September, 2017
By Wendy Beffert Playing Soccer is the perfect time to focus on the foot/ankle complex in Physical Education. Our feet are literally our foundation. They connect us with the earth and ground us energetically. In conjunction with the vestibular system, the feet provide the gross physical structure for balance. What looks like an ordinary soccer warm up for the hips by lifting the legs and tapping on the inside and outside of the feet, is really designed to bring students' awareness to this often ignored body part. Dribbling, the most fundamental skill in soccer, is practiced not only as a way to improve upon soccer skills, but to help with this body awareness referred to by Wachs (Thinking Goes To School, Hans G. Furth & Harry Wachs, Oxford Press, 1975) as the Mental Map of the Body and also known as Motor Planning. Each tap of the soccer ball to the foot provides important feedback to the brain about where the feet are in relationship to the body and to surrounding objects. Eye tracking is a vital element to successful academic endeavors, according to Dr. Wachs. Soccer promotes eye tracking and eye/foot coordination. As students dribble the ball from right foot to left and change direction they are developing a coordination of their body's axes (Wachs), also known as Laterality and Directionality. Further, practice with turning the feet in and out can also help to integrate certain reflexes so that other movements become more purposeful (See Wieder & Wachs Visual/Spatial Portals to Thinking, Feeling and Movement). Finally, soccer practice (and all sports or physical activity) provides students with a useful and appropriate outlet for physical expression, which is innately at the core of our being. There’s so much more to Physical Education than you may have considered! *Please go to the tab marked "More" and then click on "Practice & Repetition" for information on the benefit of skill practice, even for the most advanced athlete! |
May, 2017
On Autism & Exercise
By Daniel Hawthorne
Someone once asked me what, if anything, I would do differently as principal of a school for autistic children. I responded that I would have the children out running and playing vigorously for at least an hour twice a day. He smiled out of one side of his mouth, and said, "And then where would you go next to look for work?"
Maybe so, but it is my heart-felt conviction that physical activity of some kind is vital to helping autistic children, like me at one time, function.
By observation in my own life, I have long felt strongly that aerobic exercise of any kind played a valuable role in my being able to function on a relatively high level as an autistic child and now as well.
The reasons for the connection, however, remained to me a mystery for many years. Then, when I did start learning more about the aggravating factors of autism, the connection started becoming clear. The human body is truly a remarkable machine, able to cleanse itself of heavy metals, toxins, opioids, and the such. Sustained exercise enhances all of the body's abilities, including this. Of course, heightened physical activity means getting more oxygen to the cells that need it most, the ones in the brain. To me, it all made sense. No wonder I love to walk and go bicycling so much.
This past week, yet another reason became apparent to me: that of the connection between physical activity and the development of new nerve cells in the hippocampus of the brain. A recent study at the Salk Institute involving four groups of mice confirmed just such a connection. The mice in group one were sedentary, being the control group. The mice in group two had regularly scheduled times for swimming; those in group three could swim at anytime. Group four had a running wheel; thus, the mice there were allowed to run freely at any time.
At the end of the twelve days, it was not surprising that mental development occurred in all four groups; what was surprising, though, was the amount of difference found among the four. Group four (the group allowed unlimited access to exercise) differed by twice the number of new cells gained in group one. Keep in mind that this was only for twelve days, not a real significant amount of time in the total lifespan of a mouse, I would think, anyway. Groups two and three also faired much better than the control group. (1)
Other studies have shown that the human brain is plastic as well.
Some years ago, a group led by Dr. Toshiaki Hashimoto, conducted a study based on age and overall brain development. He found that during infancy this area of the brain is much smaller in the autistic than in the non-autistic group. He also found steady rates of development of this area of the brain in both groups, with the rate of development in the autistic group being much steeper. (2)
So we know that rates of development differ as the brain of an autistic individual struggles to catch up with his non-autistic counterpart.
My point is this: autistic children need physical activity to help them develop as well as to help them deal with high levels of frustration from sensory difficulties. I would even say that their body craves it. If that physical activity is denied, then they will find other, more inappropriate, ways to be active. And it need not be anything highly structured or with a lot of rules, either; simply kicking a soccer ball around or bicycling, if done consistently, would work just as well, in my view. I agree that diets and drugs have their place in treatng autism, but so does aerobic activity.
(1)Wasowicz, Lidia. (2000). Exercise does a brain good. [Online]. Available
HTTP:http://www.medserv.dk/health/1999/02/23/story03.htm
(2) Hashimoto, Tokiashi, et. al. (1995) Development of the brainstem and cerebellum in autistic patients. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 25, 1-18.
Morning workout at Etobicoke school helps kids focus
February 3, 2010 EDUCATION REPORTER
After settling in and listening to the morning announcements, the boys in the behavioural class at James S. Bell public school don’t hit the books.
They hit the gym.
With four treadmills and four stationary bikes set up in their classroom, the class of seven —sometimes eight – boys works up a sweat for 20 minutes before getting down to business. They can also use the equipment during the day when they need to.
“If I feel antsy during the day, or feel like misbehaving, I ask if I can use the treadmill or the bike,” says Altyn, 12. “I have so much energy built up in my body and I’m letting it out without being rude or obnoxious.”
His classmate, William, has lost 20 pounds since the “Back on Track” program began in December. While people might think the exercise simply wears the kids out, it actually gives them more and “positive energy,” he says, adding he is now better able to focus during class.
“I noticed I can run faster – outside we play tag and I used to get caught right away,” says the 13-year-old. “Now I’m the last one.”
The unusual experiment at the Etobicoke elementary school is based on a growing body of research tying physical activity to improved attention and learning. In Ontario, elementary students must do 20 minutes of activity a day, such as games or dancing. Some U.S. schools already incorporate vigorous activity like treadmill running into the day; others have experimented with allowing kids to run around before eating lunch, finding that the time outside makes them hungrier and better able to concentrate back in class.
John Currie, principal at James S. Bell, said while students and their families were supportive from day one, it wasn’t until after the Christmas break that he knew he had a winner.
“My heart grew three sizes when, after the vacation, all the boys remembered to bring their phys ed clothing,” he said, adding: “Three used their Christmas money to buy new shoes” to exercise in.
Currie was inspired after seeing a television documentary last summer about a Saskatoon teacher who put treadmills in her Grade 8 behavioural classroom.
Allison Cameron began that three years ago with just 12 students, doing 20 minutes of cardio or strength training before math or language arts classes, on top of regular phys ed classes.
Cameron put fans in the room, provided gym clothes and shoes – although most were comfortable in their regular clothes – and deodorant. She even worked out with them.
The results blew her away. Kids who once disrespected her were now running beside her, competing with her to run faster.
Many lost weight and quit smoking. While she suspected academics were improving – “some kids, I’m not kidding you, I could not get them to sit still for 15 minutes, and some of them were focused for four hours after doing this”– it wasn’t until after she analyzed all her testing data that she realized everyone had improved in some way. A few had vaulted six full grade levels in sight-word vocabulary. They went on to outshine kids who weren’t in the program.
The lost instructional time was more than made up for by the length Cameron could actually teach for the rest of the day.
Because of its success, the program is now run across her entire high school, and Cameron has helped schools across North America do the same.
Currie spent $13,000 on the equipment at James S. Bell, mostly from funds targeted for at-risk students.
Behavioural teacher Dagney Gardiner incorporates the exercise in all areas of the curriculum: students note how far they’ve run or cycled, total it, convert miles to kilometres, mark their travel on a map (as a class they’ve gone as far as Montreal), write about it and set goals.
She is tracking changes in academics and behaviour, but already has seen fewer incidents of inattention, disrespect or lack of participation, and attendance is up.
Her class is a place for those with general behavioural disorders, oppositional defiant disorder or ADHD.
“There’s a lot more going on than just exercising,” says Gardiner, who also runs before class. When kids come to school already stressed out, the exercise “does require focus, so whatever they come into the building with, they put to rest.”
Ken Allison, a professor in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto, said apart from health benefits – especially with the problem of childhood obesity – a study he conducted found a correlation between regular, vigorous physical activity and less psychological distress in teens, such as depression and anxiety.
