tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56965688599901845552024-03-05T23:00:53.842-08:00Let's Make Fit Happen!Elena Fallonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16402619628003999700noreply@blogger.comBlogger79125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5696568859990184555.post-80097024808719105352012-05-09T06:49:00.000-07:002012-05-09T06:49:04.466-07:00Character Education<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Character Education programs are mandated in about forty of
the states in the US. According to our textbook “Teachers, Schools, and
Society”, these character education programs focus on teaching students the
characteristics of trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring,
and good citizenship. I believe that physical education class is a perfect
place for these morals to be taught to students. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> In a regular
classroom setting, these values can be taught through discovery in literature
or history. But teaching these values in a physical education setting is a
little bit different. I believe that one of the best ways to teach character
education in physical education is during project adventure and orienteering
experiences. These units may involve the students doing high or low ropes
course, rock wall climbing, trust falls, and group cooperation activities. The
skills that are taught in character education programs are part of the
affective domain. In my opinion many physical education programs do not touch
enough up this domain and thus character education is a great way to integrate
characteristics such as trustworthiness and respect into physical education. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> In PED 434,
Statistics in Sports and Physical Education, we learned how to integrate the
affective domain into physical education. In order to assess students on a
characteristic such as respect, the teacher needs to be able to see and to hear
respect. In other words, teachers need something objective to assess. For
example, it is not good enough for a teacher to simply say that a student
showed respect for participation points that day. They need to justify the fact
that the student showed respect by saying the student worked cooperatively with
a group in a project adventure activity and listened to what classmates had to
say as well as offered his/her own ideas. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> I believe
that character education is something that is developed throughout life. Most children
are taught from young age to play fair and to show characteristics such as
respect and kindness. As I have gone through my journey in life thus far, I know
that it is easier to show these characteristics in certain situations more than
in other situations. Life is a journey about truly finding out who you are and
what your purpose is in life. I believe that character education really aids in
this self-discovery. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>Elena Fallonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16402619628003999700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5696568859990184555.post-87959811736077516562012-05-09T06:45:00.002-07:002012-05-09T06:45:41.316-07:00Multicultural Education and Glee<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Glee has been one of my favorite television shows since it
first aired about 3 years ago. There are so many storylines that intermingle
and deal with real-life issues that many teens face today. The characters in
the show are growing up in a rural town in Ohio and this season had followed
the students through their journey of their senior year of high school and
choosing a path to take in life and where to go to college. The number of
issues that arise in the television show is never ending, from LGBT issues, to
teen pregnancy, to interracial dating to diabilities. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> One of the
stars of Glee, Kurt, is gay. He is extremely lucky to have a father who cares
so much about him and loves him exactly the way he is. Yet in school he is
bullied quite a bit by one of the football players. The biggest irony of the
situation is that the football player is actually gay as well, but has not come
out yet and is covering up his own homosexuality by bullying Kurt. He uses both
physical and verbal bullying towards Kurt, and even forces Kurt to transfer
schools. Kurt portrays himself as a very put-together and confident individual
at most times. He has a very unique sense of fashion and is not afraid to
flaunt it. But there have also seen times that he has had complete break-downs
on the show. For example, last season Kurt was voted as the Prom Queen by his
entire school as a joke. But it was not really a joke and was a form of
bullying. I would say that Kurt has found a group that he identifies with and
feels comfortable around which is the Glee Club. When he is around his friends
he acts like himself. Kurt is also fortunate enough that his teacher Mr. Shoe
is so supportive of him and is always there for him. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> Another one
of the major characters in the show Glee is Artie. Artie is paralyzed from the
waist down and thus in a wheelchair. His greatest wish is to walk again one
day, even though the probability of that ever happening is very slim. Glee is a
club that choreographs different songs and dances into musical numbers. Because
Artie is in a wheelchair, he is not able to dance. But this does not stop him
from moving. He is always incorporated into the various musical numbers and
does and amazing job moving in his wheelchair. He has one of the best voices of
all of the males in the club and shines as an integral part of the team. In
terms of bullying, Artie does face bullying for being in a wheelchair as well
as for wearing glasses. But I really admire Artie because he does not seem to
very phased by the acts of bullying by others towards the Glee club. I can only
recall one instance in which Artie lost his temper, and it was not as a result
of himself being bullied but rather because one of the other characters in the
show Blaine was being bullied. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> Our textbook
talked about James Banks and his approach to multicultural education. He
believed that in order for groups of people to understand one another and have
positive attitudes towards those who are different than themselves, that
diverse groups need to be integrated with one another. This method of
multicultural integration is very apparent in the Glee club as the club is
composed on many different teens who all have their own issues. But the Glee
club is like a family and I believe that the reason for this is that they all have
a positive attitude towards one another. They are all there for each other in
times of need and despite their differences, they can always count on another. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>Elena Fallonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16402619628003999700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5696568859990184555.post-23897380152453654312012-05-09T06:43:00.002-07:002012-05-09T06:43:52.912-07:00Bullying and The "It Gets Better" Campaign<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">According
to recent statistics, every day many kids experience acts of bullying in
schools. These aggressive behaviors often cause social rejection to others, as
well as a plethora of different personal effects. The word bully can be defined
as a person who is cruel to another, and the act of bullying may take many
forms. In recent years, a term know as “cyber-bullying” has also become more
common. While traditional bullying requires face-to face contact between the
bully and the person being attacked, cyber- bullying uses technology rather
than direct contact. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Cyber-bullying
is a phenomenon that is becoming increasingly popular. This type of bullying is
done entirely through the use of technology, whether it is through the computer
or through the use of cell phones. When used improperly, technology has a
negative effect on the youth today. Children and teens are saying very hurtful
things to one another through technology and this is having very negative
effects. Some of the negative effects that have been correlated to
cyber-bullying include depression, anxiety, and even suicide in some extreme
situations. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">The
website “It Gets Better” is full of videos posted by people across the country
that address the issue of bullying towards people of the LGBT population. These
