In looking over my responses to the unit that we are designing, I found the big picture or the essential question very easy to answer. Being a PE teacher that put alot of emphasis on personal fitness, I constantly encorporate various levels of fitness into most of my lessons. This is done through various body and equipment exercises. My unit that I will be designing is based on circuit training. With that in mind, the big picture when we introduce this unit is to allow students to lead a healthy lifestyle through exercise that will give them the best opporunity to live longer. The essential question is how can this knowledge help you to lead an optimal lifestyle? Another essential question is how does your health effect other people in your environment?
Specific questions relating to the topic are best on how a technique can be used to help you and how wrong techniques can harm you. I am continiuously reinforcing the need for correct technique so they understand what helps and what harms. What specific body parts are being trained through various exercises and how can these exercises help you to become better in areas of sports and performance. Also knowledge of the four areas of physical fitness.
What the students can do from this information is formulate a fitness plan that can be used to better their own fitnness level. What exercises can I do to help me become more physically fit. They will also determine a fitness plan that can help them become a better athlete by determining what areas they need to focus on. i.e a gymnast might need to work on strength and flexibility. Other objectives are an understanding of caloric expeditures as well as proper nutrition. These concepts are introduced in health and reinforced during this unit. Ablity to properly rehydrate is also an objective.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Monday, November 19, 2007
Question 1 and 2
1. I am fortunate enough to be in a position where I am given freedom to create and fine tune a curriculum because my supervisors have faith in me as an educator. I admit that being a health and phys ed teacher might have some more leaniency than math or english, but we are still required to perform our job, just like any other professional. When we develop curriculum we take into account three major factors. They are: the goals and philosophies of the distrcit, the NJ state health CCCS, and most importantely, what we think is neccessary for the mental, physical, and social development of the students.
For example, our phys ed curriculum is based greatly around personal fitness. I know that this is a big component of the CCCS, but we do everything in our power to incorporate fitness into all lessons that is practical, relevant, and up to date. Majority of our budgeted material is spent on equipment that will solidify our belief that fitness needs to be incorporated constantly into a great phys ed curriculum. Our district goals have backed our beliefs. In fact we had a building goal that was created, monitored, and completed within the last three years that was based on tracking students fitness levels from when the entered 6th grade until they left 8th grade. These fitness tests were self developed with similarities to that of the Presidential Physical Fitness Test. This monotoring of fitness levels throughout their middle school years becomes a test within itself. We are always coming up with ways to improve these levels through varies techniques, procedures, and implimentation.
2. Being in Phys Ed. there is no standardized test developed for this subject. I do empathize with the teachers that have to deal with these demands. I guess phys ed teachers are lucky, in this sense. Even though we are not part of a standardized test, we measure students scores by means mentioned above. So therefore, our curriculum is somewhat assessment centered. Our curriculum is equally knowledge centered in that we require them to know somekind of knowledge that is based around our PE goals. Most of this knowledge has to do with various techniques, guidelines and rules inolved in our PE units. our curriculum is centered mostly on the learner. It is our main goal for the individual to become better as a whole, not just physically. Sure the physical part is huge, but we encourage all students to learn how to interact with everybody, use teamwork skills, problem solving skills, and challenge yourself to become better in all areas of your life. Understanding yourself and how you can improve becomes a focal point of our curriculum.
We have the students design a fitness program that they think will improve their personal fitness and help others achieve higher levels. Every student is put into a leadership osition so they learn to accomodate all individuals working for a common goal. The students are put into a position of authority as well when they are required to act as referees. Here they learn to be vocal, take command, and resolve any conflicts. It is an uncomfortable position at first, but then they understand what it feels like to be on the other side.
I think the number one thing I would want to change is the way in which the higher level athlete progresses during their years in our curriculum. Just like Math has high level thinkers, PE has high level achievers. I believe we do a great job of allowing the "lesser" athletes to improve. In fact, statistically, the greatest amount of improvement occurs from people who came in with a lesser fitness level. What I believe we fall short on, is the progress of the students who come in with higher levels of fitness. I think by incorporating more complex activities for the higher level student, we can change this for the better.
For example, our phys ed curriculum is based greatly around personal fitness. I know that this is a big component of the CCCS, but we do everything in our power to incorporate fitness into all lessons that is practical, relevant, and up to date. Majority of our budgeted material is spent on equipment that will solidify our belief that fitness needs to be incorporated constantly into a great phys ed curriculum. Our district goals have backed our beliefs. In fact we had a building goal that was created, monitored, and completed within the last three years that was based on tracking students fitness levels from when the entered 6th grade until they left 8th grade. These fitness tests were self developed with similarities to that of the Presidential Physical Fitness Test. This monotoring of fitness levels throughout their middle school years becomes a test within itself. We are always coming up with ways to improve these levels through varies techniques, procedures, and implimentation.
