MEDIA REVIEW

Teaching Middle School Physical Education. A Standards-Based Approach for Grades 5-8. 3rd edition, 2008

By: Ted Scheck

"MS" will be shorthand for Middle School.

Part I. Prepare for Your Journey. Part II. Map Out Your Journey. Part III. Travel Towards Your Destination. Part IV. Discover Your Destination.

I've always been interested in abstract thought, symbolism, and metaphors, and I am highly metaphorical, so much that there are days when I wonder if I'm really teaching in the gym, or at home, or just imagining I'm there. Sort of ike a virtual-reality holographic voicemail. And personally, I not yet ready to navigate into the world of "Online Physical Education" because, without a gym, I wouldn't be able to do my job.

The metaphor of 'Learning is a Road or Destination' is thought to have originated in Ancient Greece, and even though we can't talk to the original dudes wearing the togas and laurels around their heads, I'm guessing it's true. In Teaching Middle School Physical Education. A Standards-Based Approach for Grades 5-8, Bonnie Mohnsen uses very simple, yet powerful imagery to map out the problematic quest of creating and implementing a Physical Education program for grades 5-8. It will be a journey, and I give praise to those who have trudged through the herculean effort of mapping out an entire middle school curriculum, using just their bare hands. I'm glad this book has already done the grunt work.

Mohnsen teaches and consults in Los Angeles, so Californians must have a slightly different approach to the concept of "Middle School" than us Hoosiers in Indiana. 5th graders are a part of MS? 'Middle School' in my opinion would encompass grades 6-8, and I indeed do have an absolutely insane class 9th period, consisting of a mixture of too many rowdy 6th grade boys, equally as many flirtatious 6th grade girls, and one or two 7th graders who seem rather perplexed to be caught in the middle of all this mayhem. Sprinkled lightly are one 8th grade boy and three 8th grade girls. Weirdness. But not unsolvable weirdness because Mohnsen's book contains detailed curriculum suggestions for grades 5-8.

The book begins by stating the obvious: "Today's physical educator must keep pace with changes in technology, society, health, and education." Then Mohnsen states the book's purpose: "To provide a blueprint for quality physical education programs in a changing world, a foundation on which you can build an ideal program."

Part 1 encompasses five chapters, from detailing the changes in tech, society, health, and education itself, moving onto Chapter 2 - Reform Efforts in middle school. Within this is an interesting sidebar: Turning Points: Preparing American Youth for the 21st Century. In that book, and summarized in the chapter, are Seven Characteristics of Quality Middle Schools, which is a very interesting read. Chapter 3, The role of PE in middle school touches on the fact that, due to rising obesity rates in American children, schools are multi-dimensional. There are Before School programs, Fitness-Wellness Programs, Intramural Sports Programs, and even Coordinated School Health Programs. The metaphor of the salad bar: 8 different nutritional items children and families can gain sustenance from in one setting.

The only depressing part of the book (not the author's fault!) reminded me of my own situation: Chapter 4 Facilities. Most middle schools have either a combo Aerobics/Strength Room, or separate rooms. I've been to Middle Schools/Junior High Schools that were roughly 93 times larger and more expansive than my little school with its tiny gym and absolutely no room to grow unless someone dropped a bomb containing a few million dollars for a new gym. Great, if you happen to have these mythical rooms where an entire class of kids can aerobicize and multi-task their leg and shoulder muscles.

Part II - Map Out Your Journey
Here's where PE Teachers get seriously busy, and Create the Curriculum Foundation (Chapter 6) and, growing an extra head and having two more arms sprout out of your back, Plan a Course of Study (7). As if you're not busy enough, clone yourself! And said clone will be involved in (8) Assessing and Grading Students.

Part III! Traveling Toward Your Destination!
We're finally moving! I found some interesting tidbits in Chapter 9 - How Students Learn/How Students Learn Differently. Mohnsen is basically the Michael Jordan of Middle School PE Teachers with her own electronic database (Bonnie's Fitware) that is an encyclopedia of Physical Education-related products, services, books, and curriculia. Everything you could possibly need you'll probably find on her website (www.pesoftware.com).

Part IV: Discover Your Destination
Hmm and I thought I knew where I was going before I began this journey! Part IV - Discover Your Destination: Grade 5, Mapped Out: Manipulating Objects Efficiently and Effectively, enough said. Grade 6: Learning Skills Through Cooperation. We get away from manipulating and controlling and start to edge into the territory of Cooperative Activities, Target and Invasion Sports, Net and Field Sports, and a really neat unit entitled Ancient Games. Track and Field, yes; but, amazingly, games children play from all over the world. Very cool indeed.

Seventh Grade: Taking Acceptable Risks Through Problem Solving.
I'd stay away from Self Defense, and bully for you if you have a pool, but pretty standard fare for 7th graders. 8th Grade: I love the fact that Biomechanics rears its interesting and multi-faceted head in this book. Kids actually learn about Newton's 3 Laws of Motion. Amazing. I've been looking for a way to teach this without straying too far into Mathworld, where I've never been comfortable living in.

A great book. One for the shelf. I'm going to be nose-deep in this one for quite some time.

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