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Message |
Steve Jefferies (Admin)
Board Administrator
Username: Admin
Post Number: 13
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Monday, March 15, 2004 - 3:43 pm: |       |
Should PE teachers become movement consultants in elementary schools?
This week I read an article by Thom McKenzie and Jim Sallis that addressed the time challenge physical educators face. Here's what they suggested:
"To better serve elementary school pupils, schools might consider modifying the role of specialists to take on new duties - as consultants."
They then described how PE teachers could help structure the entire school environment to encourage all students to find ways to stay sufficiently physically active on a daily basis.
Should future PE teachers be trained to be both instructors and consultants? Should we be concerned less with conducting lessons ourselves and more with training other teachers in our schools to integrate movement into their lessons?
This is a role we have been considering adding to our professional preparation program. I am interested in readers' thoughts and especially any personal experiences others might have acting as "consultants" within the school setting. |
Peggy Hutter
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Monday, March 15, 2004 - 3:44 pm: | |
Coincidentally, as I was looking for material on integrating activity into the core classes, I saw your article. I am presenting a session entitled "Weaving Wellness Through the Curriculum" at a Team Nutrition Summer Institute at the Univ of NH in mid-July. My theory is as yours, more people in the child's life need to take responsibility for the wellness of "our" children. I try to encourage teachers in various disciplines to, periodically, try to teach their lessons incorporating wellness activities as a tool. Thanks, I will reference your message.
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Steve Jefferies (Admin)
Board Administrator
Username: Admin
Post Number: 14
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Monday, March 15, 2004 - 3:45 pm: | |
This sounds an interesting topic. Please consider sharing with PELINKS4U readers either through posting your presentation to this forum or emailing us a copy so that we can include it on the Interdisciplinary PE section. Thanks.
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Scott Tomassetti (Scottt40)
Junior Member
Username: Scottt40
Post Number: 3
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, February 05, 2005 - 9:13 pm: | |
Steve:
You know my love for the Wellness Principal, but if we take a consulting role are we not deminishing our role as physical educators, and run the risk of even more cuts hurting our numbers. Let us not be to hasty in jumping on this band wagon and look for the underpinings and consequences of this action.
On the other hand, we should play a key role in developing 'Well Schools', and consider how through a well constructed physical education program that provides the foundations for students to learn about the foundations of exercise principals, and how these principals are applied to a healthy active lifestyle. We can be an essential part of every persons day in a 'Well School', but be warry of those pitfalls to changing roles. |
Michael J. Roskamp (Roskampm)
Junior Member
Username: Roskampm
Post Number: 2
Registered: 3-2005
| | Posted on Monday, March 21, 2005 - 5:10 am: | |
Hi Steve,
>
> I think you raise an important question. I also think about the great need to help the educational community understand that physical education is not a program that should be cut. Granted, over the years physical education has "made its own bed" by some of the practice and behaviors that have been exhibited. However, isn't it ironic that in this day and age of almost daily reports of the health risks facing our country, rising child obesity rates, and the 1st time that the life expectancy of the next generation is shorter than that of the current generation, we see PE programs being cut everywhere. Yes, the one educational program that is designed to provide chidren with the tools necessary to reverse those well documented national trends are being removed from our schools. Go figure.
>
> Directly to your question. I would suggest taking a look at the some of the research examining the "TEACHER" as the single largest factor contributing to the success of students in schools. I don't have a reference near, but in the last week or two I remember coming across an article that made that very point. (I could find it for you if you pushed me a bit :-)) The one thing that scares me about using classroom teachers to teach PE, even with a consultant's support, is that classroom teachers will not be effective in teaching physical education unless they truly value its contribution and welcome the opportunity to teach it. The common strand that I see among physical educators who are highly effective is that each of them seems to have a genuine passion for what they do, and they are willing, and able, to transmit that passion to many of their students in some way. I'm not sure that most classroom teachers will be able or willing to "go there". In theory, I think the "consultant" idea is a good one. I also feel that a careful inventory of feelings and support by classroom teachers for responsibility in this area of the curriculum should be taken.
>
> Michael J. Roskamp
> Visiting Professor, Movement Science
> Grand Valley State University
> roskampm@gvsu.edu
> (616) 331-8681
>
> "If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything."
>
> - Steve Bartkowski, NFL
> quarterback
>
>
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Gaetano J. Amato (Pehealthsite)
Junior Member
Username: Pehealthsite
Post Number: 6
Registered: 5-2007
| | Posted on Saturday, May 12, 2007 - 6:37 pm: | |
Been there, done that. In my early days of teaching, I taught one lesson a week. The classroom teacher had to observe the lesson and I gave her follow up lessons for the week which she/he was expected to do. The following lesson, they would share with me how things went and then I would teach another lesson and try to focus on some of the problems they experienced, as well as giving them the next lesson for the week. Sounds good, right? Well, as one person above in a post said, it depends on the individual classroom teacher how well it gets done. Most do not want to be bothered with all the pressure they have for academic achievement due to the No Child Left Behind program. Some teachers are really "couch potatoes, some not in good physical health, and most lack a decent knowledge base and interest level to do the job. Not a good idea in my opinion.
Another way to approach the problem is to enrich your physical education program. Back when we gave fitness tests, all of my students that did not pass the test were "required" to attend a before school exercise class daily until they passed the test. Parents were very supportive and very quickly, the marginal students passed and you were left with that core group of students who really needed daily physical activity and we expanded the morning class to include not only fintess, but fun activities also. This approached worked very well.
We also had intermurals around the lunch time. Leagues were set up by classrooms and a schedule of games posted so that two recess periods a week the students were involved in games. This worked well with the 4//5/6 grade students as they were old enough to run things on their own as long as they knew the game schedule. Also, we had after school gym every day for the older students and did a variety of seasonal physical activities.
Bottom line is, let's look for ways to expand our programs beyond the two period a week class rather than dumping our responsibility on the already over burdened classroom teacher. For an idea on integrating reading with your movement program, visit www.pehealthsite.com for a movement book that can be read to and by students and that contains many of the words from the Frye and Dolch word lists, and that can be coordinated with the classroom reading program if you have a willing teacher to work with you on it. G. Amato, Springfield College. |
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