2. Being in Phys Ed. there is no standardized test developed for this subject. I do empathize with the teachers that have to deal with these demands. I guess phys ed teachers are lucky, in this sense. Even though we are not part of a standardized test, we measure students scores by means mentioned above. So therefore, our curriculum is somewhat assessment centered. Our curriculum is equally knowledge centered in that we require them to know somekind of knowledge that is based around our PE goals. Most of this knowledge has to do with various techniques, guidelines and rules inolved in our PE units. our curriculum is centered mostly on the learner. It is our main goal for the individual to become better as a whole, not just physically. Sure the physical part is huge, but we encourage all students to learn how to interact with everybody, use teamwork skills, problem solving skills, and challenge yourself to become better in all areas of your life. Understanding yourself and how you can improve becomes a focal point of our curriculum.
We have the students design a fitness program that they think will improve their personal fitness and help others achieve higher levels. Every student is put into a leadership osition so they learn to accomodate all individuals working for a common goal. The students are put into a position of authority as well when they are required to act as referees. Here they learn to be vocal, take command, and resolve any conflicts. It is an uncomfortable position at first, but then they understand what it feels like to be on the other side.
I think the number one thing I would want to change is the way in which the higher level athlete progresses during their years in our curriculum. Just like Math has high level thinkers, PE has high level achievers. I believe we do a great job of allowing the "lesser" athletes to improve. In fact, statistically, the greatest amount of improvement occurs from people who came in with a lesser fitness level. What I believe we fall short on, is the progress of the students who come in with higher levels of fitness. I think by incorporating more complex activities for the higher level student, we can change this for the better.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Yes but...
In reading ch. 13 I related well to the scenario about education and a visit to the Dr.'s office. When we go to a the office we become fixated on the results, sometimes thinking if we watch what we eat and exercie a few weeks before the check-up, we will see good results. Which in fact is far from the truth. A healthy lifestyle will need to consistantely occur to have the overall healthy effects we want. Just like education, state mandated tests are only concerned with the results. They don't care about the process through with the knowledge is achieved. The effective and engaging form of teaching that results in the greatest amount of learning get frequetely overlooked because it might not provide the best practice for standardized tests.
The part about comparing the curriculum and the textbook I found interesting. Many teachers either teach to the textbook, or teach to the curriculum. Seldomly do both overlap. As it says, the textbook is a reference. It summarizes knowledge. Standardize testing reminds me of teaching to the textbook. Rote memorization in a particular order. Little room for personal syntehsize and formulation of one's answers. As a young, inexperienced teacher, I found myself using the textbook as curriculum, instead of a resource. Once I started to use outside resources more and less textbook, I found my classes to be more invigorating for myself,but more importantly, my students.
The part about comparing the curriculum and the textbook I found interesting. Many teachers either teach to the textbook, or teach to the curriculum. Seldomly do both overlap. As it says, the textbook is a reference. It summarizes knowledge. Standardize testing reminds me of teaching to the textbook. Rote memorization in a particular order. Little room for personal syntehsize and formulation of one's answers. As a young, inexperienced teacher, I found myself using the textbook as curriculum, instead of a resource. Once I started to use outside resources more and less textbook, I found my classes to be more invigorating for myself,but more importantly, my students.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Process vs. product continued
I am currentley the head coach of my high school's baseball team. Being the head coach, I continuously receive numerous emails, magazines, etc talking about the game of baseball. I get info on how to become a better picther, hitter, and many other aspects of baseball. But one of the emails that I get deals with the mental side of baseball. After the Red Sox came back to beat the Indians, I received an very interesting email that reminded me of curriculum class. Here is an excerpt from the article:
Did you hear the Bosox talk about how they won? "We played
one game and one pitch at a time," they sang in chorus.
They focused on the process, not the outcome.
Now we get to see who can stay focused on the process of
playing and emotionally under control while the outcome
they've been dreaming of their whole lives dangles in front
of their noses.
Right there for me to see was the two words that we talked about in class; process and product. I realized that these two words could be used for many different facets, other than just curriculum or education. I believe that the Red Sox won because they worried about the process and not just the victory of one game or the whole series.
I relate this to education because too many people want to know what the outcome of grades or standardizing questions are. They don't worry about the important thing, how do they get to that point. And maybe the process makes for a beter learner or more importantely a better person. I believe a lifelong learning will benefit more from understanding of the process than simply the end result. This is why cheating becomes such a big problem. Too many students only want to hand in the end result. They don't realize that the process to achieve the final grade is what is important in their edcation.
