I am honored to be able to reconnect with my original college degree, my training in dance, and especially with our students through our times together in movement class, aka PE class each Thursday.
Each week I plan a movement class based on the developmental tasks of our students. My goal is not only to challenge them to try new tasks, but also to help them gain confidence and joy in those tasks that they have already achieved.
One of my most profound influences was a professor at George Mason University, Dr. John Bennett around 1982. At that time I was preparing to teach middle school and high school students. And I DID teach that age for many years. However, his philosophy in his "Early Physical Education”, a required course, stuck with me from the beginning.
Dr. Bennett said,
“Give students as few instructions as possible. Let them find their own meaning to their movement. When students find meaning in their movement they will move bigger and better.”
This means that they will gain more cardio benefits, more increased strength training, more core body strength, more coordination etc., than they would find if you told them exactly what to do.
For example, if I give the children scarves, I would help them think of ways to move through space with those scarves. Or “How can you make your scarf move?”
I have found this to be true for all ages, and for myself as well.
Just a nugget for you day.
Go forth and move!
Each week I plan a movement class based on the developmental tasks of our students. My goal is not only to challenge them to try new tasks, but also to help them gain confidence and joy in those tasks that they have already achieved.
One of my most profound influences was a professor at George Mason University, Dr. John Bennett around 1982. At that time I was preparing to teach middle school and high school students. And I DID teach that age for many years. However, his philosophy in his "Early Physical Education”, a required course, stuck with me from the beginning.
Dr. Bennett said,
“Give students as few instructions as possible. Let them find their own meaning to their movement. When students find meaning in their movement they will move bigger and better.”
This means that they will gain more cardio benefits, more increased strength training, more core body strength, more coordination etc., than they would find if you told them exactly what to do.
For example, if I give the children scarves, I would help them think of ways to move through space with those scarves. Or “How can you make your scarf move?”
I have found this to be true for all ages, and for myself as well.
Just a nugget for you day.
Go forth and move!
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