134 From+Marina+%28Malta%29+%0aSteve+I+will+share+with+you+my+experience+in+my+school%2e+With+2+lessons+a+week+%2830min%29+for+the+4%2d6+year+old+pupils+and+a+double+period+%2860min%29+%2b+30+minute+lesson+for+the+7+year+olds%2c+yeah+I+sure+agree+with+you+that+time+is+a+premium%2e+Yet+I+find+myself+integrating+vocabulary%2c+science%2c+health%2c+techcnology+into+my+lessons+in+a+way+which+I+really+think+ultimately+benefits+my+PE+program+content+whilst+making+it+more+meaningful+and+experiential+for+the+young+learners%2e+Since++I+have+16+classes%2c+I+meet+periodically+with+the+Grade+teachers+to+ensure+continuity++with+what+is+being+done+in+the+classroom%2d+in+deed+there+are+some+health%2fscience+compenents+which+I+tackle+in+the+PE+lesson+and+the+class+teachers+help+me+by+consolidating+the+theme+in+the+classroom%2e+%0aI+find+that+bringing+%26quot%3bacademic%26quot%3b+content+into+the+PE+lesson+does+have+great+benefits+%2dthere+are+some+units+of+work+which+through+PE+we+have+managed+to+provide+an+active+and+constuctivist+approach++which+has+appealed+to+the+pupils+so+much+that+they+have+gone+home+to+further+their+active+practice+and+also+shared+with+their+families+the+%26quot%3bcool%26quot%3b+things+they+have+learnt+in+PE%2e+Indirectly+it+has+served+advocacy+purposes+%2d+some+parents+have+come+to+parents%27+day+telling+me+that+their+child+was+explaining+to+them+about+how+the+skeleton+works+when+they+move%2c+how+the+heart+beats+before%2c+during+and+after+exercise+etc%2e%2e%2e%0aSo+my+idea+is+not+to+throw+integration+into+the+plate+of+the+classroom+teachers%2e+To+tell+you+the+truth+%2c+there+are+now+so+many+additional+requirements+being+made+with+the+new+revised+curriculum+that+they+too+are+really+pressed+for+time%2e+%0aThere+are+just+so+many+health+related+fitness+teaching+concepts+that+we+should+hold+on+to+as+PE+teachers+%2d+what+perhaps+we+can+do+is+elicit+cooperation+from+classroom+teachers+%28who+by+the+way+also+might+value+the+PE+teacher+more+as+an+EDUCATOR+in+their+very+own+right%21%21%2d+far+removed+from+the+days+of+the+%26quot%3bkeep+them+busy%2c+happy+and+good%26quot%3b+type+of+PE+teachers+%29%2e+%0aI+really+think+that+we+are+teaching+the+best+subject+in+the+world+%21+Why+%3f+Because+PE+can+be+such+a+creative+subject+to+teach+both+PE+content%2c+motor+skills+etc%2c+yet+address+also+cognitive+areas%2c+and+affective+learning+areas+%2d+we+really+need+to+teach+in+an+integrated+way+%2d+that+is+what+would+make+what+we+are+teaching+relevant+to+the+life+of+our+pupils%2e+I+hold+that+that+is+far+more+important+than+improving+fitness+test+scores+alone%2e
135 Part+2+%0a%0aWhat+I+have+failed+to+mention+in+the+previous+posting+about+the+existing+collaboration+between+subject+teachers+and+class+teachers+in+my+school%2c+was+that+the+classroom+teachers+have+now+through+the+years%2c+developed+more+confidence+in+wanting+to+integrated+movement+into+their+%26quot%3bacademic%26quot%3b+lesson+content%2e+I+hold+accountable+for+this+less+of+confidence%2c+the+teacher+preparation+programs+which+in+my+own+students+days%2c+comprised+ONE+single+credit+of+elementary+PE+for+those+who+wanted+to+take+on+the+Elementary+Classroom%2e++%0aField+Day+has+for+the+past+6+years%2c+been+a+way+for+me+to+both+show+case+the+PE+program+content%2c+but+it+has+also+been+an+opportunity+for+the+teachers+to+come+down+into+my+lesson+and+join+me+for+the+PE+lessons+for+the+5+weeks+leading+up+to+the+event%2e+The+teachers+have+now+thus+been+able+to+join+me+to+see+what+pedagogical+skills+are+required+for+PE+%2d+skills+do+different+from+the+classroom+arrangement%2c+been+able+to+see+me+and+join+me+to+use+PE+equipment+which+was+previously+%26quot%3balien%26quot%3b+to+them%2e+%0aI+feel+really+good+when+a+class+teacher+comes+to+me+to+borrow+some+equipment+%2d+why+%3f+because+I+know+it+they+are+integrating+more+movementinto+their+lessons+too%2e++%0aThus+I+think+the+secret+lies+in+one+word+%2d+BALANCE%2e
