Teaching Physical education needs to be looked at differently by the audience who you are teaching to. Teaching games and activities to youngsters, in my opinion should be kept at a very simple level. I believe the object of teaching the youngest of kids is to make sure they have fun doing the activities and want to be active. Physical education should be a student centered course that allows for students to experience a lot of learning and realize the benefits of a physically active and healthy lifestyle. This builds a love for sports and a solid foundation to want to maintain their health later in life. PE needs to educate, encourage and help students to improve their physical fitness. It should be a course that includes everyone and all participants are welcome, encouraged and feel safe. Physical education also needs to educate students on the basic movement patterns to help them build a solid base which allows for safe participation in lifelong physical activity. It needs to be adaptive and occasionally challenging so that all skill levels and learning capacities are accommodated. Physical education should teach fun and health but also many other important life skills; teamwork, goal-setting, respect, communication and responsibility. Children should be taught the skills through the games and activities during class and then take them out into their lives away from school.
Once the children grow up a bit and gain an understanding of certain sports and decide they enjoy playing that particular sport a more competitive approach can be brought in and followed. More advanced techniques and strategies can be practiced to perfection. Discipline and sacrifice also become very important skills later in sports.
The students should have the right to be taught by someone who lives an active life themselves and not just someone who preaches it. The Physical Educator should be able to deliver the curriculum in an effective way as well as teach useful strategies and show some understanding for the game or sport being taught. The teacher should be able to answer the questions of the students or be able to find the answer to the question. The teacher should act as a facilitator and help students in achieving objectives and goals.
Lastly, again it is essential to just reiterate that physical education should be fun, exciting, and challenging for all students involved!
Does our philosphy change as children age or do our teaching methods change?? We may become more advanced in our skill acquisition but typically what we view as important doesn't necessarily change. Children who can interact in a positive manner, respect others, persevere, take risks, are honest and act with integrity tend to be characteristics that we would like to children to have no matter what age group we teach. I like how you say that the teacher needs walk the walk and act as a facilitator to growth. Very good post!!
ReplyDelete