4/9/14

Today during my visit to the middle school I was able to observe the 7th grade students playing volley-tennis for the first time in a round robin style tournament. The students all seemed to be really excited about the game and were very competitive with each other. However, this competition was not problematic; the students were able to still maintain sportsman like conduct.

4/8/2014

Today, in Mrs. Anderson's 8th grade physical education classes, I was able to observe two separate classes that both played volley-tennis. After the first class completed their game, the instructor asked the students if they enjoyed the game and would want to play it again. Some students eagerly said, "Yes!" while others were hesitant to say they enjoyed the activity. After the class left, Mrs. Anderson came up to me and said, "You just have to remember that you'll never make everyone happy". I felt that this sentiment could really be applied to the primary classroom. No matter how fun an activity is or how engaging a lesson is, not everyone will enjoy it. It is important to keep this in mind so that as a future classroom teacher, I can incorporate a variety of activities. This way, everyone will have the chance to really enjoy an activity.

4/2/14

Today during my time at Madison Middle School, the students were engaging in a game of soccer; boys versus girls. The student teacher participated in the game on the girls side, as they were one team member short. I thought the component of boys versus girls would add a lot of intensity to the game. It seemed as though the boys were more excited by this concept than their female counterparts. The guys quickly took a commanding lead and didn't let up. Some of the girls played intensely, but for the most part, they stayed back and acted more as observers than players. However, having the student teacher play for the girls team did add an element of intensity to the game as the boys of the class were eager to "show him up."

It was fun for me to see how well the students could work together in teams and how adaptable they were to having the teacher be so involved in their activity. I am hoping, after today's observation, that I can be an involved party when my future students are working on things while still facilitating a learning environment.

4/1/14

My visit to the middle school today was a very educational experience. I had the opportunity to visit with the classroom teacher about her educational experiences and ideologies regarding education. Mrs. Anderson recalled her first day of teaching middle school science and thinking to herself as the students came through the door, "What the heck did I get myself in to." She recounted the lesson planning her first year and the times she felt overwhelmed, as well as the immense amount of learning that took place.

Mrs. Anderson also discussed with me the skill every teacher must possess: the ability to act. Teachers must act like they are excited to be at school even on the days they would rather be elsewhere, they must act like they like all of the students, even those who challenge them daily, and they must act like the person they hope their students will become. Mrs. Anderson told me that there are days that she loves her job, days she wonders why she is a teacher, days where she comes to school and loves her job and leaves feeling differently, and days where she comes and isn't excited to be there, but by the end of the day, she leaves loving her job because of the people she works with and the students she teaches. By the end of our conversation, it was clear how passionate she was about her work and about making a positive impact in the lives of her students.

I left the middle school today with a renewed excitement for my upcoming career and an appreciation for the honest advice and conversation I had with Mrs. Anderson.

3/26/14

On March 26th, I was able to observe Mrs. Anderson's 8th grade physical education class. During my visit, the class was being instructed by the student teacher, Mr. Hertz. This allowed Mrs. Anderson to visit with me while the class was in session.

One of the topics that Mrs. Anderson and I discussed was assessment. We mainly discussed Mrs. Anderson's choices regarding assessment. Her students are not graded on their physical abilities but rather their preparedness and participation. She does administer physical fitness tests; however, these results are not the basis for her student's grades. Mrs. Anderson shared with me that she feels when it comes to athleticism some students "have it or they don't" and that she doesn't want to punish the students who don't even if they try their hardest.

Mrs. Anderson also told me that she makes a point to have positive interactions and create relationships with students who struggle with PE or have a poor attitude about the class. She expressed to me that these students usually have a negative mindset about physical activity so her hope is, through being a positive entity, she can create a positive association with her class for the students.

I felt that what Mrs. Anderson and I discussed could all be applied to a primary classroom, especially her ideas regarding student relationships. School can be challenging for some students, but if the teacher remains a positive aspect of their time at school, they have something to look forward to and enjoy about school.

3/25/14

Today I had the chance to observe two of Mrs. Anderson's 8th grade physical education classes that were being taught by Mr. Hertz, a DSU student teacher. The first class engaged in soccer drills and the game pom-pom-pull away. The second class participated in weight lifting activities.

During my visit, I was able to assist with setting up the cones for a soccer drill, with classroom management during weight training, and after class outside the locker room. During weight training, I assisted some of the students with form and after class I kept the students in their designated area until the bell rang. During this time, I was able to see the impact positive reinforcement can have on a student. I thanked a quiet boy for being so well behaved and he had a smile from ear to ear until the bell rang.

3/19/14

I had the chance to observe Mrs. Anderson's physical education class on March 19th. On this day, the regular classroom teacher and student teacher were both absent so I was able to watch the substitute teacher and the student teacher's university supervisor. The children were playing a game of big base when I got to the school.

The class was a different class than I have observed in the past and brought with them some different characteristics. For example, this group of students was much more competitive than the other classes I have seen. There were also a couple of students who liked to "show off" despite what that meant for their team. One of the rules of big base is that if the ball hits the ceiling, it is an automatic. Two boys would wind up and kick the ball, seemingly as hard as they could, every time it was their turn. Each time they were up, it was an automatic out for their team. Their teammates would comment in disapproval but it had no effect on the boys. Other than that minor behavior, the students were very respectful of the substitute and enjoyed having the university supervisor participating with them.