Hello All,
Now, for our final blog we were asked to write about our experiences over the semester as well as both of the methods we learned. We were also asked to reflect on whether the two models could be integrated and how that could happen.
I will first start with my experiences:
Wow, where to start? I guess I will start by saying how awesome it was to get to know each and every person in this class, it was such an amazing group of people. From those who were loud, competitive, funny, unique, kind, encouraging, friendly, to those who were maybe a bit more shy- I am going to miss each and every one. Hopefully we will get to all see each other around some time! What I loved about this class was that every one was eager to participate and treated each other well, it was kind of like having a big family, but at school (which I know can be a rare thing to have in a classroom setting). It was easy to joke around with each other and have fun and I believe in doing so, it enabled everyone to feel comfortable and therefore to participate more fully. What I also liked about this class was that though I had been taught both of these methods before on paper, in this class I was able to put them into practice and therefore make me appreciate how they could work so well. This class gave me a better understanding of these methods by being able to try them out myself in a teaching setting. I think it is so important for the kids who are being taught the TPSR model to be able to take the lessons they are learning in class into many other areas in their lives. Sometimes, from looking back on my experiences, I don't think that PE teachers always think about that. Lots of people see PE as just a part of the curriculum that has to be taught to get in some physical activity for the kids or to learn how to be "athletes". But people need to realize it is and can be a lot more than that. As a teacher, you have an opportunity to make a positive difference in a child's life and by teaching them the different levels in the TPSR model, I believe you can do that. You can't always know what a child is going through socially, mentally, or at home, but by providing them with the opportunity to understand that they can take what they learn in the gym and apply it to other things in life might just help more than you know. I also like the TGFU model as to me, after practicing it, it just makes more sense. Period. I have coached elementary sports for a few years now and time and time again I would teach them the classic "skills and drills" and then we would get to a game setting and they wouldn't be able to do anything that they had just been practicing for hours before. Looking back, I realize that in practices they would learn how to do a skill or drill but they didn't know why they were doing it or when they should do it. I bet if they had first learnt why they need to run to open space (i.e. in order to get away from a defender) then when we practiced the skills later on, they would do them more efficiently and it would be more effective in their performance and games. Learning this model I think will help me as a coach in a big way. I believe these two models could easily be integrated. I think we sort of already did that with our second presentation this semester. That could happen by introducing the different levels of the TPSR while teaching/using the TGFU model. Also, while teaching the TGFU you could still have counselling time, awareness talk, then the lesson (TGFU one), and then end with a group discussion and self- evaluation. I believe these models actually fit pretty nicely together. They are both great models so why not integrate them in order to make the classroom experience even more successful.
Well that's my two cents for the day! (We are DONE blogs...YAY!) Though crazy to say, I might actually kind of miss doing them...
Anyways, Until next time,
Courtney Dennill.
Hopefully see y'all in the new year, bring on 2012 weooow!
