APHA+Journal+4


 * Themes # 4 **

Which grade level did you teach and what did you learn about the development of these students? What techniques did you use to involve students in class, such as using index cards to call on students? What are some strategies that you employed to relate the teaching material to the lives and experiences of your students? All three classes were ninth graders. The students had just started the strength training unit 2 days prior and it was evident that many were not comfortable. Ninth graders are kind of in that awkward stage with their body development. Many girls are growing faster than the boys which hold both of the girls and boys back from really trying as hard and reaching maximum effort. Strength training is a new unit for most students besides those who play sports. Relating strength training to experiences later in life by having good form will are less likely to injure oneself. Protecting the spinal cord is stressed because back problems can occur young and become chronic. Relating the cervical column and spinal cord to hockey pucks creates a great visual to the students, keep your hockey pucks in line.
 * Student Learning and Development **

Which types of teaching strategies did you use? Would you modify those strategies in the future? Direct instruction was mainly used to teach the students form of the different lifts. It is important that students are taught the correct form before going to explore different lifts on their own. After they master the lifts they have the option of adding more weight to increase the difficulty. Then graduated difficulty is being used as a teaching strategy. Less lecturing would be great, however I feel it would be hard to do. I could have demonstrated the lift then ask students what elements of the lift are most important, using more of an understanding strategy like concept attainment.
 * Teaching Strategies **

Which types of Assessment did you use? Would you modify in the future? What are some examples of formative and summative assessments you used in the classroom? Formative assessment was used when instructing students we would move throughout the room correct any form errors. For example, students had to perform the squat at the target level before they could add weight to the bar. The student will have a summative assessment at the end of the unit.
 * Assessment **

Which types of classroom management strategies did you use? Were they effective and would you modify in the future? What classroom rules and procedures were established in the classroom? What discipline methods did you employ? What kind of bell work did you assign to your students? Classroom management was best effective when Mr. Monson or myself would instruct and the other would interact with students in the back. Not allowing students time to be off task by keeping them engaged the whole time was what worked best. Safety while lifting is crucial because someone could seriously get injured if they are not under control or lifting too much. Any unsafe behaviors students will be asked what the safe procedure would be. If the unsafe act is because they are not using correct form then one on one re-teaching will occur. Bell work assignments is starting the warm-up right away.
 * Classroom Management **