Effective Physical Education: Skill Themes, Discipline, and Teaching Styles
Skill Theme Approach Primary emphasis on fundamental motor skill acquisition and competency | Traditional Teaching Primary emphasis on teaching children games, dances, and gymnastics without regard to skill acquisition |
PE focuses on providing learning experiences that are appropriate for the developmental level of the individual child. PE focuses on providing learning experiences that are based on a child’s age and grade. Scope and skill are designed to reflect the needs and interests of students over a period of years. Scope and sequence are designed to teach skill sets in pre-set units of 3 weeks or 6 weeks.
Canter’s Assertive Discipline Model –Published expectations and consequences – Desirable rewards/Undesirable consequences. It involves a high level of teacher control in the class. It is also called the “take-control” approach to teaching, as the teacher controls their classroom in a firm but positive manner. The approach maintains that teachers must establish rules and directions that clearly define the limits of acceptable and unacceptable student behavior, teach these rules and directions, and ask for assistance from parents and/or administrators when support is needed in handling the behavior of students.
Space Awareness Refers to where the body moves. Five aspects: Location – Direction – Levels – Pathways – Extensions – Space
Effort Defines HOW the body moves. Components include Time, Force, Effort
Relationships refers to with whom or with what the body moves. Relationships of body parts – Relationships with people – Relationships with objects and/or people
Assessment is the process of gathering information to make judgments about the products and process of instruction – To provide students with information on their progress and status – To motivate students to improve their performance – To evaluate the curriculum or PE program – To make judgments about the effectiveness of teaching – To place students in an appropriate instructional group
A meaningful assessment that occurs in a real-life setting is called alternative or authentic assessment, e.g.: Student observations, Videotape and digital analysis, Self-assessment.
Routines are specific ways to accomplish certain tasks in a lesson: Start/Stop signal – Cell Phones – Enter gym – Equipment – Exit gym – Grouping
Social responsibility model is a philosophical approach to teaching, focusing on creating personal and social responsibility through physical activity. Steps: Self-Control – Involvement – Self-responsibility – Caring
Skill themes are fundamental movements, later modified into more specialized patterns upon which more complex activities/sports are built.
Movement concept focuses on Space awareness – Effort – Relationships
Proactive Techniques:
Positive interaction: verbal and nonverbal interaction
Eliminating differential treatment: not singling out a student with a reprimand each time they display inappropriate behavior
Prompting: reminding students what to expect of them
Reactive Techniques:
Ignoring inappropriate behavior: when it is of short duration, a minor deviation, reacting to it would cause interruption
Nonverbal teacher interactions: simple nonverbal techniques, such as close physical proximity, eye contact
Person-to-person dialogue: talking with a student outside of physical education class
Techniques for discouraging inappropriate behavior
Desists: a verbal statement that tells a child to stop doing something
Time-outs: withdrawals from class for a specified amount of time
Planning time: resolving conflicts with another person
Behavior contracts: formal agreement between teacher and student
Letters to parents: listing specific violations
Involving the principal: as a last resort
Consequences for Misbehavior
1st time: student is warned
2nd time: time-out
3rd time: detention and note sent to parents
4th time: teacher calls parents
5th time: student is sent to principal
Rules for making Rules
Keep them short, clear, and to the point
Write them in a positive tone
Keep them measurable
Managerial task system
Establishes a structure through which the PE class becomes predictable and operates smoothly – Establishes limits for behavior – Establishes teacher’s expectations
Teaching styles:
Direct: Entire class receives instruction at the same time. Pace and direction guided by the teacher. Followed by guided practice. Conducted in a positive and supportive manner. Time spent waiting is minimized. Learning is an impending result
Task: Advantages: Social aspect developed – Students can progress at their own speed – Progress from simple to more complex tasks
Mastery: – Complex skill broken into smaller, progressive subskills – Each subskill a focus of learning – Subskills mastered at a high level of success – Critical elements demonstrated in each subskill. Advantages – Students move at an individualized pace – Well suited for low-skilled
Individualized: – Learning centered through an individualized curriculum – Students select a level of proficiency – Work independently following a learning packet – Assessment progresses from self to peers to teacher. Steps: – Diagnosis – Prescription – Development – Evaluation – Reinforcement.
Advantages: Exact expectations and accomplishments – Self-direction enhances motivation – Find success and challenge – Progress at a personal rate
Disadvantages: Time-consuming to write and constant revision – Monitoring and assessment developed to reduce time – Instructional devices increase time setting up and down
Cooperative: Students work together toward common goals – Problem-Based Learning – Students work interdependently Advantages: Develop leadership skills – Appreciate shared successes – All members participate and contribute
Inquiry Teachers create the subject matter – Students move from one step to another – Feel comfortable Experimenting. Advantages: Ability to think – Creativity
Physical fitness is the capacity of the heart, blood vessels, lungs, and muscles to function at optimum efficiency. It is the body’s ability to function efficiently and effectively in work and leisure activities, to be healthy, to resist hypokinetic diseases, and to meet emergency situations
Health-related fitness includes: Muscular Strength and Endurance – Muscular Endurance – Flexibility – Cardiovascular Efficiency – Body Composition
Wellness encompasses emotional, mental, spiritual, interpersonal/social, and emotional well-being
Educational Gymnastics provides learning experiences that teach children to effectively control and maneuver their bodies against the force of gravity both on the floor and on apparatus. Provides a foundation that introduces gymnastic-type activities and increases their skills. Integrates skill themes and movement concepts.
Curriculum diamond schematically represents curriculum focus for Pre-K to 12 which follows the NASPE standards
