Homework 1

The Fundamental Skill development in a child is a very important concept to understand. People often lack the ability to realize the importance of the process in motor development. For example, how does a child learn to keep his/her head up? The child tries and tries until eventually the muscles in his/her neck are strong enough to support the weight of the head. This is a more simple way of how fundamental skills work. This is important to physical education for a couple reasons. We as teachers need to understand that the environment that a child plays in, can be manipulated to mold that child's physical, possibly even social development. Basically what we can do is teach a child how to move, and how to perform physical activities, in small steps until they eventually learn how to do the entire skill as a whole. Of course it is important to test these movements, because every child is not the same, meaning they may take longer to acquire the same abilities. However if all of the fundamental movements are included when we teach, than each child has an advantage while they are growing up, because it may help them develop quicker and stronger.

http://www.aahperd.org/naspe/standards/PEPS.cfm  -- This is the official website for the National Association for Sport and Physical Education. When you click on position statements it explains how NASPE feels about education.  "This position statement provides an overview of the core values of the profession, including nuturing students' development, collaborating with others, showing dedication to personal growth and the profession as well as exhibiting personal and professional integrity." This excerpt shows how they feel about the importance of fundamental development.

Here is a child balancing on a mat, this is a manipulated environment to teach the child fundamental skills. The child is learning how balance on a "beam" that is larger, shorter and safer than a regular balance beam.