videos are posted by normal every-day people, famous celebrities, and even big
companies such as Disney, PIXAR, and Apple. But the messages that the videos
send are very similar: no one should be bullied for who they are or who they
chose to love. Every person deserves the same love and kindness, no matter
their sexual orientation. The videos on this website offer anyone of this LGBT
community a friend and also show people of this community that they are
definitely not alone. For example, in one of the videos that I watched, a man
of about middle-age told his story. He was originally married to a woman and
had two children with this women. But he knew inside that he was living a lie
and today he is divorced and has a male partner. He offers his personal email
address during his video for anyone who just needs a friend. Each and every one
of the videos that I watched was very heart-warming. Many of the videos were
made after many teens took their own lives after being taunted and bullied for
being LGBT. The videos give hope that “it gets better”. It is truly amazing how
the LGBT community is so close net and they lean on one another for support. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> One day when I am a physical education
teacher, I hope to be a person who my students will be able to confide in. I
will have to get my students to realize that although I am their teacher, I am
also a friend who is there to listen to them in times of need. I work at a
summer camp with young children over the summer. Part of our staff summer
training was a bullying seminar where we learned how to deal with bullying with
our campers and I know that I will be able to use what I learned here as a
physical education teacher. The issue of bullying is not one that can be
ignored and it must be dealt with immediately. There need to be consequences
for bullies and they must know that taunting and acts of hatred towards others
will not be tolerated. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>Elena Fallonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16402619628003999700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5696568859990184555.post-3356541712491804372012-05-09T06:41:00.002-07:002012-05-09T06:41:13.419-07:00What does diversity mean to me?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">Diversity is a broad term that encompasses a
variety of meanings. I believe that diversity is important in many aspects of
life, especially in education. One interpretation of diversity is ethnic. This
involves the different cultures across the globe which are all unique and make
the world a diverse place. Without diversity, our world would be a very boring
place because everyone would be the same. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> Diversity can also be explained in
the educational setting. It does not only include ones racial background and
their heritage, but also includes ones learning style in the classroom. There
are many different types of learners including visual, auditory, and bodily
kinesthetic. Thus as a future physical educator it is important that I
recognize all of the diverse styles of learning so I can reach out to my
students and give them a worth-while experience in physical education. I think
that this past semester working with the kindergartener through third graders
at the Cortland Christian Academy showed me how diverse learning really is. It
was easy to see that not all of the students learned the same way. I found out
that visual aids are extremely important. Some students really liked the visual
aids with cues on them, while others preferred to stand up and go through the
steps of the skills as we were demonstrating. I think that a good physical
educator is one that finds ways to reach out to all students. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> Physical activity and sports can be
defined as the way a person expresses themselves physically and/or
athletically. Artistic and performing arts are related to physical activity and
sports because they are another way that one can express him/herself. One way
that the arts are taught in physical education is through dance. There are
many, many different forms of dance that range from the traditional folk dances
from around the world to the use of exergaming technology for dance. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> Some teachers are fortunate enough
to have exergames such as Dance Central, Just Dance and DDR in the schools they
teach in. These games are an excellent way to work on fitness while having a
blast at the same time. They are a great way to meet the needs of all diverse
learners because the games include several different levels. Students get to
decide individually how much they want to challenge themselves. I personally
believe that students really take a lot out of their experience of using
exergaming equipment. Every time that I have played wii dance or iDance I have
such a great time and end up so sweaty without realizing how much physical
activity I am actually doing. Thus I believe that using these different dance
exergaming systems gives students an opportunity to express themselves
artistically as well as get a great amount of MVPA in. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>Elena Fallonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16402619628003999700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5696568859990184555.post-8031388321562651552012-04-29T19:33:00.000-07:002012-04-29T19:33:26.875-07:00Bullying Research PaperCheck out the research paper that I wrote on the similarities and differences between in-school bullying and cyber-bullying.<br />
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<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1o8Hd-y_IsGwg1alZyS6J7snZNOGGuU0gwSsCoJrYj9A/edit">Click Here to read my research paper now:</a>Elena Fallonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16402619628003999700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5696568859990184555.post-56451732102862681972012-04-29T19:26:00.002-07:002012-04-29T19:26:29.645-07:00My PhilosophiesHere are the three philosophies I have written for my professional portfolio this semester:<br />
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<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dxbdncvYTrjwlAtwpxmYqcNJYGgY_WDhmvjSZ4c2Kng/edit">Educational Philosophy</a><br />
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<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_KX2HoidBLLQ-EgfAdjBikePgl586grxUbLBE8Tr6H8/edit">Physical Education Philosophy</a><br />
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<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AErzczTs6V9NAORHabx26pdjYNSkGtlvOAWC2A33EF4/edit">Coaching/Athletics Philosophy</a><br />
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<br />
<br />Elena Fallonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16402619628003999700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5696568859990184555.post-37911937519879364212012-04-22T19:19:00.001-07:002012-04-22T19:19:32.945-07:00Maria Montessori<br />
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Montessori lived from 1870-1952
in Italy. She attended medical school and overcame many gender barriers to
become the first female physician in Italy. Through her work as a physician,
Montessori came into contact with many patients who were intellectually
disabled. At the time in which she was alive, these children were seen as
having no potential in life by most people. But not Maria Montessori. She was
able to reach out to these students in a way that no one ever thought would be
possible. In 1908 she opened up a school called the “Casa dei Bambini”. It was
located in a not-so-good part of Rome, Italy. </div>
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Montessori
had a much different view on education than many of the other well known
educational philosophers of her time. She believed in an extremely limited role
of the teacher. She believed that if children were given the proper environment,
they could excel without much interaction with a teacher at all. She did not
believe that a teacher played a large role in the education of children, but
rather that children prefer to work and play on their own without the dictation
of the teacher. </div>
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The
curriculum in Montessori’s first school was extremely diverse. One of the
aspects of the curriculum was that it included practical skills such as setting
the table, getting dressed, and basic manners. The curriculum at the school
also included the basic educational skills of reading, writing and math.
