Going to be a bad day around here tomorrow

Well seems some things are coming out of the wood work. My wife just shared this with me. First a email to my daughters principal and then here response. Seems PE is now a issue . I will let the email explain


Principals,
I have great conversations with my child about her day in the car on the way home. I am blessed that she is very open and honest and we have such a great relationship. My daughter loves PE for the most part because she enjoys playing Knock Out and gymnastics. This whole year when she would get to telling me what they did in PE is seemed to always be the same few answers. "Oh we just chose what we wanted to do."

Now I know school has changed since my days at Corriher Lipe in the late 80s, but what we had was good. We were taught sports during PE. It was a class with instruction.




I am upset as a parent and as a teacher! As a parent I would hope that my 6th grade daughter who can't try out for sports yet could learn some skills in the sports to get her ready for 7th grade. For example, for PE maybe a 2-3 week period where students are learning basketball skills; a time to learn tennis skills; a time to learn any of the sports offered at Erwin. As a parent I can't always have her learning these skills through the YMCA or private lessons. Although she has done things outside of school; things like track, tennis, golf, etc are just not YMCA type offerings. As the school year went along, I got more upset when I would even mention it to other Erwin parents and they have noticed the same issues. Now don't label me as someone trying to stir up mess, I only vented with 3 co-workers who have children in other grades and 6th and they are seeing the same thing. This surprised me because at first I thought I was being too sensitive; until I found out they had the same feelings. I want my daughter to have the self-confidence to try out for any sport Erwin offers. The only way this is going to happen is if she is taught by her PE teachers.




I am upset as a teacher. I work hard at my job and create lesson plans to fit my students needs. I must do something right because I got voted TOY this year. My students and the NCSCOS is important to me. So it frustrates me that my peers are getting away with being a "Recess Babysitter." (a term given by one of the other upset parents). As it is explained to me they come in, dress out, run a few laps (which they are told all must run but somehow some get away with just walking, and I don't mean heavier children). Then they are given a choice of what they want to do. This is an EVERY day occurrence not just every now and then. I was excited one day when I heard her mention tennis, until I found out there was no instruction, just hitting a ball. Knock Out may improve my daughter's shooting but will not help her learn what she needs to effectively try out for basketball. Another time volleyball was a choice - but NO INSTRUCTION. Where is the TEACHING from these TEACHERS?




I looked up NCSCOS for 6th grade just to make sure I had support to my frustration. In the beginning of the curriculum it mentions the below. It was easy to see that teaching of the sport skills should be happening, not just a 'well if they pick up on these things, great. Let them have fun and play.'


Physical Education Skills:

1.
Motor skills and movement patterns – Students should demonstrate the physical skills needed to enjoy participation in physical activities (e.g., throwing, running, skipping, striking skills that are further refined at middle school years and become more complex movement patterns such as tactics, catching on the move, or dance steps.)

2.
Applied knowledge – Students should demonstrate a competent level of understanding and decision making for movement concepts, principles, strategies and tactics as they apply to skill acquisition and performance (e.g., increasing force production through the summation of forces, effects of anxiety on performance, and the principle of specificity of training.)

3.
Effective self- management – Students should utilize goal setting and establish patterns of regular participation in meaningful physical activity.

4.
Accepting responsibility for fitness – Students should develop self- initiated behaviors that promote personal and group success in activity from the knowledge, skill and concepts of physical education to live a healthy active lifestyle.

5.
Respect for similarities and differences– Students should achieve self-initiated behaviors that promote personal and group success, which include safe practices, adherence to rules and procedures, etiquette, cooperation and teamwork, ethical behavior and positive social interaction.

6.
Self-confidence and positive self –image – Students should develop an awareness of the intrinsic values and benefits of participation in physical activity that provides personal meaning.









Students will be able to perform the skills necessary for participation in a variety of small-sided team, dual, and individual lifetime activities (e.g., skills, and basic offense and defense strategies). Students will engage in physical activities that provide for challenge, problem-solving, and decision-making, appropriate risk- taking choices, fair play and sportsmanship behaviors before entering high schoolHealthful Living Standard Course of Study.




After looking at the goals for PE it is still clear as a teacher that the teachers should be teaching physical education. Not just having a supervised recess.






COMPETENCY GOAL 6: The learner will demonstrate competency in a variety of movement forms and proficiency in a few to gain competence towards lifetime physical activities (NASPE Standard 1).

Objectives

6.01
Demonstrate square, folk, and rhythmic movement skills. 6.02
Create short movement compositions. 6.03
Create routines that focus on rolling combinations with variations of positions. 6.04
Demonstrate beginning strategies through small-sided games for net and

invasion games. 6.05
Demonstrate increasing competence in more advanced specialized skills.

COMPETENCY GOAL 7: Demonstrates understanding of movement concepts, principles, strategies, and tactics as they apply to the learning and performance of physical activities (NASPE Standard 2).

Objectives

Use information from a variety of sources to improve performance such as feedback from a peer and published documents. Explore personal wellness by gathering information, considering alternatives and consequences that accompany such choices.

Recognize the general characteristics of movement that can be applied to specific settings such as moving to open space or speeding up or slow down to intercept an object. Use basic understanding of the knowledge of offensive and defensive strategiesin activity settings.

COMPETENCY GOAL 8: The learner will exhibit a physically active lifestyle (NASPE Standard 3).

Objectives

8.01
Identify opportunities in the school and community for regular participation in physical activity.

8.02 Participate daily for a minimum of 60 minutes in some form of health- enhancing physical activity.

• Journal • Contract • Pedometers • Heart rate monitors

8.03 Sets realistic physical activity goals and strive to attain them through participation in physical activity of his or her choosing.

COMPETENCY GOAL 9: The learner will show evidence of an acceptable level of health-related fitness and be familiar with factors that benefit performance (NASPE Standard 4).

Objectives

9.01 Complete a valid and reliable pre and post health-enhancing fitness assessment and show personal improvement toward achievement of fitness scores at an acceptable level, including monitoring of the heart

9.02 Demonstrate proper stretching exercises. 9.03
Demonstrate the ability to perform self-paced aerobic activity.

COMPETENCY GOAL 10: Exhibits responsible personal and social behavior that respects self and others at the same time as values physical activity for health, enjoyment, challenge, self-expression, and/or social interaction (NASPE Standard 5 & 6).

Objectives




Appreciates the aesthetic and creative aspects of skilled performance in others and self.Make conscious decisions about playing within the rules, procedures, and etiquette of a game or activity.

Utilize time effectively to complete assigned tasks. Work cooperatively and productively in a group to accomplish a set goal in both cooperative and competitive activities. Resolves interpersonal conflicts with sensitivity to the rights and feelings of others.




I have even highlighted the most obvious in red. I do realize as principals you are busy with end of year responsibilities. However I do expect a response to me. If you would like to meet with me I am willing to come to the school. I also ask that you not mention my daughter's name or mine to the teacher so that she does not have any difficulties next year in PE or trying out for a sport. I do not have personal issues with any PE teacher because my daughter loves them all, I am just upset with the circumstances of this year. If you choose not to work with your PE teachers about this room for improvement then you are doing an injustice to all rising Erwin students, some of which I taught last year and have a strong attachment to.




Thanks for your attention to this matter.

 

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