Subject Integration

To the right is a picture I took during an archery unit. I told students each color on the target was worth a certain amount of points. Once they fired (and it was safe) they had to do the math in the sand. Each student was put into a small group and they were encouraged to keep a running tally. After each round of shooters I would tell them whether we were multiplying, dividing, adding or subtracting. At the end of the period I asked the students to make an equation with the numbers they used! This is one way I integrate math into the physical education setting.
To me subject integration is very important. A student can practice skills outside of the normal learning environment which promotes learning and critical thinking. Classroom teachers and physical educators can collaborate and think of new ways to get students to learn subject material while moving. I believe this is a great way to reach out to kinesthetic learners.

Think of this question and feel free to post below! How do you integrate subjects into your classroom or gymnasium?

 

Parent Coaches

Coaches often see involved parents on the sideline of practices and competitions. This post is about what parents can say to their child to promote a healthy and happy relationship.

I recently read a post by Tim Elmore titled  What Parents Should Say as Their Kids Perform. Clicking the title will take you to that post. Doctor Tim Elmore mentions how sometimes he wanted to play a role that, in some cases, added more stress to his children's life. As parents we never want to steer our child in the wrong direction, nor would we give them advice we thought would hurt them in anyway. However we must constantly think about the role we are playing in our child's life.

"When our kids were younger, we played the role of supervisor. We were right there on top of the issues. And we should be—they were young and needed our support. As they age, parents must move to the role of consultant. We’re still involved, still supportive, but we allow our kids to grow up and self-regulate."

In my opinion if a parent wants to be involved in giving corrective feedback it is important to collaborate with the coach. Ask the coach what he/she is working on in practice and reinforce that outside of practice. However it is important to know that, as a parent, sometimes your athlete just needs to hear six words (mentioned in Tim Elmore's post). “I love to watch you play.”

Playing a supportive role is crucial to developing a well-rounded person. Supporting any decision of your child will help promote a healthy lifestyle. Sometimes the decision made will be a mistake, allowing your child/athlete to learn and grow. Learning by failing is a life lesson often forgotten to be taught. I leave you with a quote from Winston Churchill, who once said “Success is the ability to go from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm.”

I encourage you to leave a comment about what you as a parent do to enhance your child's playing experience. I also encourage you to read Dr. Tim Elmore's post on "What Parents Should Say as Their Kids Perform." I hope this post has given you insight like Tim Elmore's gave me!