competitive world, many children could
not handle losing a game. I developed
activities and situations where children
did lose. I treated losing not as a
"bad" word but a word that
is a necessity in everyone's life. I
taught the children that losing is a
good thing if they were able to take
a step out of their comfort zone and
try a new skill or sport. I taught them
that losing is a process needed in order
to get better and become successful.
We actually
started a program last year at our school
where we divided the whole school into
2 teams. The Maroon team and the Grey
team. We kept points for PE competitive
games, Acts of kindness, Spirit days,
Walking club and more. We talked about
winning and losing, and that losing
with dignity and winning with grace
were important to all. At the end of
the year only one team received medals.
It was a year long of lesson, and at
the end it was pretty much accepted
by all.
 I
think the parents had more of a difficulty
accepting this character. This gave
me the patience to know I was preparing
the children for more advanced skill
levels in January, including the physical
skills, and at the same time concentrate
on character building. I call this my
"Climbing for Character" education.
My frustration was building daily when
I had to repeat directions 3-4 times
in a class. Now I realize that this
type of education is so beneficial for
the students, and hopefully by January
I will be able to involve the children
in the physical skills at a more productive
rate. During this evaluation period
I still worked on locomotors, jump roping,
dodging and tagging skills, but it relieved
any pressure for me to test these skills
until January. It worked out great.
I kicked
off my PE program in September. Once
October came along I had a better idea
of where I was going. Every October
we hold a Metrics Week at our school.
Each year there is a different theme
and I continue with that theme throughout
the year in PE. This year our theme
was "Ripley's Believe it or Not."
Our Math
Specialist Helen Metzler designs a unique
way to teach all the children about
the metric system. The children were
involved with all types of activities
with the favorite being the Hula Hoop.
We had 2 meter diameter, 1.5 meter,
and a 1 meter diameter hoop for the
children. Believe it or not one of our
3rd grade students did 90 rotations
with the large 2 meter hoop setting
a school record.
 The
enthusiasm of the children sparked me
to put together a book called "Believe
it or Not PHS PE Record Book" with
records for the challenges in PE. The
children love it. I include many of
the activities that I have incorporated
in my program for years. Because of
this simple record book these programs
bring new, exciting motivation to the
games and to the children. We hold a
Cross Country ½ mile run each
month with themed
runs. Each month’s winner
will be put into the book of records.
Other monthly programs are:
September:
1 lap fastest time, 1 lap Estimation
lap (child who can estimate the closest
how long it will take them to run a
lap).
October:
fastest 2 laps, Estimation on 2 laps.
November:
fastest 3 laps, estimation on 3 laps
and so on throughout the year.
What is best
about this is that all the normal skills
we work on will be challenges for our
Record Book. I also asked the students
to suggest challenges and had a great
response for balance, strength, physical
fitness testing skills, jumping and
ball skills. In November I conducted
a Turkey
Triathlon consisting of 3 laps (1/4
mile) run, 25 yard crab walk, and a
50 yard scooter dash. It was a huge
success and the winner for boys and
girls were put into the record book.
In December I will do a December Duo
which will consist of 3 laps (1/4 mile)
run and 5 free throws. This will be
a timed event and winners will also
be placed in the record book.
Every year
I also incorporate a Walking
Club. The walking club is open before
& after school and during recess.
I have different themes for the walking
club. The children love themed adventures
which I feel helps keep the motivation
alive in children, and in me. Last year
I had the Olympic Torch Run, and the
Iditarod Walking club. This year I decided
to do something different and I have
an "Orbiting the Sun" walking
club. The children will try to complete
the Solar System by taking each planet
around the sun.
 We
have a very small track (12 laps= 1
mile) so we start with the closest planet
to the sun which is Mercury. I have
cards for each of the planets with different
amount of laps needed to complete before
moving on to the next planet and different
color cards. If the children complete
the Solar System it will total 52 miles.
The track is busy when the club is open
and we've already had a boy and girl
from 2nd grade complete the Solar System.
Now everyone is on a roll to catch up.
Our school has completed over 300 miles
so far and the club has only been open
for about 1-1/2 months.
In January
I plan to hold a badminton tournament,
February The Amazing Race Adventure,
March Archery Madness, April Physical
Fitness Training & Testing, May-June
my ultimate favorite… Survivor!
I am actually
looking forward to these great New Year
adventures and competitions, and know
I will be able to get even more done.
Once again, I am confident that instead
of feeling frustrated by not getting
much done in the beginning I am getting
more done than is realized. I am educating
the children on all the aspects of discipline
and character. I know that these traits
will be put forward as I begin my new
year. In the end, I am hoping to accomplish
more than expected, and I hope that
I will enjoy the journey along the way.
Chances are, without feeling the early
months of pressure, I will be satisfied
with how much I am able to give the
children. Not only health and fitness
skills, but real life skills with the
confidence needed for their everyday
lives.
If you are
one who puts undo pressure on yourself,
or if you feel a lack of discipline
and character amongst your students,
you may want to try this and see how
it goes. Last month I was a bit frustrated
and not enjoying the process of preparing,
but now I am looking for more ways to
excite the children and bring more to
my program.
Good Luck.
Please give me your feedback.
- Kim
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