Did you hear the Bosox talk about how they won? "We played
one game and one pitch at a time," they sang in chorus.
They focused on the process, not the outcome.
Now we get to see who can stay focused on the process of
playing and emotionally under control while the outcome
they've been dreaming of their whole lives dangles in front
of their noses.
Right there for me to see was the two words that we talked about in class; process and product. I realized that these two words could be used for many different facets, other than just curriculum or education. I believe that the Red Sox won because they worried about the process and not just the victory of one game or the whole series.
I relate this to education because too many people want to know what the outcome of grades or standardizing questions are. They don't worry about the important thing, how do they get to that point. And maybe the process makes for a beter learner or more importantely a better person. I believe a lifelong learning will benefit more from understanding of the process than simply the end result. This is why cheating becomes such a big problem. Too many students only want to hand in the end result. They don't realize that the process to achieve the final grade is what is important in their edcation.
Monday, October 15, 2007
More
As a phys ed teacher I like reading the first part of the article titled Countering Standardization. As we discussed in class last week, the article was referring to the product oriented educators who care only about scores and want to eliminate some of the "non academic" areas like art, music and phys ed. I applaud the author for proclaiming this as a myth and providing some ways to dispell this myth. The educators involved failed to see what was best for all the children involved. The care was mostly for their own egos.
Bullying
Alot of the information in the bullying article was neither surprising or new to me. At the first in service day for the new school year I chose to go to the session dealing with bullying. Our district, as with other districts, has really inforced this policy. The goal in our district was to familiarize more teachers with the information reguarding bullying. While I was reading this article, I began to go over the statistics and relate them to the middle school that I teach in. I was surprised that more 7th graders felt bullied than 8th graders. But these were taken from only three schools. If you factor in more schools, these stats might change. The reason for this surprise was from my viewings as a middle school teacher for 10 years. In my experiences I have found more 8th graders who bully, especially the girls. These girls follow the same stats as the article. Instead of physical bullying, I witness more mental bullying. Leaving people out, talking behind backs, nasty attitudes, etc. are all common in adolescent girls. As the article pointed out, many of these girls are consoled by friends or classmates whom are girls.
One part of information I was surprised was ommitted was the amount of bullying that goes on via technology. It is a big problem because many bullies feel more comfortable in this element because there is no confrontation and might not see the response of the victim causing some remorse. In the future you will see these numbers growing at alarming rates.
One part of information I was surprised was ommitted was the amount of bullying that goes on via technology. It is a big problem because many bullies feel more comfortable in this element because there is no confrontation and might not see the response of the victim causing some remorse. In the future you will see these numbers growing at alarming rates.
Monday, October 8, 2007
Process vs. Product
One of the last paragraphs from the Mullen reading mentions that most people in education would agree that the major goal of education is to improve the profession and student learning. Reguardless of whether you believe in process or product, the ultimate goal is to help the children in anyway we can. Whether it's in our teachings or life occurrances, most people in this profession are in it for the students. With that in mind, I agree with the curriculum developers that believe in process as the main means of learning. To start my point, I am going to talk about Conant, a proponant of product. He emphasizes the need of a greater influx of math and science and elimination of other non-academic areas, because they don't offer as much as the previously mentioned subjects. Being in a non-academic area, I find this to be appaling, because you are taking away areas that people can excel at. Whether it's phys ed, art, shop, etc, all of these areas allow people to experience excellence that might not comein math and science. I think Conant developed this rationale because he was comparing the US to other countries. Sometimes I think this is the rationale of people who develop our educational guidelines.
The two curriculum theorist that have the best views, in my opinion, are Thorndike and Bruner. The theories I agree with are that students have to have a connection with the facts to experience the neccassary learning. I believe children need to connect with the information to want to learn and continue to try and educate themselves. If they are force-feed than learning can be minimal and roadblocks will be encountered.As teachers we have all experienced lessons that go real smooth because the students find relivance to the materials being taught. We also have experienced the lows when students are bored or distant because of negative experiences related to the topic.
The two curriculum theorist that have the best views, in my opinion, are Thorndike and Bruner. The theories I agree with are that students have to have a connection with the facts to experience the neccassary learning. I believe children need to connect with the information to want to learn and continue to try and educate themselves. If they are force-feed than learning can be minimal and roadblocks will be encountered.As teachers we have all experienced lessons that go real smooth because the students find relivance to the materials being taught. We also have experienced the lows when students are bored or distant because of negative experiences related to the topic.
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