CH 2 & 4 Q's

Ch 2


3. In order for someone to learn a motor skill, they must first have some set of prerequisite skills to step off from. These could be simple skills that one might pass over as common sense or not think is vital to learning the new motor skill. This prerequisite could be simple movements like jumping, running, or throwing using proper form. Since we are all unique, we must be mindful of individual characteristics that everyone has. They also need to have a clear understanding of what they are trying to learn. If someone is unsure of what it is they are supposed to do, then how can you expect them to perform it. Along with practice, these are points that we as teachers need to be mindful of when teaching, because they are simple mistakes that can have dire effects on the learner.

4. Teaching open and closed skills should be done separately and in their own respect. This is because the variables attached to each skill is quite different from one another. For instance, closed skills are skills that are done with no environmental influence, therefore we can focus more on the skill itself and not the environment it is taking place in. The bench press would be a closed skill, because the skill is done is a stable environment with nothing else taking place other than the lift. An open skill like kicking a field goal outdoors, is going to have environmental factors such as wind speed/direction, field conditions, and possibly defenders. All of which are unstable changing factors that must be taken into consideration prior to the skill being completed. Discrete skill are going to be a skill with a distinct beginning and ending point such as an archery shot. Now a serial skill is going to be multiple discrete skills done in a continuous manner such as swimming. There is one skill of the stroke that is repeated over and over again. We would first want to teach the discrete skill of the stroke to ensure that proper form is being used and then practice linking the skill back to back with one another. The same goes for teaching open and closed skills, in that you want to learn a skill in a controlled environment than start to add environmental changes.

Ch 4

2. Communication in a loud gym is a difficult task, but it is manageable as long as the teacher has a means of gaining their attention. This could be a short loud blast of the whistle which would be a signal for attention. If the teacher is able to quickly and effectively gain the students attention, then they can get out their information in the same manner. In order for the whistle blast to work, the teacher must explain what the whistle means prior to the activity starting. Having a simple attention getter along with simple and easily understandable directions makes communication easier for all those involved. The short and simple directions leaves little room for misunderstandings and maximizes activity time.

3. Using demonstrations appropriately is critical to the success of a physical education teacher. Demonstrations should be accurate, and done so correctly, because if you are performing the movement incorrectly students are naturally going to try to mimic exactly what they see rather than listening to cues. Having other students demonstrate should also be utilized whenever possible, because this allows the teacher and the other students to focus on observing and point out the most important aspects of the skill. Demonstrations and cues should be given in an organized manner, because it will allow for a smoother transition as well as give students specific steps to follow when trying it for themselves.

5. A good cue is going to have a simple description of what is taking place and can easily be replicated. It is also going to be skill and age appropriate that isn’t above or below the level of the learner. When teaching a closed skill it is important to have effective verbal cues that the learner can use to visualize when they are going through the motions. Once they have effectively learned to perform the skill as a closed skill, adding in environment effect such as wind will further challenge the learner, for instance hitting a ball from a tee as a closed skill, and then hitting a ball pitched by a machine. Learning to hit the ball from the stationary tee will build the fundamentals of swinging the bat, and hitting from a pitching machine is going to add the variable to ball speed as well as timing of the swing. The machine makes the skill more difficult, but allows for a controlled and steady pitch.

Where Are My Turkeys?!?!

It’s always interesting watching one’s self on video, regardless of what you are doing, as well as hearing what you actually said while teaching. It is even more uncomfortable to watch yourself teaching as silly a lesson as I chose to do. While we all got a good laugh out of the lesson, my energy was fantastic, and I felt the others in the group fed off of me and let themselves go out a little further than they would have on their own. I was loud, confident and tried to push the limits of the group while still keeping everyone under control. I still need to work on flowing from one topic to the next, but this will come with time and practice. As far as the value of this lesson is
concerned, I think that while this was a very unconventional approach to the topic, it was still quite effective in getting the students to understand the importance of creating distance. For my next lesson I would like to keep the energy high and hopefully keep pushing the group release their inhibitions and drive fully into the lesson. If they are able to continue committing to the lessons the students will benefit far more than just teaching the skills of cutting and starting/stopping.

Questions...

1. Goal oriented teaching is something that physical education teachers have lost over the years, and I say this, because the mundane actions of rolling the balls out has become the status quo. As physical educators we need to take charge and challenge our students to push themselves towards completing goals that may seem out of reach. It is through solid task oriented learning and teaching towards the attainment of goals is how our students can reach further and achieve more. Students need to understand that our goals in physical education are not just to play a sport and move on, but instead to set a goal and use progressions to attain new skills and reach that goal.

5. The movement-task student response unit of analysis is important because the students will learn how to do a certain task/skill and allows them to analyze their movements and reflect back on them. When we analyze a student’s movements we can praise their achievements and give positive feedback and then use this as an avenue to insert constructive criticisms. These critiques are not meant to break down the student’s esteem, but instead allow them to get specific feedback to further their progression of the skill/task. When the teacher has a starting point they are able to guide students and have them work through the progressions. They are not only learning the skills, but they are becoming more proficient through activity and practice. When we give a proper demonstration the visual learners get an understanding of what is expected and then we are able to analyze their movements making corrections as needed.

7. The relationship between teaching functions and teaching skills is that teaching functions are the guidelines a teacher uses to teach skills to their students. One way to plan and present is through intra-task variation, where the teacher takes prior assessments of the students and uses this data to determine what skill level the students should start with. Another way to plan and present is through teaching by invitation. By giving the students the opportunity to chose their own equipment and level, they feel a release of pressure and are able to work the skills with more freedom to try something they may not be comfortable with under other circumstances.

Jumping in the Deep End

What a refreshing way to kick things off after a summer full of sun and relaxation. I felt like things were a little rusty as to be expected, however I do feel as though it went smoothly. I was loud and chose a simple activity that didn't involve long directions. On the other hand there were mistakes throughout, and a lack of organization made the lesson choppy at times. I wasn't sure of what I was going to say and basically went from the cuff. I would like my directions to be clear and as straight forward as possible next time as well as have a clearer idea of what I am expecting from my students.