During exercise, the body releases endorphins, “which gives the body a feeling of well-being, and an enhanced ability to focus and concentrate,” he says.
After Gardiner’s students work out, they change clothes, wash up, and have water and a snack. They clean the machines just as they would in a gym.
Often other teachers are surprised to hear what’s going on. “There’s shock value,” says Gardiner, “but when they think about it, it makes sense.”
On Autism & Exercise
By Daniel Hawthorne
Someone once asked me what, if anything, I would do differently as principal of a school for autistic children. I responded that I would have the children out running and playing vigorously for at least an hour twice a day. He smiled out of one side of his mouth, and said, "And then where would you go next to look for work?"
Maybe so, but it is my heart-felt conviction that physical activity of some kind is vital to helping autistic children, like me at one time, function.
By observation in my own life, I have long felt strongly that aerobic exercise of any kind played a valuable role in my being able to function on a relatively high level as an autistic child and now as well.
The reasons for the connection, however, remained to me a mystery for many years. Then, when I did start learning more about the aggravating factors of autism, the connection started becoming clear. The human body is truly a remarkable machine, able to cleanse itself of heavy metals, toxins, opioids, and the such. Sustained exercise enhances all of the body's abilities, including this. Of course, heightened physical activity means getting more oxygen to the cells that need it most, the ones in the brain. To me, it all made sense. No wonder I love to walk and go bicycling so much.
This past week, yet another reason became apparent to me: that of the connection between physical activity and the development of new nerve cells in the hippocampus of the brain. A recent study at the Salk Institute involving four groups of mice confirmed just such a connection. The mice in group one were sedentary, being the control group. The mice in group two had regularly scheduled times for swimming; those in group three could swim at anytime. Group four had a running wheel; thus, the mice there were allowed to run freely at any time.
At the end of the twelve days, it was not surprising that mental development occurred in all four groups; what was surprising, though, was the amount of difference found among the four. Group four (the group allowed unlimited access to exercise) differed by twice the number of new cells gained in group one. Keep in mind that this was only for twelve days, not a real significant amount of time in the total lifespan of a mouse, I would think, anyway. Groups two and three also faired much better than the control group. (1)
Other studies have shown that the human brain is plastic as well.
Some years ago, a group led by Dr. Toshiaki Hashimoto, conducted a study based on age and overall brain development. He found that during infancy this area of the brain is much smaller in the autistic than in the non-autistic group. He also found steady rates of development of this area of the brain in both groups, with the rate of development in the autistic group being much steeper. (2)
So we know that rates of development differ as the brain of an autistic individual struggles to catch up with his non-autistic counterpart.
My point is this: autistic children need physical activity to help them develop as well as to help them deal with high levels of frustration from sensory difficulties. I would even say that their body craves it. If that physical activity is denied, then they will find other, more inappropriate, ways to be active. And it need not be anything highly structured or with a lot of rules, either; simply kicking a soccer ball around or bicycling, if done consistently, would work just as well, in my view. I agree that diets and drugs have their place in treatng autism, but so does aerobic activity.
(1)Wasowicz, Lidia. (2000). Exercise does a brain good. [Online]. Available
HTTP:http://www.medserv.dk/health/1999/02/23/story03.htm
(2) Hashimoto, Tokiashi, et. al. (1995) Development of the brainstem and cerebellum in autistic patients. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 25, 1-18.
Morning workout at Etobicoke school helps kids focus
February 3, 2010 EDUCATION REPORTER
After settling in and listening to the morning announcements, the boys in the behavioural class at James S. Bell public school don’t hit the books.
They hit the gym.
With four treadmills and four stationary bikes set up in their classroom, the class of seven —sometimes eight – boys works up a sweat for 20 minutes before getting down to business. They can also use the equipment during the day when they need to.
“If I feel antsy during the day, or feel like misbehaving, I ask if I can use the treadmill or the bike,” says Altyn, 12. “I have so much energy built up in my body and I’m letting it out without being rude or obnoxious.”
His classmate, William, has lost 20 pounds since the “Back on Track” program began in December. While people might think the exercise simply wears the kids out, it actually gives them more and “positive energy,” he says, adding he is now better able to focus during class.
“I noticed I can run faster – outside we play tag and I used to get caught right away,” says the 13-year-old. “Now I’m the last one.”
The unusual experiment at the Etobicoke elementary school is based on a growing body of research tying physical activity to improved attention and learning. In Ontario, elementary students must do 20 minutes of activity a day, such as games or dancing. Some U.S. schools already incorporate vigorous activity like treadmill running into the day; others have experimented with allowing kids to run around before eating lunch, finding that the time outside makes them hungrier and better able to concentrate back in class.
John Currie, principal at James S. Bell, said while students and their families were supportive from day one, it wasn’t until after the Christmas break that he knew he had a winner.
“My heart grew three sizes when, after the vacation, all the boys remembered to bring their phys ed clothing,” he said, adding: “Three used their Christmas money to buy new shoes” to exercise in.
Currie was inspired after seeing a television documentary last summer about a Saskatoon teacher who put treadmills in her Grade 8 behavioural classroom.
Allison Cameron began that three years ago with just 12 students, doing 20 minutes of cardio or strength training before math or language arts classes, on top of regular phys ed classes.
Cameron put fans in the room, provided gym clothes and shoes – although most were comfortable in their regular clothes – and deodorant. She even worked out with them.
The results blew her away. Kids who once disrespected her were now running beside her, competing with her to run faster.
Many lost weight and quit smoking. While she suspected academics were improving – “some kids, I’m not kidding you, I could not get them to sit still for 15 minutes, and some of them were focused for four hours after doing this”– it wasn’t until after she analyzed all her testing data that she realized everyone had improved in some way. A few had vaulted six full grade levels in sight-word vocabulary. They went on to outshine kids who weren’t in the program.
The lost instructional time was more than made up for by the length Cameron could actually teach for the rest of the day.
Because of its success, the program is now run across her entire high school, and Cameron has helped schools across North America do the same.
Currie spent $13,000 on the equipment at James S. Bell, mostly from funds targeted for at-risk students.
Behavioural teacher Dagney Gardiner incorporates the exercise in all areas of the curriculum: students note how far they’ve run or cycled, total it, convert miles to kilometres, mark their travel on a map (as a class they’ve gone as far as Montreal), write about it and set goals.
She is tracking changes in academics and behaviour, but already has seen fewer incidents of inattention, disrespect or lack of participation, and attendance is up.
Her class is a place for those with general behavioural disorders, oppositional defiant disorder or ADHD.
“There’s a lot more going on than just exercising,” says Gardiner, who also runs before class. When kids come to school already stressed out, the exercise “does require focus, so whatever they come into the building with, they put to rest.”
Ken Allison, a professor in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto, said apart from health benefits – especially with the problem of childhood obesity – a study he conducted found a correlation between regular, vigorous physical activity and less psychological distress in teens, such as depression and anxiety.
During exercise, the body releases endorphins, “which gives the body a feeling of well-being, and an enhanced ability to focus and concentrate,” he says.
After Gardiner’s students work out, they change clothes, wash up, and have water and a snack. They clean the machines just as they would in a gym.
Often other teachers are surprised to hear what’s going on. “There’s shock value,” says Gardiner, “but when they think about it, it makes sense.”
November 2016
November marks the end of our outdoor adventures for a while. Our P.E classes took full advantage of the beautiful weather to do many fun and educational activities. During Halloween week we played “clean out your backyard” which was a hit with all ages. Two teams start out with 12 nerf ball ghosts on either side of a low volleyball net. Upon hearing the go whistle they are to throw as many balls to the other team’s “backyard” as fast as possible until the stop whistle blows. Students counted how many they had left on their side. Three rounds were played to determine the ultimate champion. Students had to use math skills to determine how many balls were needed to return to the winner’s side in order to play the next round.
All classes also enjoyed raking leaves and jumping in to the giant pile afterwards. That’s right, they enjoyed raking leaves!
