Planning for a New School Year

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

Have you ever thought this? "Planning for next year already!? What! Are you kidding? I just had the last day of school not too long ago!"

Planning, so that the next school year starts out well is important. That way, all of your students understand what is expected from them, and they get to see how your class works. Everyone is on "the same page" right from the beginning. Planning doesn't take that much work. Here are some ideas:

"I Can't" vs. "I Can't Yet."
One of the worst things that a student can say in class is "I can't." When a student makes that statement, they have already given up. The solution - don't allow it to be said at all! Instead of banning those words, give them an alternative that works better. Posting signs (like the one below) in your gym conveys the message to your students that you don't want to hear the words "I can't!" but they can make the statement "I can't yet!" as often as they need to.

Once students understand that you are not interested in them performing perfectly each and every time something is tried, but simply want them learning to pursue perfection, they will be willing to try new things and be more willing to make mistakes. Students will understand that you are there to help them improve, and are not simply looking for faults.

For students who continue to say "I can't" - tell them that they are right! They can't do it, and you can not help them if they are not willing to continue trying (I can't yet!). Students will (learn to) understand your intentions. They want your attention, so show them the right way to get your attention.

When students switch to the statement "I can't yet!" they are enabling you to help them. When you ask them to 'show me what you've got so far,' they will be more receptive to your feedback and instruction. When a student says "I can't yet," throw that statement right back at him/her. Teach him/her to be active in finding a solution.

Have students tell you what part of the task they're having problems with, and insist that they be as specific as possible. Instead of letting a student say "I can't hit the target when I throw the ball yet," have the student focus in on what you've taught them so far. Ask him/her, "What part of throwing is holding you up?" Lead the student to self-conclude that maybe they are not following through to their target when they release the ball. Creating this type of atmosphere makes it 'okay' to occassionally 'mess up," and also allows students to figure things out on their own. In the long run, trial and error, self-determinations, and continuing to pursue perfection is what we want them to do.

Give Them A "Sneak Preview"

In the Fall, clearly review what you will be teaching throughout the coming year. Tell students that some things will be easy and some things will be challenging. Get them excited about what they'll be doing in your class. Prepare students to offer their own "expertise." Many of them have previously participated in some of the "units" you've offered. Invite those students to be your "resident experts" when you go over a particular skill. Just watch their enthusiasm soar!

Spice It Up A Bit With Your Primary Aged Students.

A the beginning of the school year, tell students that there will be days that 'some of you will "touch the ceiling."' (Perhaps don't tell them that you're talking about climbing a rope, or cargo net.). Touch on the "I Can't" vs. "I Can't Yet" concept with them again. Tell your group that if some of them are looking up at the ceiling and thinking "That's too high for me. I'll be too scared to go that high," then maybe they are right. They may not get there.

Go on to say that 'If you are looking up at the ceiling and are thinking, "I wonder what it looks like from up there. There must be a way up there,"' you could be someone who goes all the way up!" Use your storytelling skills to motivate students to get strong enough to strive for the ceiling.

'Story tell' students that some day someone will fly right over your head (That really works well with the younger kids if you are tall. I'm 6'4" and they get really excited at that mental image). (Perhaps) don't tell them right away that you are talking about gymnastics, and that you will be holding onto them the entire time. Tell them that one day they'll come into the gym and it will be "raining a rainbow of colors." Don't tell them that you are planning classes to cover throwing and catching!

Again, tie everything together with the "I Can't" and "I Can't Yet" signs. Remind students that if they think they can't do the things that you talk about, then maybe they won't. If they ponder, and determine that "Gee, there has to be a way to figure that out and do it," then they have a good chance to achieve what they try for. There is nothing like them getting pumped up right on the first day!

Plan To Link Everything Together For Your Students

We all work hard to teach our content each year. When all is said and done, have we done this in the best and most complete way as possible? Have we enabled our kids to leave each spring knowing how to be fit and stay fit, all while enjoying themselves? If you waiver at this question at all, consider this: Take a good look at connecting all of those various units you teach through some central theme. We all have students who start off with "I don't like this!" or "I don't like __________. Why should I have to learn it?" As long as your answer isn't "because I said so," there is a way to proceed.

At first glance you may not see any links between, say football skills and volleyball skills. If you look closely at how you teach, you will see that an overhand throw in football is the same as an overhand serve in volleyball. You line up sideways to your target, step with your front foot, make an "L" with your back hand to throw/strike the ball, and follow through to your target. You can make this same connection between a soccer kick and a football place kick/punt. Teach to follow the same steps (stand sideways, step with front foot, throw/strike with back hand, follow through to the target). Now add a "1-2 step." Tell them to line up behind the ball, so they have a "curved pathway to the ball." Have them take two steps toward the ball, so their 2nd step is with their front foot and it lands next to the ball.

See how often you can make these connections. This same 4-step rubric and "1-2 step" can be applied to a bowling release, hockey shot, basketball lay-up, and paddle strike. Now, when you carry forward assessment information from unit to unit, reinforce these connections with your students. They don't have to stop learning one thing at the end of one unit, and start learning from scratch when you begin another one. They are re-applying similar concepts within different contexts.

Your comments to a student may go something like:

"When we practiced an underhand serve with volleyballs, my notes say that you did a pretty good job of stepping toward your target but your follow through seemed to always go to the left. Now that we are using bowling balls and pins, let's concentrate on that follow through so your shot goes right to the pocket. Keep up the good work with your stepping, and concentrate on your follow through for now."

After spending time with this student, tell him/her that you will be back to see how (s)he is doing with their follow through. When you do come back and check up on him/her, you are showing that you're there to help with improvement, and not simply to point out mistakes and move on. You'll be surprised how many of students eventually seek you out just to show you their improvements!

Don't forget to tie in fitness everywhere! Make every unit a fitness unit. Teach students where to find their pulse. Teach your younger students to know when their heart is beating fast or slow. Teach in a way so that everything you do each day is tied together. Teach your older kids to know when their heart hits a target zone and what that means for them. Teach them that if their heart goes fast today, they will have a stronger heart tomorrow. It doesn't matter whether what they're doing today is their favorite task or not. Make comments such as, "If you hit the target zone today, you played the game the right way." Take the emphasis off winning with more points than someone else, and put the emphasis on winning by making yourself a little better each day.

When you connect different muscles to specific exercises, go a little further and teach what those stronger muscles let them do. Connect triceps to push-ups and to throwing a ball, or doing something on a piece of gymnastics equipment. Now a potentially boring exercise like push-ups has a new dimension to them to keep students trying; especially the kids that want to throw a ball farther, or do more feats on a set of bars in gymnastics.

When students make the old "I don't like this game" comment, use the fitness angle to redirect their thinking. If you know what they DO like, let them know that their hard work TODAY will pay off when they get to their favorite (hockey?) unit later. Continue 'connecting the dots' with different skills. Teach students that "the control you are working on now with a soccer ball will pay off when you use a hockey stick later." Inform your 'resident experts' that they can also offer their expertise to others when the hockey sticks are brought out. Simply put, 'connect' for them how what they do today will help them with what's done later.

All the ideas in this article help set the tone for a positive experience for you and your students. Everyone knows what to expect, and everyone works individually and/or together to get a little bit better each day!

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