Jerry Fisher

Another week of learning exactly how I would not want to run a class. I wish I could find something positive to express about this observation besides the fact that the two teachers are really nice guys who appear to have given up. First off the week was cut short by an electrical outage on Thursday and an asbestos scare that had Friday’s classes cancelled. The sad part is I had Friday all to myself and we were going to Tinikle, the Philippines national dance, with the students. I had worked for two days building the sticks required to do the dance. Since spring break is this next week it looks like another week until I can teach the dance. That being said, this last week involved continuing the PACER run for students who hadn’t run yet. Again I implemented the Marzano strategy of cooperative learning as I worked at getting the entire class up and supporting the students who were running. We finally had a girl run out the CD and it was exciting watching everyone get behind her effort. As with before after the runs, any time left in the class is spent tossing basketballs around. So again, the mere fact that it’s a physical education class the teachers automatically accomplish Non linguistic Representation just by engaging in kinesthetic activity by running around the gym floor. I can’t wait to get back in two weeks and get into the dance and fitness lessons that I have planned. Once the weather breaks and we get some consistent temps. I hope we can play some Ultimate Frisbee and some touch Rugby outside. Again I feel guilty for not providing more for these students to do with their time in class. After their spring break I am hoping to have even more input into the class since the FITNESSGRAM should be complete by then. Until then I just shake my head and wonder how a teacher can set behind a table the entire class period and not get out on the floor and pump it up some. I know that I can’t do it and never have been able to. What confuses me most is the fact that both of these teachers are coaches. As a coach I could never set down and just watch my players without getting up and hopping all over the place. The energy level that a teacher exhibits directly relates to the energy level of the class.