Finally, we began our unit on flag football this month. Students are brushing up their throwing, catching and running skills just in time for a Thanksgiving day catch. I’m so proud of my many students who were once afraid of the football and now really enjoy having a catch with a friend or staff member. If your son or daughter seems afraid to catch any ball start at a close range, throw it to them underhand and aim it toward their chest, not their face. Slowly increase the distance between you and maybe begin to throw to them overhand. Encourage them to throw overhand to you.
November marks the end of our outdoor adventures for a while. Our P.E classes took full advantage of the beautiful weather to do many fun and educational activities. During Halloween week we played “clean out your backyard” which was a hit with all ages. Two teams start out with 12 nerf ball ghosts on either side of a low volleyball net. Upon hearing the go whistle they are to throw as many balls to the other team’s “backyard” as fast as possible until the stop whistle blows. Students counted how many they had left on their side. Three rounds were played to determine the ultimate champion. Students had to use math skills to determine how many balls were needed to return to the winner’s side in order to play the next round.
All classes also enjoyed raking leaves and jumping in to the giant pile afterwards. That’s right, they enjoyed raking leaves!
Finally, we began our unit on flag football this month. Students are brushing up their throwing, catching and running skills just in time for a Thanksgiving day catch. I’m so proud of my many students who were once afraid of the football and now really enjoy having a catch with a friend or staff member. If your son or daughter seems afraid to catch any ball start at a close range, throw it to them underhand and aim it toward their chest, not their face. Slowly increase the distance between you and maybe begin to throw to them overhand. Encourage them to throw overhand to you.
May, 2016
By Wendy Beffert
The classic games of tic tac toe and BINGO went physical in PE classes! Students not only improved their cardiovascular function, but also boosted brain power. For tic tac toe, students had to quickly strategize and make decisions all under the pressure of a team relay race. For the BINGO game, two relay teams of students had to answer questions from health class before racing down to check off their answer on the BINGO board.
Visual-spatial awareness, motor planning and team work had a unique juxtaposition within the context of differentiated instruction in these activities.
By Wendy Beffert
The classic games of tic tac toe and BINGO went physical in PE classes! Students not only improved their cardiovascular function, but also boosted brain power. For tic tac toe, students had to quickly strategize and make decisions all under the pressure of a team relay race. For the BINGO game, two relay teams of students had to answer questions from health class before racing down to check off their answer on the BINGO board.
Visual-spatial awareness, motor planning and team work had a unique juxtaposition within the context of differentiated instruction in these activities.
March, 2016 Health Classes
In health this quarter we are learning about medicines and drugs. Students observed how much alike over the counter medicines and candy look. They got to vote on whether they thought a sample was medicine or candy with the takeaway message being “Don’t eat anything unless a trusted adult gives it to you”. Even the adults had a hard time guessing which was which.
Other students created fictional characters with various ailments and learned the various categories of over the counter medicines to treat them. They then worked in groups to research, in depth, one OTC medicine including possible non-drug alternatives to the ailment it treats, for example, drinking water for a headache instead of using a pain reliever.
Through various games and fun activities, we’re learning about the importance of all areas of personal hygiene. Students had fun guessing, just by feeling inside sensory bags, eight items that would be included in a gym bag.
The Scrub Club is in full force for younger students bringing thorough hand washing techniques to CTC. Please visit http://www.scrubclub.org/home.aspx for more information.
In health this quarter we are learning about medicines and drugs. Students observed how much alike over the counter medicines and candy look. They got to vote on whether they thought a sample was medicine or candy with the takeaway message being “Don’t eat anything unless a trusted adult gives it to you”. Even the adults had a hard time guessing which was which.
Other students created fictional characters with various ailments and learned the various categories of over the counter medicines to treat them. They then worked in groups to research, in depth, one OTC medicine including possible non-drug alternatives to the ailment it treats, for example, drinking water for a headache instead of using a pain reliever.
Through various games and fun activities, we’re learning about the importance of all areas of personal hygiene. Students had fun guessing, just by feeling inside sensory bags, eight items that would be included in a gym bag.
The Scrub Club is in full force for younger students bringing thorough hand washing techniques to CTC. Please visit http://www.scrubclub.org/home.aspx for more information.
October 2015
We’re winding down our soccer unit this week. After working hard on dribbling, passing, trapping, shooting and throw-ins, we had fun playing the game.
One of the keys to accuracy in soccer is keeping your eyes on the target while passing to teammates and shooting on the goal. To help students keep their eyes up while shooting, they aimed at the ghost in the goal.
Older students cooperatively problem solved the soccer ball launch challenge. It took a few failures to launch before they figured out how to make it fly. Students unknowingly learned resiliency and that each “failure” is just one step closer to success. Check out these links for more on resiliency.
http://www.specialneedsjungle.com/the-importance-of-learning-resilience/
http://developingchild.harvard.edu/science/key-concepts/resilience/
We’re winding down our soccer unit this week. After working hard on dribbling, passing, trapping, shooting and throw-ins, we had fun playing the game.
One of the keys to accuracy in soccer is keeping your eyes on the target while passing to teammates and shooting on the goal. To help students keep their eyes up while shooting, they aimed at the ghost in the goal.
Older students cooperatively problem solved the soccer ball launch challenge. It took a few failures to launch before they figured out how to make it fly. Students unknowingly learned resiliency and that each “failure” is just one step closer to success. Check out these links for more on resiliency.
http://www.specialneedsjungle.com/the-importance-of-learning-resilience/
http://developingchild.harvard.edu/science/key-concepts/resilience/
April/May, 2015-Baseball season is well under way at CTC and students are happy to be outside enjoying the fresh air! Important motor planning sequences are reinforced through this well loved, iconic American pastime. While team work, peer interaction and fun are the hallmarks of this great game, there are many additional motor planning and fitness benefits happening out on the field. Children and adolescents should do one hour or more of physical activity each day including aerobic activity, muscle strengthening and bone strengthening activities according to the CDC (Centers For Disease Control). http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/guidelines/children.html
Every class begins with an aerobic warm-up followed by dynamic stretching to prevent injury. According to the CDC, aerobic activity should make up most of childrens’ 60 or more minutes of exercise per day. Hand grasp, eye focus, eye-hand coordination, rhythm, timing, upper body strengthening and range of motion are some of the benefits received during batting. Sequencing and bone strengthening are derived from base running. Throwing, catching, attention and patience are all reinforced while playing in the outfield.
Our students’ time in Physical Education is well spent and goes a long way towards meeting the recommended one hour or more per day of physical activity.
April, 2015- Please check out this important video on how exercise helps brain function! http://www.learningreadinesspe.com/
March, 2015- Please visit the Health Education Tab for important child safety information
February, 2015 In Physical Education we’re focusing on heart healthy activities like dance, jump rope and even hockey!
This month in Health we began our unit on Family Life Education across the grades. Younger primary students are learning the following:
1. General anatomy (eyes, arms, knees etc.)
2. Gender Identification -Correctly identify themselves and classmates as male or female
3. Identifying which restroom to use in the community. Sign recognition
4. Identifying strangers, acquaintances, friends, family members and helpers.
5. Identifying fair and unfair touches on general body areas
6. Think First & Stay Safe school program
Older primary students are learning all about the above things plus:
1. Identifying fair and unfair touches in private “bathing suit” areas. (Anatomy of these private areas is not included until middle school)
2. Identifying a “tricky” person and learn what to do in a scary situation.
Older middle school students are learning about puberty, anatomy, and abuse prevention. Knowledge is power. Let’s empower our kids to be safe! Please use the resources below to help your child in this effort.
http://www.childluresprevention.com/
· http://www.checklistmommy.com/2012/02/09/tricky-people-are-the-new-strangers/
· http://childmolestationprevention.org/
· https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YjJ1MreZqs&list=PLMmISo2-2vAMfZ9i8EqnTZAu-eWhVEIt_&index=4
· https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8jjiLSFa3w&list=PLMmISo2-2vAMfZ9i8EqnTZAu-eWhVEIt_&index=3
January 2015- Before the holidays everyone had fun volleying the giant "Airlite" ball made of parachute material. What the students don't know, shhhh, is that they are also learning. The slower floating ball affords students more time to develop eye-hand coordination. As they track the ball moving toward them and then experience the action of pushing it away, they are increasing what Dr. Wachs and Weider refer to as Coordination of body's axes. Students are also learning teamwork and good sportsmanship. Vital social skills are enhanced as they sustain the rhythmic back and forth action of volleying the ball with their peers in a non-competitive version of the game called "Keep It Up".