Students were also educated in motor skills and intellectual skills. What made
Montessori’s school so different from other skills was the fact that personal
attention was given to each student rather than just addressing the class as a
whole. </div>
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Although
Montessori originally worked with students with special needs, her curriculum
also works very well with early childhood aged children. Across the United
States there are still many Montessori schools in function today. These schools
address the fact that much of what students learn is discovered on their own if
they are put in a carefully thought out environment. </div>Elena Fallonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16402619628003999700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5696568859990184555.post-78539811740858338132012-04-21T18:49:00.001-07:002012-04-22T18:56:18.813-07:00"Let the love of learning rule humanity."<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Early this morning I was inducted into a National Honor Society here at Cortland called Phi Kappa Phi. This is an honor society for both seniors and juniors who are in the top 7.5% of their class. It was a very nice ceremony and the key note address was done by one of the early childhood professors here at Cortland. She specializes in the area of environmental studies and with earth day coming up tomorrow, she decided to focus her address on the huge issue of global warming. It was definitely not the typical key note address that I am used to hearing at various physical education conferences and mini-conferences, but it was very interesting to hear some of the facts about how our global climate is currently changing. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #351c75; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">The motto of the organization in Greek is "<span style="line-height: 15px;">Philosophìa Krateìto Photôn" which translates to</span><span style="line-height: 15px;"> "Let the love of learning rule humanity." I personally really like the quote and found deep meaning in it. I am a firm believer that one should never stop learning and that it is extremely important to always continue with professional development. I think that it is also extremely important that humanity is included in the motto of the organization. To me, the word humanity means that one is able to treat others with kindness and compassion. Every well-educated person can be no one in life unless they show these crucial humanity skills. </span></span>Elena Fallonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16402619628003999700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5696568859990184555.post-8111862524891935932012-04-19T19:59:00.000-07:002012-04-19T19:59:21.413-07:00Personal Body Guards to Stop Bullying?I recently wrote a research paper on the differences between cyber-bullying and in-school bullying. I was able to find out some really interesting facts about which types of students are usually the bullies and which types of students are generally the ones who are the victims of bullying. In EDU 470 class on Monday Professor Yang showed our class an article about a student in the New Brunswick, Canada who is the victim of many bullying and hate crimes because he is gay and overweight. Because nothing has worked in the past to protect the student from bullying, his parents have gone to extreme measures. They have hired a personal body guard for their son. In my opinion, this probably was not a good idea. I believe that the student having a personal body guard will probably only make the situation worse. He very well may be bullied even more by his peers for having someone there to "protect" him. It really saddens me that the students parents needed to hire the body guard in the first place. I hope that they will find a solution that works to protect the student in the very near future.<br />
To read the full article, <a href="http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/04/16/full-time-staffer-assigned-to-watch-heavily-bullied-boy-in-new-brunswick-wont-help-says-anti-bullying-advocate/">click here: </a>Elena Fallonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16402619628003999700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5696568859990184555.post-40978733974988412772012-04-18T20:14:00.004-07:002012-04-18T20:14:42.130-07:00Horace Mann- "the father of the public school"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_U8Nq5NdyVUWNUO1rXZtBOemxz2K5Uf4tAVrrpww8g5d_Vsq_kVThbrT1lqLxzH1WnzUY1oae3tFukT9tRZIA50hqH9gUmXXbChkhoEpga2Y71XyPzLEFN2mvkjTp9KTU4TqH_ZTOolw/s1600/Horace_Mann.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_U8Nq5NdyVUWNUO1rXZtBOemxz2K5Uf4tAVrrpww8g5d_Vsq_kVThbrT1lqLxzH1WnzUY1oae3tFukT9tRZIA50hqH9gUmXXbChkhoEpga2Y71XyPzLEFN2mvkjTp9KTU4TqH_ZTOolw/s320/Horace_Mann.jpg" width="259" /></a></div>
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So what exactly was a “common
school”? Back in the 1800’s a man by the name of Horace Mann advocated for
this. A common school would be the modern day equivalent of an elementary
school. He was a strong supporter of everyone having the access to an
education, no matter how rich or poor they really were. Thus Horace Mann is
often known as the “father of the public school”. One of the main reasons for
his push towards public education for all was that he felt that the economy
would become more productive if there were more skilled workers. His hope was
to find and nurture the talents of all children and he sought to close the gap
between the rich and the poor. One of the most important things that Horace
Mann is known for is for light the spark about the role of religion in school. </div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">
We
would not think twice about having the right to a free and public education
today. But a public education was not a reality like it is now back in the 1800’s.
