'WORKABLE' NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS

written by Tom Winiecki, Mott Road Elementary School, Fayetteville, NY

Ah, a new year. Many people dedicate themselves to a set of resolutions each year. We all know how effective some of these resolutions actually are. Well, how about coming up with some New Year resolutions you can keep while at school each day? We all teach a full load of classes. In our classes we constantly reinforce the importance of exercising. We always tell them that:

Let's all resolve to "put our money where our mouth is." Why not start the New Year determined to exercise with your classes? I'm not suggesting that you become a work-out fiend and work yourself into exhaustion by the end of the day. Rather, take the time to go through the warm-up activity with each class, participate in a skill building activity, or do any other kind of activity with your students.

You certainly are not participating in order to prove yourself to your students. Rather, you are there to show them that their physical activity is important for their bodies. It's so important that you're willing to be active with them also! When you demonstrate a skill, purposely do it wrong once in a while (just don't tell them that!). Talk about your "mistake," and ask them how they would handle the situation if they made the same mistake. Make your participation (and mistakes) a teaching point! By doing this, you've reduced the likelihood of countless kids coming to you asking "what do I do now?" You've just shown them a common mistake, and how to manage it on their own.

We also constantly need to reinforce the importance of being active outside of class. Again, what would prevent you from leading by example? Make "a show" during different recesses, and walk laps around the fields outside. When they all call out to you to stop and to watch them do something on the playground, stop for a second but make sure to tell them that you're outside “to get my exercise too!" Then talk about it in your class when you see them again. Tell them that recess is certainly a fun time to spend with your friends, but it's also a time to get some more exercise. If it's good and beneficial for them, then it's certainly good enough for you too.

Do you have any pedometers? If you do, why not give them to a few kids to wear at recess? It will not only let them see how active they really are, but it will motivate them to move more. They will always want more steps! If you don't have pedometers yet, go to your HAS, or PTA, or whatever it is called in your school and present to them how you would use pedometers each day. If you are clear to them the educational benefits that pedometers can provide, they will more likely than not provide them to you.

Depending on how your classes are organized, take time at some point to let everyone get a drink of water from the water fountain. You talk about how important it is to keep the body hydrated. Getting a drink after exercising is just as important as the exercising itself. Do they see you getting a drink too? Do you keep a water bottle in the gym that you drink from? If not, why not? They need to see you drinking with them as well, especially if you are exercising with them. If it's important for them to do, then it's important for you too. Leading by example is a powerful thing, especially with young students.

How often do we all stress (in our classes) the importance of eating healthy? It's probably something we all need to do more of. I'm not suggesting that we all turn into health teachers, but there are times for infusing the message of eating healthy. Again, lead by example. Walk through the cafeteria while munching on an apple. Wander through one day and talk to some students about their lunch. You don't have to be there the entire time; just a few minutes is more than enough. Make your presence known. Try to "catch someone doing it right."

Once you find someone with apple slices, or other kinds of fruit or veggies in their lunch, emphasize to them (and their friends) how much energy they will have in gym class that day. Make them one of your helpers, whether to demonstrate some new skill or some other kind of 'teaching' demonstration. Anything to stress to them (and others) that you notice their healthy eating choices. Selecting them to help 'teach' will help reinforce their continuing healthy food selections. Over time, I think you'll walk through the cafeteria and discover just how many kids want you to see what's in their lunch!

If you want to put in a little more work for extra rewards, how about creating some before-school activity time with your students? It could simply be an extension of skill-practice from class. It could also be a "special event." Have you ever looked into the PE Central Challenge? This is a set of six skill challenges geared to 4th and 5th graders. It's designed to run as part of your regular classes, or at recess and before school as well. It's a great way to get kids into your gym and get them active.

The PE Central Challenge stresses not only individual skill, but teamwork. Kids really like this kind of stuff. You can get more information on this at http://www.pecchallenge.org. Involve parents once it is all over by holding a "Are You as Fit As Your 4th Grader?" night. Put them through the same challenges as the kids. Let their own kids "coach" them through the events.

You may also do something like a walking/running club. Make it clear that anyone who does not take the bus can meet you in the gym at a certain time each morning. Fifteen to twenty minutes of pre-school exercise each day is a great way to reinforce the importance of starting the day off energized! It also gives you the opportunity to talk about proper nutrition and eating a healthy breakfast. On nice days, do pre-school activity outside. On crummy days, you have the halls or your gym to use. Who knows. You may even get a teacher or two to join in.

Now for some New Year's Resolutions that you may not even have to think about, because you do them already! Catch them doing something right. Make an effort to acknowledge someone's effort each day. Something as simple as saying "Wow! Look at how hard you are working!” will go a long way in motivating that child. When they know you are there to help them improve and succeed, you're teaching them to love PE! You know they're enthused when they all want you to watch them - at the same time.

Remember, there's nothing wrong with telling them that you can see them, even when you are on the other side of the gym. Just make sure to do that often enough so that they know you mean it. Believe me, there is nothing like seeing someone on the other side of the gym finally get something right, and then have them look up to see you watching them succeed. The look on their face is simply priceless.

On a more professional level, make plans to attend a conference and bring back an idea that helps with what you already do; not just a flashy idea. Invest in yourself as a professional, worthy of improving. What we do is vitally important. We deserve to take opportunities to improve what we do each day.

That being said, present at a conference yourself! Don't you think you have something worthwhile to offer your fellow professionals? Of course you do. You'll often learn more just by sharing with others. It doesn't have to be AAHPERD; right away at least. Start small so you can gain confidence. I'm sure there are mini-conferences all over the place. If not, set something up in your own district. Why not spend a district "Staff Development Day" presenting ideas to your own staff? Everyone can take a turn. You can all become a little bit better teachers as a result. Isn't that the goal anyway?

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