After our winter break we eased back in to our schedules with some relaxing yoga. Younger students followed a yoga circuit by matching the postural exercises on a series of cards to those attached to a series of cones set up around the gym. Older students learned deep breathing, the sun salutation warm up, various postural exercises and relaxation. We'll continue with basketball for a few more weeks because everyone's having so much fun with it!
December 2014
Thanks to our amazing PTO we now have two basketball hoops that everyone is enjoying! This month our secondary students are brushing up on their basketball skills in preparation for the Phoenix center game (date and time TBA). Students are either learning or improving on their dribbling, passing, pivoting, shooting and running skills through various drill games, partner exercises and team games.
Collectively, all P.E activities help promote regulation, good motor planning, eye-hand coordination, eye-foot coordination, balance, focus, visual-spatial acuity, agility, flexibility and self-esteem.
A friend of mine is the caretaker of her brother, Sean, who has Down's Syndrome and is working on his Eagle Scout badge. He is collecting gently used winter coats for those in need this winter. Sean is such an amazing young man; he works, plays baseball with special olympics and serves the community despite the loss of both of his parents. Please drop any coats off on the stage this week before Friday, December 19. Thanks!!!!
Thanks to our amazing PTO we now have two basketball hoops that everyone is enjoying! This month our secondary students are brushing up on their basketball skills in preparation for the Phoenix center game (date and time TBA). Students are either learning or improving on their dribbling, passing, pivoting, shooting and running skills through various drill games, partner exercises and team games.
Collectively, all P.E activities help promote regulation, good motor planning, eye-hand coordination, eye-foot coordination, balance, focus, visual-spatial acuity, agility, flexibility and self-esteem.
Happy and Healthy Holidays to all!
November 2014
Most of November was dedicated to soccer. We worked on dribbling, kicking into the goal, teamwork, good sportsmanship and making a connection with a partner before passing the ball. In addition to these skills, secondary students learned about game strategy and rules. Right before the holiday break we did recreation activities. Students were able to choose from ping-pong, magnetic darts, bowling, shooting hoops, jumping rope, hula hooping or having a game of catch with a friend.
While the weather is crisp and refreshing outside, we're taking advantage of the benefits of being outdoors for soccer when possible. Please send your students in with warm jackets, hats and gloves for PE. Remember, viruses cause colds, not cold weather. The following is from Web M.D:
"Cold weather also does not cause colds -- at least not directly. Despite its name, the common cold is not caused by cold. "It doesn't have any effect at all," says Tallman. "There's no correlation." In fact, you may be more likely to "catch your death of cold" indoors, where it's warm and crowded than outdoors in the chilly air. People in close quarters are more readily exposed to carriers of the viruses that cause colds. "If one person in a household gets sick, it will spread easily," Tallman says." Please click on the link from Web M.D for more information on this. http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/features/cold-and-flu-i
Late October 2014
We’ve been working on kickball in PE for the past couple of weeks. For our youngest students that means learning to motor plan for the basics of the kicking motion, running the bases in order, catching and throwing. Others are learning fielding, rules and strategy as they play and many secondary students are playing competitive games. These skills will carry over into soccer and baseball later on. Having fun, displaying good sportsmanship and teamwork are emphasized no matter what the level of play.
The visual/spatial skills of eye-foot/eye-hand coordination, and body balance are all developed by this simple, fun game!
October 2014
Physical Education this year began with fitness across all grade levels, each in a slightly different way. We always begin with a concentration on the major categories of fitness: cardiovascular, strength, flexibility and balance, body awareness & agility. These aspects of fitness are all important developmental precursors to sports participation and developing lifelong fitness habits.
We’ve been outside almost every day since the weather has been so nice. Each week students concentrated on balance through various exercises and the use of a low slack line. The slack line is like a slightly wobbly balance beam. It requires tremendous focus and concentration to move across, even with spotters. Without exception, students love it! One of our awesome paraprofessionals, Shana, introduced us to this. Thanks Shana! Big thanks also to CTC benefactor, Susan Crimi, who donated the funds for both the outdoor and indoor setups.
September 2014-Welcome Back!
It's great to see all my students from last year and also some new faces! I've been busy this summer creating a Cross Training Circuit program for our secondary and older middle school students which covers NJ Core Curriculum Content Standards (CCCS) 2.5-Motor Skill Development and 2.6-Fitness. This program is designed to be an experiential teaching tool designed specifically for our students with lots of visuals, adaptability and student choice. Students will discover for themselves the many components and principals of fitness and learn how to create their own workouts based on the latest research in exercise physiology. They'll be doing the same functional exercises that you'll see in any gym, even though they may be adapted versions in many cases. Many of the exercises they're already quite familiar with from previous years. We'll all begin with the same workout just to familiarize students with the process and flow of a cross training circuit. This will give students the opportunity to become peer leaders as they confidently demonstrate and help each other out and it gives me the chance to see where any immediate adaptations should be made to help them succeed. By the fourth workout, many students will be creating their own, on their own. Please go to the "Secondary Students" tab to see the program.
Primary and younger middle school students are also beginning the year with fitness and covering the same NJ CCCS but in a different way. They'll be learning about and experiencing the basic components of fitness through the same exercises they're already familiar with by using my
Body, Brain Adventure© program. This program teaches fitness components through exploration and play. It also has a math and language arts component to it, giving students extra exposure to those Common Core Standards.
Why Play?
August, 2014
"The real question is how do we get kids to see learning as an adventure rather than a task? Play becomes the cornerstone of coping with change and turning fear into adventure." - John Seely Brown
Neuropsychologist, Dr. Jaak Panskepp has identified play as a vital part of being human. Click on the You Tube video and/or read his study in the following link.
http://neuroself.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/panksepp-adhd-and-play.pdf
Every class begins with an aerobic warm-up followed by dynamic stretching to prevent injury. According to the CDC, aerobic activity should make up most of childrens’ 60 or more minutes of exercise per day. Hand grasp, eye focus, eye-hand coordination, rhythm, timing, upper body strengthening and range of motion are some of the benefits received during batting. Sequencing and bone strengthening are derived from base running. Throwing, catching, attention and patience are all reinforced while playing in the outfield.
Our students’ time in Physical Education is well spent and goes a long way towards meeting the recommended one hour or more per day of physical activity.
April, 2015- Please check out this important video on how exercise helps brain function! http://www.learningreadinesspe.com/
March, 2015- Please visit the Health Education Tab for important child safety information
February, 2015 In Physical Education we’re focusing on heart healthy activities like dance, jump rope and even hockey!
This month in Health we began our unit on Family Life Education across the grades. Younger primary students are learning the following:
1. General anatomy (eyes, arms, knees etc.)
2. Gender Identification -Correctly identify themselves and classmates as male or female
3. Identifying which restroom to use in the community. Sign recognition
4. Identifying strangers, acquaintances, friends, family members and helpers.
5. Identifying fair and unfair touches on general body areas
6. Think First & Stay Safe school program
Older primary students are learning all about the above things plus:
1. Identifying fair and unfair touches in private “bathing suit” areas. (Anatomy of these private areas is not included until middle school)
2. Identifying a “tricky” person and learn what to do in a scary situation.
Older middle school students are learning about puberty, anatomy, and abuse prevention. Knowledge is power. Let’s empower our kids to be safe! Please use the resources below to help your child in this effort.
http://www.childluresprevention.com/
· http://www.checklistmommy.com/2012/02/09/tricky-people-are-the-new-strangers/
· http://childmolestationprevention.org/
· https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YjJ1MreZqs&list=PLMmISo2-2vAMfZ9i8EqnTZAu-eWhVEIt_&index=4
· https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8jjiLSFa3w&list=PLMmISo2-2vAMfZ9i8EqnTZAu-eWhVEIt_&index=3
January 2015- Before the holidays everyone had fun volleying the giant "Airlite" ball made of parachute material. What the students don't know, shhhh, is that they are also learning. The slower floating ball affords students more time to develop eye-hand coordination. As they track the ball moving toward them and then experience the action of pushing it away, they are increasing what Dr. Wachs and Weider refer to as Coordination of body's axes. Students are also learning teamwork and good sportsmanship. Vital social skills are enhanced as they sustain the rhythmic back and forth action of volleying the ball with their peers in a non-competitive version of the game called "Keep It Up".
