Phed Blog #7

Hello!

So this week we were asked to decide on a tactical problem for one of the categories of games and then describe two games that will help students with this tactical problem.  I am choosing a tactical problem from an invasion game.  The problem is: Getting open to receive a pass.

The first game we would play is Elbow Tag.  How it works is you choose one person to be 'it' and one person to be free. The rest of the group should pair up, link arms and scatter in their pairs around a playing field/area. · The object of the game is for person who is "it" to tag the person who is "free." · The people paired up around the field are to stand still until the person who is free links arms with either member of a pair. When this happens, the person on the other side of the pair, is now the one who is "free" and must run away from the person who is "it."  This is a good game for working on the tactical problem of getting open to receive a pass because the person who is free has to get away from the person who is "it".  This is similar to game situations in which a player needs to get away from their opponent in order to get "open" for a pass.

Here is a fun video of elbow tag! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rbn1ZBZDsu0&feature=related

Now that the players have learned how to get away from their opponent in the first game, they need to work on finding open space so they can receive a pass.  The second game that would help with this is Musical Hoola Hoops.  How this game works is there are a bunch of hoola hoops spread out around the gym area.  When the music starts, players jog around and then as soon as the music stops they need to run and find an open hoola hoop to stand in.  After each time, you can take one hoola hoop away so that when the music stops the players have to find open space (hoola hoop) quickly in order to not be left out of one.  This game is not only good for finding "open" space but also finding open space quickly. 

Well, that's all for now.  Off to UBCO for soccer provincials!! 

Go WOLFPACK!!! (insert wolf howl here) 

Until next time,

Courtney.

Phed Blog #6

Hi All!

This week we were asked to do a bit of research behind this model and write about what we found while considering the following questions:
What is the idea behind this Model?
What are the four different categories of games that are discussed within this model?
What is a tactical problem?
As well, we are to give one tactical problem for each of the categories of games.

In my research I found that the traditional model of teaching, basically starts with teaching kids how to do something, then they move into game form, then performance, then after they learn all that... they finally get into decision making and tactical awareness.  However, the TGFU model focuses first on game appreciation and teaching kids why they should do something instead of just how they should do it.  The idea behind this model is to encourage physical activity as well as to encouraging the kids to engage and enjoy the activity, while still promoting a greater understanding of the different aspects in that game or activity.  
The four categories of games that are discussed in this model are: Target Games, Batting/Fielding or run scoring games, Net/Wall games, and Invasion or Territory games.  
This model talks about tactical problems which are basically problems that must be overcome in order to score, stop scoring, and restart play.
Here are examples of some tactical problems in each of the 4 categories of games:
1) Target Games- how much force or speed do you need to get your object to the target
2) Batting/Fielding or run scoring games- how can you make the ball hard for opponents to hit, in order to get them out
3) Net/Wall Games- understanding space, so where is the open space that you can play the ball so that your opponent will be unable to return it
4) Invasion or Territory Games- how can you stop opponents from invading your territory

Well, that's all for now! Off to Van for soccer- Go Wolfpack!!
Until next time,
Courtney.

Oh, and here is a simple but good diagram for the TGFU model that I found:

Phed Blog #5

Hello All!
It is the end of a busy week once again, and I am excited it is almost the weekend! This week in Phed 1280, we were asked to find 2 games for elementary aged children and 2 games for high school aged children.  Here is what I found:

Elementary Aged Game #1
Name: Disaster Island.

For this game all you need are some mats and a bag of pinnies.  You place mats (or "islands") around the gym area and pick a different student to choose a name for each island.  In the middle of the islands (usually the center circle of the gym) is the "sharks" area.  The teacher then asks the kids to divide up among the different islands and chooses one child (or gets someone to volunteer) to be the shark.  The game starts by the teacher saying there is a type of "disaster" on one of the islands.  Whatever island he/she calls, all the children on it have to run to a new island without getting caught by the shark.  If you are tagged by the shark, then you too become a shark (so the sharks will keep multiplying as you catch more people).  All sharks will have a pinnie so that everyone playing knows who they are.  You keep playing until there are one or two people left.

Elementary Aged Game #2
Name: Never Ending Tag.







You don't need any equipment to play this game.  How it works is that everyone is "it" and can tag anyone.  If you get tagged, you must sit down where you were tagged.  The only way you can get up is if the person who tags you gets tagged and goes down.  In order for someone to win they must, alone, tag every single person without getting tagged themselves.  This is quite hard to do, so the game may just keep going ("never ending") until your time limit for the activity is up.  


High School Aged Game #1
Name: Head Catch.