The major groups who fought against the public school movement were powerful
business men and many taxpayers also opposed the public school movement. The
private religious schools also opposed the idea of public schools. </div>
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Not
only did Horace Mann advocate for public schools, he also advocated for schools
that were better built and teachers who were more prepared and trained. As a
result of these efforts by Horace Mann, several “normal schools” were founded.
The purpose of these schools was to train teachers in pedagogy and show that
positive ways to motivate students rather than using punishment. Mann was a
true pioneer for better education systems in the United States, and who knows
if our educational system would be where it is right now if it wasn’t for all
of his efforts. </div>Elena Fallonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16402619628003999700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5696568859990184555.post-50043931455953956692012-04-15T20:13:00.001-07:002012-04-15T20:13:11.954-07:00Relay for Life!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-r8i4E5PQ3RV9tHoZU-ctSND8yfURAbBTP_umVbUVFXfNsly9jbsPcGv_POOorTBlWvQG3-GSBQQFfx0qIhh6sOvI8PaZ83Z3UNhbD986rPmF_SdtAiy0oOPYRVSW8oKOJ_rQh5nVo0U/s1600/relay+for+life.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-r8i4E5PQ3RV9tHoZU-ctSND8yfURAbBTP_umVbUVFXfNsly9jbsPcGv_POOorTBlWvQG3-GSBQQFfx0qIhh6sOvI8PaZ83Z3UNhbD986rPmF_SdtAiy0oOPYRVSW8oKOJ_rQh5nVo0U/s400/relay+for+life.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.917969); color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Last night was the Relay for Life here on the SUNY Cortland campus. I had participated in the relay back at home when I was in high school but this was my first year attending the relay here at cortland. We organized a team made up APEM members and we all got matching Pinnies to wear to show our unity. The point of the relay for life is to raise money for cancer and this is done all through donation. There were a ton of different groups from cortland including many different clubs and sororities. It was really neat to see so many people from the cortland community come together for this cause. As a club, apem decided to get together and run some games from the popular tv show minute to win it. These games turned out to be a lot of fun! When we were playing these games, we were walking laps to show support for cancer. Every single person has been affected by cancer in some way or another. I think that showing our support is a great way to bring the community together. I'm looking forward to attending Relay for Life again next year!</span>Elena Fallonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16402619628003999700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5696568859990184555.post-34850518274402592502012-04-11T19:22:00.001-07:002012-04-11T19:22:37.031-07:00PED 201 Infant Skits!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/EUgD1U7hfrs?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
It seems like almost an eternity ago that I was in PED 201 here at SUNY Cortland with Professor Yang. I remember being so excited to finally get out in to the schools and going to St. Mary's was a great experience! One of the biggest parts of Professor Yang's PED 201 class is students must turn the information from one of the chapters in the book into a song or skit. I was in the class in the fall of 2010 and my partners and I were assigned a chapter on infant reflexes. I can honestly say that I remember every little detail from the chapter because of the skit we did on it. My partners and I made a skit up about a pretend new item called a "flexlet" that gives an infant the incredible power of having all the reflexes. It was a really neat experience to make this skit and I had a lot of fun also watching all of the videos that my classmates made.<br />
<br />
Today I went to watch Professor Yang's current PED 201 class perform their infant skits live in Poolside. I think that although many of the students seemed extremely nervous, each group did a great job. It takes a lot of courage to sing in front of others, especially in Poolside during busy lunch hours!! This performance was a great way to get the students more comfortable in front of their peers and I really enjoyed watching!Elena Fallonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16402619628003999700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5696568859990184555.post-26769138480422196002012-04-08T18:08:00.002-07:002012-04-08T18:08:15.747-07:00Start of my Paper on Bullying<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">There
are many things that come to mind when one hears the word “bully”. According to
recent statistics, every day many kids in elementary schools, middle schools
and high schools are experiencing acts of bullying. These aggressive behaviors
often cause social rejection to others, as well as a plethora of different
personal effects. The word bully can be defined as a person who is cruel to
another, and the act of bullying may take many forms. In more recent years, a
term know as “cyber-bullying” has also become more common. While traditional
bullying requires face-to face contact between the bully and the person being
attacked, cyber- bullying uses technology rather than direct contact. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Although
we see the phenomenon of bullying across all ages, there are differences in
bullying between elementary school aged students and high school age students. In
one study done across three elementary schools in Spain, researchers took a
closer look at what types of children were the bullies and what types of children
were the victims of bullying. They studied various different factors including
gender, race and age as well as other factors such as disability, level of
intelligence and impulsivity. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The
way that the research was done was quite interesting. Three grade levels were
looked at including 4<sup>th</sup> grade, 5<sup>th</sup> grade and 6<sup>th</sup>
grade. Students were given the following scale: 0 = not involved in bullying, 1
= bullies (named by at least 25% as an aggressor), 2 = victims (named by at
least 25% as a victim) and 3 = bully-victim (named by at least 25% as an
