Week 5

This past week of teaching was different then the prior weeks. Each day, I taught up to four of six classes each day. This gave me the opportunity to practice more teaching, and the opportunity to reflect more on each lesson. When I needed to get the students attention, I would first stop the class and ask that all students put their jump rope over their head to show that they were ready to listen. The ready position was to put the jump rope in safety (folded twice) and hold over their head, so the jump rope would not be spinning around during the next instruction. At first I began noticing a pattern, if I explained something by saying  “show me your ready so we can move on” verses “lets hurry up and put our jump ropes above our head,” it made a huge difference in the amount of students that would hurry to show me they were ready. I have noticed from teaching that these students are more motivated to hear what’s next rather then instructed to “hurry up.” As I was teaching I began to see my students move a lot quicker when they knew a new activity was ahead, and the way I phrased things were meaningful to these students.

I also learned this week a new way to communicate with my students. I was having a difficult time having my students stay in their designated spots during jump rope. Even with very clear instructions to raise their hand if they needed help or had a question I still had many students run to me and ask me to use the bathroom or for help. For one of my classes, during a rest time I told students they were going to learn three signs in sign language. I taught my student the sign for bathroom, yes, and no. The students really liked this new form of communication. The students responded very well to this, it was easy to learn and fun for the students to use. It seemed that almost all of my students stayed in their spot just so they could use their new form of communication. They learned that I would respond a lot quicker if they showed me a sign verses having to run up to me and ask the question. Since most of the questions were to use the bathroom it was easy to quickly respond to the hands that were showing me that they had to use the bathroom. Though this new form of communication was completely random, I plan to use it in my other classes because this eliminated students moving from their spot and now seems completely appropriate in a large setting where I do not have to give a answer verbally across the gym, nor do I have to walk over to each students to answer their question to use the bathroom.   

Since I did more teaching this week I found that me throat was hurting after each lesson. I really am not fond of blowing the whistle for the student’s attention because I feel that the students are very use to hearing the whistle blow for start, stop, and the student’s attention. I really tried hard to only use the whistle for stop commands, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to keep raising my voice to stop the activity of make an announcement during activity time. I learned now after teaching my lessons that in this case it would be easier on me to use the whistle or come up with a better way to quiet students down without a loud noise. I was thinking that I would try using music during activity time that is played at a somewhat low level by able to hear if there is background noise. I was thinking that if students get to listen to the music (school appropriate) they will be more likely to listen since it will be set at a medium low volume. I could use the music to control the volume by simply stopping the music as an indicator to students that they need to stop what they are doing and give me their attention instead of blowing a whistle or yelling to freeze.

Before the jump rope unit began, I thought it was going to be boring and repetitive to teach to students, but so far I am really enjoy teaching this unit. I love that all of my students are moving, sweating, and are getting tired during the half waypoint of the lesson. Also, I have a better opportunity to observe and give feedback to all my students more than once in a class period.  Once I have given students as skill I have been able to walk around to each of my students see where they are at based on skill, and I was able to give constructive feedback to students that struggled and encouraged those who were doing well. While I was moving around, I learned that my students were eager to show me what they could do and felt more confident to tell me they needed help. Since I made my way to every students for each of the skills students were able to see that I was there to help and not to criticize their skill level. I noticed during class and while reflecting that the student responded very well to feedback and I noticed that more students were wiling to participate rather that the “I can’t do it response.” With positive feedback and encouragement not matter their level of skill help students build confidence in their own work.

On Friday, I was asked by the school social worker to be a counselor of the Girls on the run club. I immediately said yes, because this is a great opportunity to practice what I preach and also help make a difference with the girl’s confidence, self-respect, healthy living, and promotes physical development with a 5K run at the end of the program. I know that this volunteer opportunity will be a great way to learn how to coach students about self-resect and healthy living appropriate for there age level.  

In the upcoming week, I plan to use another means of communication with my students.  I will be teaching full time now and until the last week of March. I am going to being to have the first five minutes dedicated to health education, and I am going to put up a question box for students to ask any questions that they do not feel comfortable asking in class. In hopes of this box, students will bring up issues that are currently going on in their lives that I can touch on the following time I see them in class. I also would like to teach each of my classes a few signs in sign language to help control the number of student that verbally ask me questions or physically approach me with a simple question. I am sure with this upcoming week I will have learned a lot of what works and doesn’t work for teaching or student learning.