After our winter break we eased back in to our schedules with some relaxing yoga. Younger students followed a yoga circuit by matching the postural exercises on a series of cards to those attached to a series of cones set up around the gym. Older students learned deep breathing, the sun salutation warm up, various postural exercises and relaxation. We'll continue with basketball for a few more weeks because everyone's having so much fun with it!
December 2014
Thanks to our amazing PTO we now have two basketball hoops that everyone is enjoying! This month our secondary students are brushing up on their basketball skills in preparation for the Phoenix center game (date and time TBA). Students are either learning or improving on their dribbling, passing, pivoting, shooting and running skills through various drill games, partner exercises and team games.
Collectively, all P.E activities help promote regulation, good motor planning, eye-hand coordination, eye-foot coordination, balance, focus, visual-spatial acuity, agility, flexibility and self-esteem.
A friend of mine is the caretaker of her brother, Sean, who has Down's Syndrome and is working on his Eagle Scout badge. He is collecting gently used winter coats for those in need this winter. Sean is such an amazing young man; he works, plays baseball with special olympics and serves the community despite the loss of both of his parents. Please drop any coats off on the stage this week before Friday, December 19. Thanks!!!!
Thanks to our amazing PTO we now have two basketball hoops that everyone is enjoying! This month our secondary students are brushing up on their basketball skills in preparation for the Phoenix center game (date and time TBA). Students are either learning or improving on their dribbling, passing, pivoting, shooting and running skills through various drill games, partner exercises and team games.
Collectively, all P.E activities help promote regulation, good motor planning, eye-hand coordination, eye-foot coordination, balance, focus, visual-spatial acuity, agility, flexibility and self-esteem.
Happy and Healthy Holidays to all!
November 2014
Most of November was dedicated to soccer. We worked on dribbling, kicking into the goal, teamwork, good sportsmanship and making a connection with a partner before passing the ball. In addition to these skills, secondary students learned about game strategy and rules. Right before the holiday break we did recreation activities. Students were able to choose from ping-pong, magnetic darts, bowling, shooting hoops, jumping rope, hula hooping or having a game of catch with a friend.
While the weather is crisp and refreshing outside, we're taking advantage of the benefits of being outdoors for soccer when possible. Please send your students in with warm jackets, hats and gloves for PE. Remember, viruses cause colds, not cold weather. The following is from Web M.D:
"Cold weather also does not cause colds -- at least not directly. Despite its name, the common cold is not caused by cold. "It doesn't have any effect at all," says Tallman. "There's no correlation." In fact, you may be more likely to "catch your death of cold" indoors, where it's warm and crowded than outdoors in the chilly air. People in close quarters are more readily exposed to carriers of the viruses that cause colds. "If one person in a household gets sick, it will spread easily," Tallman says." Please click on the link from Web M.D for more information on this. http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/features/cold-and-flu-i
Late October 2014
We’ve been working on kickball in PE for the past couple of weeks. For our youngest students that means learning to motor plan for the basics of the kicking motion, running the bases in order, catching and throwing. Others are learning fielding, rules and strategy as they play and many secondary students are playing competitive games. These skills will carry over into soccer and baseball later on. Having fun, displaying good sportsmanship and teamwork are emphasized no matter what the level of play.
The visual/spatial skills of eye-foot/eye-hand coordination, and body balance are all developed by this simple, fun game!
October 2014
Physical Education this year began with fitness across all grade levels, each in a slightly different way. We always begin with a concentration on the major categories of fitness: cardiovascular, strength, flexibility and balance, body awareness & agility. These aspects of fitness are all important developmental precursors to sports participation and developing lifelong fitness habits.
We’ve been outside almost every day since the weather has been so nice. Each week students concentrated on balance through various exercises and the use of a low slack line. The slack line is like a slightly wobbly balance beam. It requires tremendous focus and concentration to move across, even with spotters. Without exception, students love it! One of our awesome paraprofessionals, Shana, introduced us to this. Thanks Shana! Big thanks also to CTC benefactor, Susan Crimi, who donated the funds for both the outdoor and indoor setups.
September 2014-Welcome Back!
It's great to see all my students from last year and also some new faces! I've been busy this summer creating a Cross Training Circuit program for our secondary and older middle school students which covers NJ Core Curriculum Content Standards (CCCS) 2.5-Motor Skill Development and 2.6-Fitness. This program is designed to be an experiential teaching tool designed specifically for our students with lots of visuals, adaptability and student choice. Students will discover for themselves the many components and principals of fitness and learn how to create their own workouts based on the latest research in exercise physiology. They'll be doing the same functional exercises that you'll see in any gym, even though they may be adapted versions in many cases. Many of the exercises they're already quite familiar with from previous years. We'll all begin with the same workout just to familiarize students with the process and flow of a cross training circuit. This will give students the opportunity to become peer leaders as they confidently demonstrate and help each other out and it gives me the chance to see where any immediate adaptations should be made to help them succeed. By the fourth workout, many students will be creating their own, on their own. Please go to the "Secondary Students" tab to see the program.
Primary and younger middle school students are also beginning the year with fitness and covering the same NJ CCCS but in a different way. They'll be learning about and experiencing the basic components of fitness through the same exercises they're already familiar with by using my
Body, Brain Adventure© program. This program teaches fitness components through exploration and play. It also has a math and language arts component to it, giving students extra exposure to those Common Core Standards.
Why Play?
August, 2014
"The real question is how do we get kids to see learning as an adventure rather than a task? Play becomes the cornerstone of coping with change and turning fear into adventure." - John Seely Brown
Neuropsychologist, Dr. Jaak Panskepp has identified play as a vital part of being human. Click on the You Tube video and/or read his study in the following link.
http://neuroself.files.wordpress.com/2013/04/panksepp-adhd-and-play.pdf
March Happiness
March 7, 2014
Our Mileage club is now in full swing and the miles walked for the first month have been tallied for each class. Check the updated stat sheets in the gym and keep on running! Due to all the snow days in February, fitness activities will run into March.
Primary students are working on sitting on scooters and pushing backwards against the resistance of the floor to propel themselves as they race their peers to match colored beanbags. This type of activity helps them to gain reflexive control if needed so that body movements become more purposeful (see Thinking Goes To School’s General Movement-Thinking Skills And How They Are Expressed And Cultivated In A Physical Education Setting below). They're also being exposed to the spelling of the colors and the names of the colors in Spanish. Younger primary students are also beginning dance through a body awareness song called Stand Up, Sit Down.
Secondary students have taken the scooter hockey fitness challenge and won! They're strengthening their core, increasing cardiovascular and muscular fitness, learning to sequence and follow directions, increasing eye-hand coordination and learning teamwork while having fun. This type of fitness course also increases body balance, and motor planning while also gaining reflexive control if needed (see Thinking Goes To School’s General Movement-Thinking Skills And How They Are Expressed And Cultivated In A Physical Education Setting below). They're also creating fitness goals for themselves and learning how to create their own exercise programs.
In health we've been learning about healthy, sometimes healthy and not so healthy foods by using the CATCH kids nutrition program. In the CATCH program these foods are called Go, Slow and Whoa foods. We'll also go over My Food Plate again, which advises us to fill half our plates with fruits and vegetables! Secondary students are also working on a nutrition project called Time Travelers, based on a short story in which a group of travelers land in NYC 100 years from now and find some surprising health habits. Go to the Health, Nutrition & Fitness tab to view this in class project.