aggressor and as a victim). Students had to give each one of their classmates a
0-3. Several complicated formulas were used including the Chi Squared formula
to determine the relevance of the findings. <o:p></o:p></span></div>Elena Fallonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16402619628003999700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5696568859990184555.post-40320139367430497212012-04-04T17:46:00.001-07:002012-04-04T17:46:23.310-07:00The Sprint to the Finish<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have recently been having a little trouble keeping up with
my blogging every day. This is the end of the race to the semester and I can
see the finish line in the near future. Taking 21 credits this semester was a
big under-taking and the work load has really been piling up these past few
weeks. But there is something else besides this semesters workload that is
occupying my thoughts lately. After this semester, I will be taking one more
semester of classes in the fall and then I will be student next spring. I am on
track to be getting my masters in health education in one year through the
collaborative physical education and health program here at Cortland. As an
undergraduate student I have already taken some health classes including
personal and community health, human sexuality education, and nutrition. I have
enjoyed all of these classes and I can honestly say that I would like to teach
health education even though my true passion lies in physical education. At
last Novembers NYS AHPERD Conference I talked to many different teachers and
asked them what they thought about getting a master’s degree in health
education. I think that every single teacher said it was a great idea,
especially in today’s job market. Some open positions may require me to teach
both health education and physical education. Right now my plan is to apply for
jobs as soon as I finish my degree in physical education. If I cannot find I job,
then I will go right into the master’s program in health education. </div>Elena Fallonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16402619628003999700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5696568859990184555.post-88355719763742854112012-04-01T13:19:00.000-07:002012-04-01T13:19:02.351-07:00SUNY Cortland Accepted Student Open House<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Today was the Open House for accepted students at SUNY
Cortland. I was invited to sit at the table for the APEM group because I am the
president of the club. So this morning the vice president and myself went to
the open house. Dr. Couteriour and Ms.Wright were there at the physical
education table to explain information about the major and answer any of the
questions that people had about the major. I must admit that was exhausting for
over 2 hours straight but it was pretty awesome to see all these new faces of
people who will be students in the fall. There was a broad range of emotions
amongst the accepted students. I could tell that some of the students were more
nervous and had a lot of different questions about not only the major but also
about campus life in general. Then there were also some students who were so
excited about coming to Cortland! I had so many great things to say about the
physical education program and the faculty here at Cortland. I have loved every
minute of my time here at Cortland and at times I might be super stressed with
all the work I have to do. But I know that in the end it will be worth it when I
have the job I have always wanted. It was exciting to see so many incoming
freshman and transfer students ready to immerse themselves in all the physical
education that Cortland has to offer. I’m looking forward to hopefully seeing
some new faces at APEM next semester!</div>Elena Fallonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16402619628003999700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5696568859990184555.post-43790680164629506762012-03-31T17:14:00.001-07:002012-03-31T17:14:33.643-07:00Educational Philosophy (work in progress)<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Education is not simply the delivery
of information from teachers to students, but rather is a means by which
teachers instill the capacity to learn and achieve in ways that will make students
successful individuals later on in life. I believe that students need to be
able to relate the learning experiences to the world around them, and that it
is the responsibility of the teacher to make students hungry for knowledge. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">For as long as I can remember, I have
always believed that what I am learning in school should relate to a real life
situation of some sort. I recall sitting through numerous lessons in high
school and thinking to myself “how and when am I ever going to use what I am
learning right now in life?” Thus I truly believe that as a future teacher, it
will be my responsibility to facilitate learning in my students using a
student-centered approach. This does not simply mean teaching all the numbers
and facts from a textbook, but rather helping students connect what they are
learning to real world experiences. Connecting learning experiences to students
lives’ most definitely requires social interaction, which I believe is another
crucial part of learning. I believe that anything from small group work and
projects to larger class discussions and debates are fundamental parts of a
child’s education. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> I am a firm
believer in structure in the classroom. The classroom is a place where students
learn and it is important that teachers create an environment that is warm and
inviting to the students. I believe that good teachers instill in their
students the desire to learn and the drive to succeed and have a bright future.
They do this by motivating their students in many different ways. Students
become bored very easily, especially when learning a subject that it is not
easily related to real life situations. Thus teachers should use different
methods to reach all the different learners in their classroom. It is extremely
important to remember that all students have a different preferred style of
learning. Not all students will learn by looking at a colorful poster or
graphic, just as not all students will learn by listening to a teacher lecture.