133 Physical+Education+teachers+typically+see+their+students+so+infrequently+that+I+wonder+if+it+is+reasonable+to+expect+us+to+teach+more+than+movement%2dbased+and+health+promoting+activities%2e+While+I+am+convinced+that+movement+activities+can+be+utilized+to+teach+all+types+of+%22classroom%22+content+%28I+don%27t+like+the+phrase+%22classroom+content%22+but+prefer+it+to+%22academic+content%22%29%2c+I+tend+to+think+that+it+should+be+the+regular+classroom+teachers+who+do+more+to+integrate+movement++into+their+learning+activities%2e+Today%27s+students+spend+far+too+much+time+sitting+passively+in+their+classrooms+and+would+respond+with+much+more+enthusiasm+if+teachers+utilized+movement+as+an+instructional+strategy%2e+It+seems+to+me+that+in+the+future%2c+physical+educators+could+serve+a+role+in+our+schools+not+only+as++teachers+of+movement+skills%2c+but+also+as+movement+resource+coordinators+for+regular+faculty%2e+With+their+expert+knowledge+of+movement%2c+physical+educators+are+ideally+placed+to+be+able+to+help+other+faculty+develop+activities+to+enhance+the+learning+of+all+types+of+classroom+content%2e+What+do+you+think%3f
137 Steve+I+believe+that+many+times+I+use+strategies+from+the+%26quot%3bregular%26quot%3b+classroom+to+support+my+instruction+in+Physical+Education%2e++As+Marina+suggests%2c+with+an+established+collaboration+between+the+classroom+teacher+and+myself%2c+we+work+hand+in+hand+to+support+each+other%2e++I+use+writing+a+great+deal+to+check+the+cognitive+understanding+of+my+students+about+certain+areas+in+Physical+Education%2e++I+use+reading+and+writing+to+support+my+jump+rope+unit+by+incorporating+rhymes+into+the+unit%2e++The+students+learn+the+importance+of+rhythm+in+movement+and+reading%2e++Afterall%2c+we+are+learning+each+day+with+brain%2dbased+learning%2c+the+importance+of+movement+into+the+regular+classroom%2e++Physical+Education+can+also+provide+some+of+the+most+%26quot%3bauthentic%26quot%3b+reasons+for+writing+that+can+be+found+in+the+academic+setting%2e++To+answer+your+question%2c+as+long+as+physical+educators+are+establishing+and+reinforcing+their+importance+in+educating+the+%26quot%3bwhole%26quot%3b+child%2c+other+educators+will+respect+and+appreciate+the+importance+of+physical+education+in+a+child%27s+development%2e
138 Here%27s+an+example+of+how+I+think+we+may+be+fooling+ourselves+when+we+claim+to+be+%26quot%3bintegrating%26quot%3b+in+our+physical+education+lessons%3a%0a%0aYesterday%2c+I+watched+a+lesson+called+%26quot%3bBingo+Basketball%2e%26quot%3b+The+students+had+to+take+shots+and+if+they+scored+they+recorded+letters+on+their+bingo+scoring+sheets%2e+Now%2c+do+we+really+think+that+because+the+students+carried+scoring+sheets+and+had+to+write+on+them+that+we+were+integrating+language+arts+into+our+lesson%3f%21+These+were+high+school+students%2e+I+find+it+hard+to+believe+that+it+was+of+great+benefit+to+them+to+learn+the+letters+B%2dI%2dN%2dG%2dO%21+Even+worse%2c+while+completing+this+activity+the+students+were+in+groups+of+about+6+with+one+ball+so+that+most+of+the+time+they++were+rather+inactive%2e+%0a%0aRunning+laps+and+having+the+students+count+how+many+they+do+is+NOT+integrating%2e+True+integration+surely+requires+that+our+activities+complement+what+the+students+are+at+that+time+also+learning+in+the+classroom%2e+I+don%27t+see+much+of+that+and+don%27t+know+that+we+%2d+as+physical+educators+%2d+have+time+to+devote+to+it%2e+The+skill+level+of+most+students+in+physical+education+is+so+low+that+they+need+as+much+time+practicing+skills+as+possible%2e+Trying+to+teach+other+things+seems+unlikely+to+be+successful+and+likely+result+in+us+not+teaching+anything+very+well%2e