Fitness February
February 12, 2014
Even if you've been living under a rock for the past few months you've probably noticed that It's been snowing a lot lately! I'll speak for myself when I say that I'm ready for warmer weather!!!!! Since we can't change the weather, the only thing we can do here in NJ is change our perspective by being proactive in our minds. Imagination can be a powerful mood enhancing tool, and in Physical Education we're kicking it in to high gear. Our students are using the power of their minds to imagine themselves walking or running to a warmer climate through our newly created Mileage Club. Secondary students and staff are working collaboratively to walk or run enough miles to take them to their sunny destinations. Although we're not really going there, we're keeping ourselves healthy by setting goals, tallying miles and encouraging each other to go that extra mile! To stay motivated, there are mile marker awards along the way and we'll have a theme party in June featuring elements from each classes' chosen destinations. By then it'll feel (hopefully) like we actually got there! In the meantime, students are learning geography and math in addition to becoming more fit. Primary students and staff are also up and running in the club and are tallying their miles while earning fun mile marker awards. They're on their way to experiencing the benefits of a lifetime fitness activity that can be done any time, almost anywhere and by everyone! Please click on the tab marked "Primary" or "Secondary" for full details.
In addition to walking and running laps, we'll also be focusing on many other heart healthy fitness activities in P.E. such as jumping rope, relay races, tag, dance and more!
Most secondary students have done the PACER test of cardiovascular fitness by now and will be tested again in June. I like this test better than the mile run test because it teaches students to pace their running so as to increase endurance. It also has the added self esteem benefit of not highlighting the last student running as the slowest runner, as is the case with the mile run test. In the PACER, students run between two cones set 20 meters apart and keep pace with the timed beeps which get progressively faster. Students begin at the same time but drop out when they are unable to. The focus of students' attention becomes the few who continue to do laps for a longer time and not on those who dropped out earlier. Those who finish earlier are congratulated for their efforts as they cheer on classmates who are still running. This subtle shift from negative attention to positive attention goes a long way in motivation.
January 24, 2014
In anticipation of the CTC Sea Turtle’s big game against the Phoenix center next week, the focus in Physical Education has been on basketball. Both primary and secondary students are having a blast working on dribbling, partner chest and bounce passing, shooting, rebounding and pivoting to change direction. Older primary and secondary students are beginning to work on offensive and defensive techniques and game strategies through various games and game like drills.
Dribbling and passing the ball while keeping it in control require a tremendous level of motor planning or, as Dr. Wachs puts it in his book, Thinking Goes To School, having a good Mental Map Of The Body. The eye-hand coordination, sudden change of direction and moving in multiple directions required for basketball all help to increase Coordination Of Body’s Axes and Body Balance, two more vital General Movement Thinking Skills deemed as precursors to success in in art, math, science, geography and industrial arts by Dr. Wachs. Additionally, Dr. Wachs notes that these skills have positive effects on vision, skeletal development and behavior.
We’re all looking forward to the CTC Bowl on January 31 and will be doing some non-contact football skills next week in preparation for the punt, pass, kick contest! Wear your favorite sports team or school spirit gear for this FANtastic fun day (sorry, had to do it!)
January 1, 2014. Happy New Year!
Welcome to our new home in Denville! We'll be kicking off the second annual CTC Nutrition & Fitness Challenge on January 13th. The challenge is to be active for 60 minutes a day and to identify less healthy foods and replace them with healthier choices. Students can pick up the forms outside of the Phys. Ed. office in the main floor gymnasium.
All students will be doing basketball this month and secondary students will begin flag football toward the end of the month in preparation for the CTC Superbowl in February!
Please click on the following link for practical tips to help you keep those new year's resolutions. http://www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/New-Years-Resolutions.shtml
Weeks of December 2-20 - Basketball & Yoga
Our primary & middle school students had fun while releasing some pre-holiday stress with alphabet and word/math yoga. Younger students did yoga postures beginning with the letter of the day and then worked with their peers to create those letters on the mats by using their bodies. Cooperatively using their bodies on the mats, older students spelled out words based on current topics being studied in the classroom. They then brainstormed and practiced yoga postures beginning with each of the letters. They also used a "math ball" to do some equations and then create the answers in body number shapes within small groups. They all appreciated a well deserved rest period at the end!
Secondary students began basketball. I saw a noticeable improvement in skills from last year. They're retaining what they learned. Yipee! We're all looking forward to a great game as the CTC Sea Turtles once again prepare to play the Phoenix center in February. Coaches Demond and Joe will be holding practices for team members during school hours in addition to the continued practice that all students will receive in Phys. Ed. classes in January.
Weeks of November 11-29 - Volleyball!
Let's face it, Volleyball at CTC is fun! Here at CTC I use a giant hot air filled "Airlite" ball made of parachute material to make it even more fun. What the students don't know, shhhh, is that they are also learning. They're motor (muscle) learning, which is why our class is called Physical Education and not "gym". The slower floating ball affords students more time to develop eye-hand coordination. As they track the ball moving toward them and then experience the action of pushing it away, they are increasing what Dr. Wachs and Weider refer to as Coordination of body's axes, and is defined below. Students are also learning teamwork and good sportsmanship. Vital social skills are enhanced as they sustain the rhythmic back and forth action of volleying the ball with their peers in a non-competitive version of the game called "Keep It Up". CTC's Co-Founder, Monica Osgood, refers to this action as, Shared Timing.
http://www.celebratethechildren.org/uploads/1/8/3/9/18392315/summary_of_activities.pdf
Coordination of body’s axes – Coordination of both sides of the body, upper and lower parts of the body and pivoting and twisting movements. Reciprocal interweaving of three main internal body axes: vertical, horizontal and transverse that control side-to-side, toward-away and clockwise-counterclockwise movements. Without an in depth knowledge of one’s body axes, understanding and applying spatial coordinates and three dimensional concepts are difficult. These skills are vital to success in art, math, science, geography and industrial arts.
(Visual/Spatial Portals to Thinking, Feeling and Movement, Serena Wieder, Ph.D. & Harry Wachs, Profectum Foundation, 2012)
Please go to the tab marked "More" and then click on "Practice & Repetition" for more information on how you can help your student/child with physical activities. You can also find the information as a blog post on the CTC website - http://www.celebratethechildren.org/2/post/2013/11/-to-prompt-or-not-to-prompt-that-is-the-question-physical-promptingassisting-in-physical-education.ht
-September 6, 2013- Welcome back to school!!!
I hope everyone had a great summer. I know I did. I can't wait to see all my students again and to meet some new ones on Monday! We'll be doing some fun scooter and relay games in the next few weeks before we go into our soccer unit. With the help of my sons, Evan and Jordan, we've put together a new morning exercise routine for you to do. I have some great new games and ideas for you this year and, as always, I welcome your ideas. Taking care of our health through good nutrition and exercise is the foundation upon which academic success is built. Let's continue to build that solid base this year. Please visit your student's campus page for current activities.
Thinking Goes To School’s General Movement-Thinking Skills And How They Are Expressed And Cultivated In A Physical Education Setting
By: Wendy Beffert, December 2012
Sources: Thinking Goes To School, Hans G. Furth & Harry Wachs, Oxford Press, 1975
Visual/Spatial Portals to Thinking, Feeling and Movement, Serena Wieder, Ph.D. & Harry Wachs, Profectum Foundation, 2012
1 – Reflexive Control- Reflexes are the involuntary and instinctual responses most easily observed in newborns. Reflexive control is when uncontrolled random movements become controlled and purposeful. (Furth & Wachs pg. 76)
Expressed as these basic skills:
A. Grasping with hands
B. Pushing against resistance (enforced flexion) to the point of arm or leg extension.
Examples of typical P.E activities similar to those in the book that cultivate these skills:
A. Grasping with hands (see grasping game pg. 76 for comparison) (Furth & Wachs pg. 76)
· Tennis
· Badminton
· Holding scooter handles
· Baton relays
B. Pushing against resistance
· Pushing backwards on a scooter (sit on scooter and have child sit on front part of scooter in front as if you were on a sled together. Place child’s feet on floor and lift your legs straight out and up off the floor. They will most often push into the floor as they lean back into you.)