Teachers must plan their lessons with individual learning differences in mind. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> Teachers
have an immense impact on student’s education. I believe that all teachers
share a passion for working with children and bringing them the knowledge they
need to be successful individuals later on in life. Teachers touch the lives of
their students every day and are role models for their students. <o:p></o:p></span></div>Elena Fallonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16402619628003999700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5696568859990184555.post-69781093737308511462012-03-29T14:50:00.001-07:002012-03-29T14:50:35.281-07:00Bullying in Schools<a href="http://libproxy.cortland.edu:2443/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=aa658098-00ae-4fa1-bdbb-eed8a6f4e6e6%40sessionmgr14&vid=4&hid=123">http://libproxy.cortland.edu:2443/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=aa658098-00ae-4fa1-bdbb-eed8a6f4e6e6%40sessionmgr14&vid=4&hid=123</a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I recently decided to change my research paper topic to bullying
in school. I think that this is a major issue that every teacher in the school
needs to be aware of. It is important to know the difference between cyber
bullying and bullying. I also know that teachers should be educated on what to
do if they see signs of bullying, including violent or suicidal thoughts. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One article that I have found gives some great statistics on
the percentages of students in a high school being bullied. Statistics showed
that boys were bullied slightly more than girls in school, and girls
experienced cyber bullying slightly more than boys. The article breaks up the
percentages of students being bullied into different grade levels as well. It
was interesting to see that 21.4% of students reported being bullied 9<sup>th</sup>
grade and that this number is cut in half as only 10.6% of students in 12<sup>th</sup>
grade reported being bullied. I was somewhat surprised to see that the
percentages of whites being bullied was just about the same as the percentage
of non-whites being bullied. There was a slight difference in the percentage of
heterosexually identified students compared to the percentage of students who
were non-heterosexually identified. The students who identified as
non-heterosexual were bullied slightly more.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Another reason I liked the article was because it divided
the different effects of suicide into depressive symptoms, suicidal ideation,
self-injury, suicide attempt, and suicide attempt with medical treatment. It
was definitely interesting to see how cyber bullying and school bullying had different
effects. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>Elena Fallonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16402619628003999700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5696568859990184555.post-15664066409655489532012-03-23T16:52:00.000-07:002012-03-23T16:52:36.462-07:00Source #1<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
This article talks about a model in which theorists believe that
if a student has high achievement in the verbal domain, they most likely lack
confidence in the mathematical domain. The opposite is also believed to be true
as students that show high scores and achievement in the mathematical domain
are seen to have a poor self-concept in the verbal domain. This model is
referred to as the Internal/External Frame of Reference Model. The word
internal relates to the students comparing their own personal achievement in
one subject to their achievement in another subject. The word external refers
to a student comparing their own achievement to the achievement of their peers.
For this study done in the article,
investigations were done to link physical education to the verbal and
mathematical areas and see if high achievement in physical education can be
linked to high achievement and a positive self-concept in the classroom in
verbal and mathematical subjects. The study was done in France and surveyed
about 451 students with the mean age of 13.5 years. It was ultimately found
that physical education showed no significant relationship with achievement or
self-concept in verbal subject matter. Yet there were positive implications for
self –concept in the mathematical domain.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Take a look at the full article <a href="http://libproxy.cortland.edu:2074/science/article/pii/S1469029208000551">here!</a></div>Elena Fallonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16402619628003999700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5696568859990184555.post-23142693225982298002012-03-21T19:09:00.000-07:002012-03-21T19:09:21.291-07:00Dancing through life<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/OasVtpPcjWg?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Today in my PED 356 class we began discussing different implication
for teaching dance to students with disabilities. My professor Dr. Craft showed
us this video before we even began our discussion. I think that the fact that
she showed us the video before the lecture and discussion made a huge
difference because seeing the video showed me just how much students with
disabilities are really capable of. I think that this video is absolutely incredible
and so humbling. To see a young man with no function in his legs dance the way
he does in the video using his crutches and great upper body strength is
phenomenal. It was interesting to learn about teaching students with
disabilities different dances, and it was awesome to learn how much these
students really enjoy dance units. </div>Elena Fallonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16402619628003999700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5696568859990184555.post-11250726624610906712012-03-20T19:24:00.001-07:002012-03-20T19:24:25.260-07:00Some Shocking News<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Dribbling Lesson for EDU 355</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Today I once again taught at the Cortland Christian
Academy. My partner and I decided on a lesson that would focus on dribbling
because our host teacher has mentioned to us before that she thinks the
students need a lot of work on this skill. We did a short activity called “busy
bee” for the instant activity and the students really seemed to enjoy this
activity. We then went into a series of dribbling progressions. It was
important to make sure that the students were first comfortable with the
basketball and then we moved on to actually dribbling. The students were all
working very hard and were very on task today for our lesson. After we had
gotten through everything we had planned in the dribbling progression, we
closed the class by playing a small game that we learned in 355 lab called
Forest Ranger. This game is a lot of fun, but also requires patience. It was
great to end the class on such a positive note.</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br />
Today at the school I found out that my “master teacher” is really not a
certified teacher at all. She was a teaching assistant at the Cortland
Christian Academy last year and they had to cut her position due to budget
cuts. So out of the goodness of her heart, she stepped in this year as a
VOLUNTEER to teacher physical education classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I
was absolutely shocked when I heard this and was actually quite disappointed.