168 I+am+concerned+that+when+we+have+children+writing+in+the+gym%2c+bringing+paper+and+pencils+into+the+gym%2c+reading+in+the+gym%2c+measuring+the+circumference+of+the+gym+to+integrate+math%2c+etc%2e+we+are+losing+what+makes+US+unique%2e++We+are+PHYSICAL+educators%2e++We+are+educators+of+the+physical+and+through+the+physical+%28Jesse+Feiring+Williams%29%2e++If+I+had+wanted+to+use+books%2c+paper%2c+and+pencils%2c+I+would+have+become+a+classroom+teacher+%28a+name+I+don%27t+really+like+since+I+have+the+largest+classroom+in+the+school+%2d+hmmm%2c+I+must+be+the+most+important%29%2e++When+I+play+a+game+that+is+movement+based+%28lots+of+action%2c+no+elimination%2c+each+child+enters+at+her%2fhis+own+level%2c+etc%29+that+works+on+auditory+firure%2fground+discrimination%2c+auditory+acuity%2c+auditory+directionality%3b+OR+a+game+that+allows+children+to+generate+alternatives%2c+plan+a+strategy%2c+evaluate%3b+OR+well+I+could+go+on%2e++The+point+is+that+I+don%27t+need+to+become+familiar+with+the+curriculum+of+every+grade+level+in+my+building%2e++If+I+can+use+games+%28movement%29+to+enhance+a+child%27s+ability+to+listen%2c+to+think%2c+to+get+along+with+others+%28social%29%2c+to+be+able+to+better+concentrate%2c+then+I+have+contributed+to+their+ability+to+learn+and+grow%2e++And+I+have+done+so+with+the+tool+that+makes+my+chosen+profession+different+from+the+rest+of+the+building+%2d+MOVEMENT%2e%0a%0aBrian+at+%5ctopurl%7bhttp%3a%2f%2fhometown%2eaol%2ecom%2ffitplay%2findex%2ehtml%2chttp%3a%2f%2fhometown%2eaol%2ecom%2ffitplay%2findex%2ehtml%7d
246 Wow%2c+this+is+so+interesting%2e+A+really+variety+of+opinions%2c+all+equally+valied+and+positive%2e+If+only+people+knew+how+smart+PE+teachers+are+they+wouldn%27t+take+us+for+granted+quite+so+much%2e+%0aI+think+that+this+issue+is+very+deep+and+difficult+to+address+in+a+few+lines+but+for+me%2c+I+am+first+and+foremost+an+educator%2e+I%27m+not+a+sports+coach%2c+or+a+language+teacher%2e+If+you+take+the+philosophy+that+people+learn+in+different+ways+then+surely+we+must+consider+that+even+in+PE+our+students+require+a+variety+of+methods%2e+Some+students+will+learn+%26quot%3bfacts%26quot%3b+and+%26quot%3bskills%26quot%3b+through+%26quot%3bdoing%26quot%3b+others+through+%26quot%3bwords%26quot%3b+some+even+through+%26quot%3brhythm%26quot%3b+etc%2e%2e%2e+%0aYour+philosophy+of+integration+will+have+to+do+with+whether+you+believe+that%2c+at+Elementary+school+level+especially%2c+we+should+be+involved+with+educating+the+%26quot%3bwhole+child%26quot%3b+or+just+%26quot%3bthe+subject+content%26quot%3b%2e+%0aI+too+am+somewhat+concerned+at+the+importance+of+stricking+the+best+possible+balance+between+the+academic%2fcognitive+and+the+physical%2e+The+amount+of+time+you+have+assigned+to+PE%2c+the+philosophy%2c+aims+%26amp%3b+objectives+of+your+program+and+your+situation+with+regards+to+working+alongside+%26quot%3bclassroom%26quot%3b+colleagues+will+probably+vary+enormously%2e+%0aI+hope+that+people+will+continue+to+add+to+this+discussion+as+I+find+it+very+interesting%2e%0aPersonally%2c+though+I+call+myself+a+Physical+Education+Teacher%2c+I+believe+that+I+am+a+Teacher+first+and+a+Physical+Educator+second%2e
379 As+an+undergraduate+student+in+Physical+Education+at+Kent+State%2c+I+am+learning+that+to+be+an+effective+teacher+it+is+best+to+teach+the+whole+student%2e++It+is+imperative+for+students+to+learn+the+value+of+fitness+from+the+psychomotor%2c+affective+and+cognitive+approaches%2e+I+may+not+have+teaching+experience+thus+far+but+I%27ve+certainly+been+exposed+to+the+realms+of+possibilities+for+Physical+Educators+especially+in+regard+to+integrating+technology%2e+%0a%0aAs+an+elementary+teacher+I+hope+to+incorporate+other+subjects+content+into+my+lesson+plans+by+cooperating+with+other+teachers+at+the+school%2e+I+certainly+agree+that+some+students+lose+out+during+lessons+where+different+subject+content+is+integrated+but+I+believe+that+is+the+fault+of+the+educator%2c+not+the+student%2e++Like+Marina+stated+in+her+posting%2c+its+all+about+balance%2e+If+you+can+balance+your+students+physical+activity+time+with+outside+content+the+two+can+compliment+each+other%2e%0a%0aI+believe+that+the+physical+education+class+provides+an+ideal+environment+for+students+to+develop+their+motor+skills+AND+their+cognitive+and+affective+skills%2e+I+feel+that+if+we+have+the+chance+to+encourage+development+in+all+three+of+these+areas+we+should+act+on+it%2e