This seems like a simpler game, but really good for getting the older kids to concentrate.  All you need for this game are 2 dodge balls (that is for a class size anywhere from 10-15, then add more dodge balls if needed).  The students stand in a circle around the teacher (and one other chosen student) who will take turns throwing the ball, underhand of course, near the students head.  As they throw the ball the teacher and chosen student will either say "head" or "catch" and the student will have to do the opposite of what they say.  So for example, if the teacher says "head" then the student has to catch it.  Each student has 2 lives, and each time they mess up they lose a life. If they lose all their lives they then sit down.  You keep going until one person is left.  As the game goes on, the teacher may want to start throwing the dodge balls a little quicker to speed things up and make it more difficult.    

High School Aged Game #2
Name: Capture the Flag.  This game is a classic.  It was one of my favorite  P.E games growing up.  I would use it for high school aged children rather than elementary because I think it is more difficult for younger ones to understand all the rules and perform it well.  The equipment you need is the following: a big space (such as the entire gym or a field), cones to divide the area in half and to make "safe" zones and "jails", and flags (or I would just use dodge balls)  You may also want to use pinnies to give to one team so that people can distinguish who all is on their team.  How it works is they are divided into two teams and both teams are given the same number of dodge balls to put in their "safe" zone.  Each team also has a designated "jail" area on their side.  Once the game starts, the kids can try and go into the other teams area to steal a dodge ball from the opposing team's safe zone and bring it back to their own safe zone.  The object of the game is to have the most dodge balls in your safe zone by the end of the game.  However, if you go into the opposing team's side, they can tag you.  If you get tagged, you must go to the jail on the opposing team's side.  The only way to get out of jail is if someone from your own team runs to the jail without being tagged, and tags you.  Both you and the person who tags you now get a "free" walk back to your side.  On your free walk back you both must put your hands on your head as you walk so that people know you are on your free walk back.  If you steal a ball and then get tagged while you are on your way back to your side, you must give the person who tagged you back their dodge ball and then go to their jail.  No one can "puppy dog" any of the jails or safe zones and therefore must be at least 5 big steps away from those areas while they defend it.  If you make it into the opposing teams safe zone to steal a ball, you have 10 seconds until you have to leave the safe zone.

*There are many variations of this game and I described the most general way to play it.  The following YouTube video describes another unique/fun way to play capture the flag:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ll0lAy9YX8g

That's all for this week, so until next time!
Courtney.

Blog #4

Hello All!
This week in Phed 1280 we were asked to read an article about Competition vs. Cooperation and then blog about how we feel about this article.  Here is what I came up with:
 Do I think that cooperation is better than competition, and what does better mean?
I think cooperation is better because it gets everyone involved and is a much more positive environment for learning, improving, and growing.  Better does not necessarily mean it's the "best" or the "only" thing that matters.  To me, it just simply means that it is a better philosophy or focus, shall I say, than competition. There was a part in this article that talked about how doing your best and trying to beat others are two total different mental processes.  I liked this thought as it made me think of how if you concentrate on doing your ultimate best then in turn, your reward will be much higher than if you beat someone else while not doing your best.
Can there be a balance between the two?
I think there could be a balance between the two.  However, you would have to re-define what competition is.  For example, instead of focusing on "beating someone else", focus on competing with yourself instead, in doing so, you will be constantly improving and growing in your skill.
Does competition decrease self-esteem or increase it?
I feel that competition (though as many could argue increases), decreases self esteem more than it would increase it.  This is because in a competition you are always wanting or trying to beat someone who is better than you.  Therefore, you always have it in your head that you might not be good enough if you are not always at the top of the competition.  You would have the mind set that there is always someone better than you.  Whereas if you are focusing on just doing your personal best the only person to look at is yourself.  And if you keep working hard at doing your best, then you will be able to see yourself keep improving and this will raise your self esteem.
Should we only play games that are cooperative so not to hurt someone's self esteem?
I think overall yes, and especially in a P.E or recreational setting as the focus is on helping people to have fun and getting to know people as well as living a healthy and active lifestyle and not on "winning" against other people.  However, I do think there is a time and place where we can play games that are not just cooperative but also competitive. This would be for high level competitive teams/sports though.
Should we be promoting elite sport in school?
No, I think school should focus more on the kids themselves and as people who can take what they learned in the classroom and out into the community and in the rest of their life.  Have the focus be on them learning how to work well with others and learn to live a healthy and active lifestyle (as mentioned earlier).  I think elite sport should only be promoted outside of school.  However, I do think that once people are graduated and move on to university it is different as far as promoting elite sport.  For example, they have already gone through a good chunk of their lives and should by now have a decent background in what cooperation in sport is.  I think once they get out of high school and into university or college that they can start to focus on elite sport if they want to.  Plus elite sport in university is not as connected to school or "the classroom" as it is in younger years.  It is more separate; you are a part of an elite team with that type of focus, rather than a P.E class in elementary or high school and it is not a "required" thing to take, it's something you choose to be a part of.
Well that's a lot to take in for the day, so have a good thanksgiving weekend folks!
Until next time,
Courtney.        

P.S.
Follow this link for a fun song from the good ol' childhood days about cooperation- enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5exvfbnFMUg