It is because Cortland Christian Academy is a private school that they are
allowed to get away with having a volunteer parent as the physical education
teacher. I think that the biggest reason that I found this disappointing is
because the school is not seeing physical education as important and do not see
the need for a teacher certified in teaching kids about motor skills and
physical activity. With this new knowledge, I feel that it will be my duty to
show the students what physical education is really about for the rest of my
time there!</div>Elena Fallonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16402619628003999700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5696568859990184555.post-71868107061622000442012-03-19T15:50:00.002-07:002012-03-19T15:50:53.548-07:00Coaching Philosophy<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">Athletics is not only a means by
which students practice and compete in sporting events, but is also a place
where a lot of individual growth takes place. Many physical education teachers
also have a passion for coaching but the goals of physical education and
coaching athletics are very different. While the goal of physical education is
to teach students ways to stay fit and engage in lifetime activities, the goals
of athletics are much more competitive competition and to develop proficiency
in sport skills. Through athletics, individuals develop character though hard
work, dedication and teamwork. It is the responsibility of the coach to
facilitate the acquisition of character through these different aspects of
sport. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> One big
difference between athletics and physical education is that every child on the
sport team in interscholastic athletics wants to be there. This differs from physical
education because physical education is a state mandated requirement and
mandatory even though some students may not really want to be there. Thus the
players on sports teams are more likely to work hard to improve their skills
both to better themselves as athletes, as well as for the benefit of the team
as a whole. It is the job of the coach to motivate the players to keep
practicing and working at 110%. A coach needs to find creative and innovative
ways to keep practice sessions interesting and rewarding while improving the
skills and mental capacity of the team. A coach is a person who is always
learning and constantly acquiring ways to challenge the athletes. After all,
coaching can be seen as an extension of learning as coaches teach their players
lessons both on and off the field. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> Athletics
almost always requires a large time commitment. Players and coaches who are
truly dedicated will put in countless hours to practicing so that come game
day, they are more than prepared. This
dedication leads to a discipline in athletes. As a coach, it is crucial to make
athletes know that all their hard work and time will pay off.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> The way that
a player acts on the field can really show a lot about their character. Coaches
should strive to mold their athletes into respectable individuals who show
compassion for their opponents and who have an unbreakable bond with their
teammates. Learning to work together as a team towards a common goal requires a
great deal of effective cooperation and communication. Both cooperation and
communication are skills that can be carried over to many other life situations
besides athletics. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%;">I believe that the number one most important
part of being a coach is finding the balance between being a friend and role
model to the players while maintain authority at the same time. I have had
several coaches throughout my life who were the most inspiring people in life
and really pushed myself and my team to succeed even when none of us had faith.
A coach believes in his or her team at all times and is an approachable
individual who players look to for advice, both on and off the field. I believe
that the coaches I had and the experiences I had in interscholastic sports
really shaped me into the person I am today. <o:p></o:p></span></div>Elena Fallonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16402619628003999700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5696568859990184555.post-89932340355199045922012-03-18T17:24:00.001-07:002012-03-18T17:24:06.168-07:00Boston Blackout!!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbz9FLZAUbcdvlCdzLiLVuznwTgktzC64-NEp5XtIlUFsOcg_73WinCPESD56aYM-zpbkvzKOXzHGpn23snwQAEhFTTqNt5ZVas75_aMkgeZqt0uMHuLeeacJ8HS0b5ja20F2xWqx_4Q0/s1600/429069_10150742027842463_767087462_11247652_580814452_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbz9FLZAUbcdvlCdzLiLVuznwTgktzC64-NEp5XtIlUFsOcg_73WinCPESD56aYM-zpbkvzKOXzHGpn23snwQAEhFTTqNt5ZVas75_aMkgeZqt0uMHuLeeacJ8HS0b5ja20F2xWqx_4Q0/s320/429069_10150742027842463_767087462_11247652_580814452_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On a tour of Boston Harbor</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmFE-BaKURfAviBrHVHmR03hCaZsM-LhL_u2tvrwW6jrCByNQVL3KFDECEHJ_HEXHZSTyjw1Aj89bgCXxZV5P9lir36SDxfHto0qM7Svt97PbhxEU1aE4EAV5p9aK58BV1oJMsxERx0mo/s1600/421330_3383541183820_1128185027_33416457_31457038_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmFE-BaKURfAviBrHVHmR03hCaZsM-LhL_u2tvrwW6jrCByNQVL3KFDECEHJ_HEXHZSTyjw1Aj89bgCXxZV5P9lir36SDxfHto0qM7Svt97PbhxEU1aE4EAV5p9aK58BV1oJMsxERx0mo/s320/421330_3383541183820_1128185027_33416457_31457038_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quincy Market</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I had been
looking forward to the 2012 National AAHPERD Conference in Boston for a very
long time. I was so excited to continue to pursue more professional development
and check out my first national conference. But on our 9 hour train ride back
up to Boston on Tuesday, we got some bad news. There was an electrical fire
that blew two transformers, leaving much of the city without power. It was a
huge blackout in Boston and even our hotel did not have power. The next morning
I was really excited for Day 1 of the conference but it ended up being
cancelled because of the power outage. So some of my friends and I went on a
tour of the city of Boston! It was my first time ever in Boston so I was
excited to learn a little about the history of the city. After all the touring
around Boston, we were all ready for the conference the next day but were just
disappointed once again. On Thursday AAHPERD decided to cancel the entire rest
of the conference because of the blackout. I was extremely disappointed because
I really was looking forward to the conference and was excited that I was also
going to have a chance to present with one of my professors at a national conference.
