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MANAGEMENT 

 

Teaching physical activity often involves learning beyond the walls of the classroom, and while the gym and outside environment offers space, fresh air and enormous learning opportunities, it can also present the teacher with major management challenges. The nature of physical activity alone can be a signal for younger students especially to think the usual classroom rules and behaviour expectations do not apply. So it is imperative that a teacher sets the tone early with clear lesson structure and behaviour management strategies. Also, the increased risks and hazards that physical activity (inside and outside) can sometimes bring make strong management strategies crucial. Teachers must be aware of risks and always be thinking ahead to prevent possible injury to students. 

While teaching physical activity it is the teacher’s responsibility to ensure that consideration is given to the physical, social and emotional safety of all students at all times. 

There are ways a teacher can begin addressing management before even contemplating specific strategies such as:

 

Knowing the students:

Before even venturing outside, teachers can prepare by first knowing their students. By knowing the students’ capabilities, individual needs, personalities and behaviour, the teacher is less likely to put students into situations that encourage unruly and unsafe behaviour or where the risk level is too great.

 

Talk to the students:

It is not enough for the teacher to be the only one aware of risks, rules and behaviour expectations involved in outdoor activity. By talking to the students openly about the expectations and the importance of looking after themselves and their peers, students are encouraged to take some ownership and responsibilty of their own safety. 

RULES AND GUIDELINES

To ensure students remain engaged and safe during physical activity, it is important to establish clear rules and guidelines. Giving the students some responsibility for this by encouraging discussion and input into rules can help achieve this. Also, discussing rules around safety can teach them valuable skills to keep them safe in the playground and outside of school. Use catchy mantras e.g. Play Safe, Play Fair, Play Hard. Clearly visible posters can serve as constant reminders of rules and guidelines and should be kept simple, especially for younger students. For example:

 

R.E.S.P.E.C.T.

 

R - Right to learn

E - Effort

S - Safety

P - Purpose

E - Enthusiasm

C - Challenge

T - Trust/Team Building

A.B.C.D.

 

A - Act safely

B - Be prepared and be positive.

C - Cooperate

D - Do your best

 

 

 

Have Fun - Work Hard - Learn

BOUNDARIES

When teaching in the classroom, the physical boundaries of the classroom are easily seen by the students. However, these boundaries can be more difficult to establish when teaching outside. Therefore, it is especially important to create a finite outdoor classroom – a marked or unmarked boundary that students know is not to be crossed. Cones, chalk or paint can be used to define the outside teaching area. By establishing clear boundaries, the risk of students wandering off or carrying out an activity in an unsafe area is minimised. While establishing boundaries, consideration must be given to the space provided. When outside, students must remain within earshot of the teacher, but also have sufficient room to move without compromising the safety of themselves and others. 

GROUPING

Many physical education activities involve grouping the students, which in itself can pose significant challenges, especially for a beginning teacher. If done badly, what seems like a menial task can cause a lesson to quickly lose structure, and at worst can even negatively effect the self esteem of students. An obvious way to do this simply involves the students counting off (e.g. 1-6) and their number indicates their assigned group, but this can bring issues such as students changing groups or simply forgetting their numbers, especially with junior students. Other ways include:

 

Preassigned groups:

Grouping students prior to the lesson randomly or based on ability, personality or friends (together or apart).

 

Student choice:

Students allowed to get into groups of choice, which can enhance motivation if they get to work with friends, however, be mindful of inclusion issues that can arise.

 

Characteristics:

Use colour of hair, month of birth, first letter of their name. These can be a fun way of starting a physical activity lesson, and have the added bonus of the teacher being able to screen the groups before the lesson.

 

Whatever grouping strategies you use, make them quick and effective and a match for the objectives of the lesson (Lynn and Ratliffe 1999). And try to keep groups small so students have plenty of opportunity to be involved. Also, vary your grouping strategies to prevent them becoming boring. 

 

 

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