· Wall pushups, knee pushups, regular pushups
· Partner yoga
(see Furth & Wachs Thinking Goes To School pushing game 2 pg. 76 for comparison to the above activities)
. Bear Walk Relay Races
. Star Jumps
. Crab Soccer
. Cat/Cow Yoga Exercise
(See Wieder & Wachs Visual/Spatial Portals to Thinking, Feeling and Movement, pgs. 137, 139, 142 & 147 for comparison to the above activities)
2 - Mental Map Of The Body - Knowledge of location of body parts, the relationship of these body parts to each other and to the body as a whole unit.
(Furth & Wachs pg. 77)
Expressed as these basic skills:
A. Motor planning (ability to think of, plan and execute a gross or fine motor movement)
B. Body awareness.
Examples of P.E activities that cultivate these skills:
. Sports in general
· Yoga postures in general
· Yoga postures downward facing dog, three legged down dog and plank (see wheelbarrow game pg. 79 for comparison)
· Yoga posture locust or fitness exercise superman (see body lifts game pg. 81) (Furth & Wachs pg. 81)
· Body/energy tapping or “Do In”
· Wheelbarrow relay races if a padded area is available
· Moving forward then laterally through an agility ladder with hands from plank position (see wheelbarrow game pg. 79) (Furth & Wachs pg. 79)
· Prone scooter relays using hands to propel (see wheelbarrow game pg. 79) (Furth & Wachs pg. 79)
· Agility ladder drills used for many sports (see cross-legged walk game pg. 78) (Furth & Wachs pg. 78)
· The Charleston Dance movement (see cross-legged walk game pg. 78) (Furth & Wachs pg. 78)
· Hula hoop passing & human knot cooperative games (see broomstick straddle pg. 80) (Furth & Wachs pg. 80)
3 – Coordination of body’s axes – Coordination of both sides of the body, upper and lower parts of the body and pivoting and twisting movements. Reciprocal interweaving of three main internal body axes: vertical, horizontal and transverse that control side-to-side, toward-away and clockwise-counterclockwise movements. Without an in depth knowledge of one’s body axes, understanding and applying spatial coordinates and three dimensional concepts are difficult. These skills are vital to success in art, math, science, geography and industrial arts. (Furth & Wachs pg. 84)
Expressed as these basic skills:
A. Laterality and Directionality
B. Eye-hand coordination, Eye-foot coordination
Examples of P.E activities that cultivate these skills:
· Hopping on right leg only followed by throwing with right arm only for a few weeks to develop lateral preference if it is absent. Then switch to left side
· Change of direction drills and games
· Walking and running
· Yoga
· Body/energy tapping or “Do In”
· Dynamic stretching
· Fitness exercises
· Throwing, tossing and rolling to a target (baseball, football, rugby, horseshoes, bowling, bocce)
· Kicking to a target (soccer, kickball, football, rugby)
· Striking towards a target (baseball, volleyball, tennis, badminton, golf, hockey)
· Basketball: Dribbling, shooting, pivoting
· Dance
· Jump rope
4 – Body Balance –Balance should be developed in four directions; forward & backward, side to side, diagonally and while spinning either standing or sitting. Additionally, maintaining balance while switching from a static (non-moving) state to a dynamic (moving) state and vice versa with ease is important in academic functioning, vision, skeletal development and behavior. (Furth & Wachs pg. 94)
Examples of P.E activities that cultivate this skill:
· Yoga (teach drishti/eye gaze technique and eye exercises)
· Gymnastics
· Obstacle courses
· Dance (use spotting technique)
· Dynamic stretching; leg swings forward & backwards and side to side
· Change of direction drills and games (football, basketball, soccer etc.)
· Sack races, three legged races
· Agility drills and games
· Hopscotch
· Games & activities requiring starting and stopping (red light-green light, shuttle run, baseball, kickball etc.). Soccer
5 – Coordinated action- When one is able to combine all the components of the above general movement thinking skills naturally. Body movements and skills become committed to “muscle memory”. Coordinated action can be improved upon at any age and is the result of practice. (Furth & Wachs pg. 107)
Expressed as:
Skill practice for all the P.E activities and sports mentioned above and all the rest I failed to mention! There are certainly countless other activities that can be added to the above categories.
In short, a skillfully designed Physical Education curriculum automatically covers the general movement-thinking skills referenced in Thinking Goes To School. By providing a variety of activities throughout the year with an emphasis on skill development according to each child’s cognitive and motor development level, P.E plays a vital role in children's academic, social and physical development.
References: Thinking Goes To School, Hans G. Furth and Harry Wachs, Oxford Press, 1975
Visual/Spatial Portals to Thinking, Feeling and Movement, Serena Wieder, Ph.D. & Harry Wachs, Profectum Foundation, 2012
P.E blog continues below:
By: Wendy Beffert, December 2012
Sources: Thinking Goes To School, Hans G. Furth & Harry Wachs, Oxford Press, 1975
Visual/Spatial Portals to Thinking, Feeling and Movement, Serena Wieder, Ph.D. & Harry Wachs, Profectum Foundation, 2012
1 – Reflexive Control- Reflexes are the involuntary and instinctual responses most easily observed in newborns. Reflexive control is when uncontrolled random movements become controlled and purposeful. (Furth & Wachs pg. 76)
Expressed as these basic skills:
A. Grasping with hands
B. Pushing against resistance (enforced flexion) to the point of arm or leg extension.
Examples of typical P.E activities similar to those in the book that cultivate these skills:
A. Grasping with hands (see grasping game pg. 76 for comparison) (Furth & Wachs pg. 76)
· Tennis
· Badminton
· Holding scooter handles
· Baton relays
B. Pushing against resistance
· Pushing backwards on a scooter (sit on scooter and have child sit on front part of scooter in front as if you were on a sled together. Place child’s feet on floor and lift your legs straight out and up off the floor. They will most often push into the floor as they lean back into you.)
· Wall pushups, knee pushups, regular pushups
· Partner yoga
(see Furth & Wachs Thinking Goes To School pushing game 2 pg. 76 for comparison to the above activities)
. Bear Walk Relay Races
. Star Jumps
. Crab Soccer
. Cat/Cow Yoga Exercise
(See Wieder & Wachs Visual/Spatial Portals to Thinking, Feeling and Movement, pgs. 137, 139, 142 & 147 for comparison to the above activities)
2 - Mental Map Of The Body - Knowledge of location of body parts, the relationship of these body parts to each other and to the body as a whole unit.
(Furth & Wachs pg. 77)
Expressed as these basic skills:
A. Motor planning (ability to think of, plan and execute a gross or fine motor movement)
B. Body awareness.
Examples of P.E activities that cultivate these skills:
. Sports in general
· Yoga postures in general
· Yoga postures downward facing dog, three legged down dog and plank (see wheelbarrow game pg. 79 for comparison)
· Yoga posture locust or fitness exercise superman (see body lifts game pg. 81) (Furth & Wachs pg. 81)
· Body/energy tapping or “Do In”
· Wheelbarrow relay races if a padded area is available
· Moving forward then laterally through an agility ladder with hands from plank position (see wheelbarrow game pg. 79) (Furth & Wachs pg. 79)
· Prone scooter relays using hands to propel (see wheelbarrow game pg. 79) (Furth & Wachs pg. 79)
· Agility ladder drills used for many sports (see cross-legged walk game pg. 78) (Furth & Wachs pg. 78)
· The Charleston Dance movement (see cross-legged walk game pg. 78) (Furth & Wachs pg. 78)
· Hula hoop passing & human knot cooperative games (see broomstick straddle pg. 80) (Furth & Wachs pg. 80)
3 – Coordination of body’s axes – Coordination of both sides of the body, upper and lower parts of the body and pivoting and twisting movements. Reciprocal interweaving of three main internal body axes: vertical, horizontal and transverse that control side-to-side, toward-away and clockwise-counterclockwise movements. Without an in depth knowledge of one’s body axes, understanding and applying spatial coordinates and three dimensional concepts are difficult. These skills are vital to success in art, math, science, geography and industrial arts. (Furth & Wachs pg. 84)
Expressed as these basic skills:
A. Laterality and Directionality
B. Eye-hand coordination, Eye-foot coordination
Examples of P.E activities that cultivate these skills:
· Hopping on right leg only followed by throwing with right arm only for a few weeks to develop lateral preference if it is absent. Then switch to left side
· Change of direction drills and games
· Walking and running
· Yoga
· Body/energy tapping or “Do In”
· Dynamic stretching
· Fitness exercises
· Throwing, tossing and rolling to a target (baseball, football, rugby, horseshoes, bowling, bocce)
· Kicking to a target (soccer, kickball, football, rugby)
· Striking towards a target (baseball, volleyball, tennis, badminton, golf, hockey)
· Basketball: Dribbling, shooting, pivoting
· Dance
· Jump rope
4 – Body Balance –Balance should be developed in four directions; forward & backward, side to side, diagonally and while spinning either standing or sitting. Additionally, maintaining balance while switching from a static (non-moving) state to a dynamic (moving) state and vice versa with ease is important in academic functioning, vision, skeletal development and behavior. (Furth & Wachs pg. 94)
Examples of P.E activities that cultivate this skill:
· Yoga (teach drishti/eye gaze technique and eye exercises)
· Gymnastics
· Obstacle courses
· Dance (use spotting technique)
· Dynamic stretching; leg swings forward & backwards and side to side
· Change of direction drills and games (football, basketball, soccer etc.)
· Sack races, three legged races
· Agility drills and games
· Hopscotch
· Games & activities requiring starting and stopping (red light-green light, shuttle run, baseball, kickball etc.). Soccer
5 – Coordinated action- When one is able to combine all the components of the above general movement thinking skills naturally. Body movements and skills become committed to “muscle memory”. Coordinated action can be improved upon at any age and is the result of practice. (Furth & Wachs pg. 107)
Expressed as:
Skill practice for all the P.E activities and sports mentioned above and all the rest I failed to mention! There are certainly countless other activities that can be added to the above categories.
In short, a skillfully designed Physical Education curriculum automatically covers the general movement-thinking skills referenced in Thinking Goes To School. By providing a variety of activities throughout the year with an emphasis on skill development according to each child’s cognitive and motor development level, P.E plays a vital role in children's academic, social and physical development.
References: Thinking Goes To School, Hans G. Furth and Harry Wachs, Oxford Press, 1975
Visual/Spatial Portals to Thinking, Feeling and Movement, Serena Wieder, Ph.D. & Harry Wachs, Profectum Foundation, 2012
P.E blog continues below:
-June, 2013- Last Day of school! Thank you to all students, staff, administration and parents for an awesome first year at CTC! Have a safe and healthy summer and I'll see you in September!
-On Wednesday, June 19 students will be participating in a walk-a-thon and a variety of field day activities. Some of the "Art meets Phys. Ed." activities may be messy and/or wet. Please have your student dress in older, lightweight clothing and send in a change of clothes and shoes. A water bottle to bring outside is also suggested.
-May, 2013- Congratulations to all of our amazing Special Olympians! Our CTC Sea Turtles rocked that meet on May 4! See the campus pages for more great photos. Thanks to all the parents who came out to cheer on the team and our amazing aides, coaches, and behind the scenes staff who volunteered to make this happen! Who rocks the house? CTC rocks the house, that's who!
Sports and exercise for children with autism can improve social and cognitive skills
APRIL 12, 2010 BY: MIKE FRANDSEN http://www.coachmike.net/index.php
Pictured below: Jason McElwain celebrates after scoring 20 points in a high school basketball game in 2006. AP Photo/Eric Sucar
APRIL 12, 2010 BY: MIKE FRANDSEN http://www.coachmike.net/index.php
Pictured below: Jason McElwain celebrates after scoring 20 points in a high school basketball game in 2006. AP Photo/Eric Sucar
Four years ago, autistic teenager Jason McElwain became an overnight sensation by scoring 20 points in four minutes of action in a high school basketball game.
While many children with autism may never reach similar athletic heights, McElwain and others like him give children and parents hope. Perhaps the most significant part of the story was the acceptance that “J-Mac” received from his peers.
Whether children who have autism are high functioning like McElwain or are less advanced, playing sports can improve several aspects of their lives.
Sports can help kids with autism gain confidence, improve social skills, and develop better coordination. Improvements in balance and motor skills often go hand in hand with progress made in cognitive function and academic achievement.
Sports and exercise can improve proprioception, or the body’s sense of where it is in space and where the parts of the body are in relation to each other, which is important because autism often affects sensory processing.
On top of all that, exercising and playing sports gets more oxygen to the brain, helps kids stay in shape, improves sleep habits, and can improve relaxation and decrease aggressive behaviors.
And most importantly, sports are fun. Kids with autism often like swimming, swinging, and jumping on trampolines. This gives us clues as to what kind of sensory input they need.
When kids need less stimulation, yoga is excellent for balance and relaxation. Deep breathing and meditation exercises can help improve concentration and reduce unwanted behaviors.
What are the best sports for children with autism? I tried to answer the question three years ago.
But it turns out that the real answer is, “Whatever they like best.” If we follow their lead at times instead of solely relying on telling kids what to do, the result can give us a window into how they perceive the world.
In order to find out which sports kids with autism and other disabilities like best, we need to get rid of our preconceived notions and expose these kids to as many athletic opportunities as possible.
For example, at first glance, hockey might not seem to be the best sport for kids with autism because of the need to skate and handle a stick simultaneously. However, hockey apparently is great for many kids, and it just goes to show that we shouldn’t put limitations on anyone.
The Montgomery Cheetahs have been a successful program for years. They played a tournament last week in Laurel, MD against teams from as far away as New York and Chicago in the 6th Annual USA Hockey Disabled Festival.
Sports can also be more effective for kids with disabilities when they are combined with academics and social skills. Children can work on a half hour of sports followed by a half hour of schoolwork, followed by a half hour of social skills. Each area helps the child generalize skills and build on the previous area. It’s also important to have coordination and communication among therapists and programs.
Each activity can transition to the others, and ideally, kids can do some academic work while moving at the same time. One example is to have a child play catch or jump on a trampoline while answering questions. This can help with sensory integration and cognitive skills.
For a high functioning child, you can have him or her play in a league with typical peers who are preferably a couple of years younger than the child who has autism. The child has a “shadow” who helps integrate him or her with the other children athletically and socially.
Facilitating a child’s participation on a sports team can be similar to integrating her into an academic environment. Sometimes it’s best for kids to be mainstreamed into a typical school environment with the support of a one-on-one aide, and other times it may be best for them to learn in a self-contained (special education) classroom. Often the best of both worlds is a combination, depending on the situation.
For less high functioning kids, they can still learn to play catch, throw a ball in a hoop, or kick a ball into a goal. Learning sports skills can be accomplished one step at a time, similar to how cognitive skills are learned.
Exercises are great, but it’s best to do ones that are meaningful within the context of sports, just as academic drills should be done in a meaningful and functional context.
This way children may eventually be part of a team, or at least play in impromptu games after school, or even use imagination to make up their own games. Kids with autism learn not just by sitting at desks doing work, but also by getting along with others, being spontaneous, and thinking on the fly.
Exposing kids to sports has a lot of benefits, but in some cases kids may need a nudge. You wouldn’t tell your child who says, “I don’t want to do math” that it’s ok to avoid math homework just because he or she doesn’t want to do it. Math is necessary and appropriate for kids. Sports are beneficial for kids as well, so don’t be so quick to say, “He doesn’t want to do it.” Keep trying different sports like swimming or ice skating or alternative movement forms such as the martial arts, yoga, hiking, walking or bike riding.
But what happens when kids won’t get off the couch because of TV or video games? One video game that can be useful is the Nintendo Wii, which has simulated sports that can create an interest in real sports (tennis, bowling, baseball), as well as fitness (yoga, exercises, and running).