But a situation like the blackout is not any one’s fault and just really
unfortunate. After we got news that the conference was cancelled for the entire
rest of the week, we realized that the hotel rooms and train tickets were all
paid for already so we would be spending the next two days in Boston. I ended
up having a great time with some of my fellow physical education majors and we
got to see some really neat things in Boston. Despite the AAHPERD conference
being cancelled, we all had a great time in Boston and got to know one another
well. Some of the different things that we saw in Boston were the Boston
Harbor, Quincy Market, the Freedom Trail and Fenway Park. Another highlight of the
trip was when I got to meet up with one of my physical education teachers from
high school for lunch. It was also cool to see that wherever we went touring
around Boston there were other physical education teachers. For example, when
we went on a boat tour of Boston Harbor, we met a couple of physical education
professors from Arizona State University and a few professors from West
Virginia University. They were also making the most of their time in Boston
even though the conference was cancelled. We got to talk to these professors
about what the physical education programs are like at their schools and it was
interesting to see the similarities and differences. So even though we were not
physically at the AAHPERD Conference, we still got to network with other
teachers at the same time. I have a lot of great memories from my time spent in
Boston this past week and formed some great relationships with my peers which
will be helpful in the future when we are all teachers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>Elena Fallonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16402619628003999700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5696568859990184555.post-4250951640832751612012-03-01T17:59:00.002-08:002012-03-01T17:59:28.786-08:00Michelle Obama's "Let's Move" Campaign<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After taking a look at PE and what it was like back in
the Cold War Era, I wanted to take a look at Michelle’s increasingly popular
campaign called “Let’s Move”. She talks about how her family was not very
healthy and then decided to make some changes in their lifestyles. Her new
campaign is to all children more active and moving. She divides the campaign
into four different parts:</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->1.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Making Healthy Choices</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]-->2.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Healthier School Foods</div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->3.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Access to Healthy Affordable Food</div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]-->4.<span style="font-size: 7pt;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Increase physical activity</div>
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As a future physical educator, I know that I will be
involved in the movement. I think that it is great that a figure head like the
First Lady is so passionate about this type of movement. I believe that Obama
hopes to not only fight childhood obesity that is such a problem right now, but
she also hopes to start a proactive movement to prevent childhood obesity for
even starting in the first place. Michelle Obama is also encouraging families
to be active together which I think is another great idea. I remember growing
up my parents always had my family doing activities together like going on
hikes and going snow tubing. </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
I really like that Michelle Obama is trying to get
everyone involved in the movement. It is awesome to see in the video how many
professional athletes are getting involved in the movement. </div>Elena Fallonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16402619628003999700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5696568859990184555.post-90521154440671315322012-02-29T19:25:00.001-08:002012-02-29T19:25:18.782-08:00Jumping towards Fitness!<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Yesterday was my third day of teaching at the Cortland
Christian Academy. My partner Lucia and I decided to try out a whole lesson on
jump roping and our host teacher absolutely loved it. </div>
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We started off the lesson by handing out different
colored name tags to the students. This helped easily divide up the students
into 4 squads. It is also helping us learn the student’s names, and every day
that I go to the school, I try to learn more and more of the student’s names. We
started off with a quick instant activity called Shadow. Students worked with
partners and had to do different locomotor skills moving around the gym while “shadowing”
their partner.</div>
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<br /></div>
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After the instant activity, we dove right into the lesson
focus which focused on a bunch of ways to modify jumping rope for the
kindergarteners and first graders who were still gaining competency in the
skill. One of the favorite activities of the students was laying the rope on the
floor and doing as many ski jumps over the rope as they could in 30 seconds. We
then challenged the group to jump for another 30 seconds and try to beat their
first score. The class really seemed to like all of the modified activities we
had planned and most definitely got their MVPA in for the day. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Our second class of second and third graders was much
more competent in jumping rope and thus we got to do some more advanced things
with these students. I was truly amazed at all of the tricks that the students
could do. This class was exhausted by the end of the class and asked if we
could do jump roping again next week!<br />
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It is really amazing how many neat things you can do with
your students if each student has just one jump rope. It is definitely a great
way to build up the cardiovascular endurance in students and they have a lot of
fun at the same time. </div>Elena Fallonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16402619628003999700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5696568859990184555.post-25210694069304653962012-02-27T14:51:00.000-08:002012-02-27T14:51:01.333-08:00President JFK on Physical Fitness<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal">
I decided to take a look at what physical education was like
back about 50 years ago. At this time, the United States was facing the Cold War,
and this time period was marked by an intense rivalry between our country and
the communist Soviet Union. Thus the president at the time, John F. Kennedy
wanted to instill physical activity in schools that would give the United
States an edge over the Soviets. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I found this video on YouTube that shows some of the ways
that physical education classes were conducted back in the 1960’s. It was
extremely different and seemed rather militaristic to me. In the video, JFK said that he hoped to build fit
and stronger individuals. The students shown look about high school aged and
are standing in a very clear formation and doing the same exercises in unison. The
students are simply following whatever exercise the teacher is doing in front
of them. JKF sees physical fitness as crucial to life and wants all Americans
to gain the benefits of vigor and energy from fitness. He goes on to say that “A
country is as strong as it’s citizens”.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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Another thing that I picked
up on from watching the short video clip was the fact that I did not notice a
single obese individual in the video. Although I cannot be certain as to the
reason for this, I am speculating that Americans were more concerned with
fitness back then and made it more of a priority than some individuals do
today. I am also speculating that Americans back then ate less fast food and
most likely had a healthier diet. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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I really found it interested to compare and contrast what physical education and fitness was like back then compared to what it is like now. </div>
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<br /></div>Elena Fallonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16402619628003999700noreply@blogger.com0