Discussion " Strategies"

Suggest two strategies for assessing physical development and two strategies for increasing a child's interest in physical activity. How would you incorporate these strategies into an overall plan based on improving motor skills as well as coordination, strength, and endurance?

For the following students post comment on what you like about their strategies and add any ideas you have about how they could be improved.

Laura post

One strategy for increasing a child's interest in physical activity is to plan games and activities where all the children are participating all the time. There should be no bystanders or audience. "During movement programs all children need to move most of the time...they do not need to have the pressure of performing in front of the other children" (Sayre & Gallagher, 2001).

It will be important for the teacher to plan ahead to have enough materials for this to occur. "If the class is working on throwing and catching, there is a ball for two children. If the class is working on throwing a large ball at a target, then each child needs his or her own ball and a target at which to throw" (Sayre & Gallagher, 2001). When students feel more at ease they will feel comfortable enough to try new activities. Emotional security needs to be supported for a child to be successful at a movement task.

By ensuring all children are engaged and focused on their own bodies, timid children will feel more apt to participate as s/he does not feel as though s/he is being watched. On this note, it is important to mention that elimination games should be avoided as it diminishes self-esteem of the lower performing children and decreases their motivation to play.

Another strategy for increasing a child's interest in physical activity to improve motor skills is to include activities that are open-ended and encourages children to figure things out on their own. "Children are motivated to learn through their interests and inquisitive nature" (Sayre & Gallagher, 2001).

Providing children with choices for movement activities is helpful as well as giving many equipment options with open-ended uses. We want children to be and feel successful in movement activities to promote their continued participation in class that can transfer out of the classroom into a lifelong practice of physical activity.

Marcus post

Two strategies for assessing physical development are utilizing the summative and formative assessment. Summative assessments provides us with the use at the end of the time period. It describes where the child is at during that time. Formative assessment is what the child learned and what the child needs to learn. (Sayre & Gallagher).

Devising an assessment of summative and formative incorporates the child to use both non-locomotors as well as locomotor skills. Non-locomotor skills prevents the child from moving from one place to another, using only their arms, bending, stretching, twisting, etc. Whereas, locomotor skills allows running, galloping skipping, hopping, etc. (Sayre & Gallagher).

Another strategy would be to use observational notes or where theyare essential in the growth of our children. While observing the child, the teacher could ask more open-ended questions to interact with the particular student. This forces the child to use higher-ordered thinking to manipulate the question asked.

Suggest two strategies for increasing a child's interest in physical activity

Two strategies for increasing a child's interest in physical activity are prepare for a range of skill level and allow both the teacher and child to analyze the learner's performance. By preparing for a range of skill level we have to understand what motivates children and plan environments that introduce new and stimulating objects, people and experiences.

(Sayre & Gallagher). I agree with this statement because this prevents isolation and allows all children to feel included. Allowing both the learner and teacher to analyze the learner's performance sparks an evaluation process of any error that was made.

How would you incorporate these strategies into an overall plan based on improving motor skills as well as coordination, strength, and endurance?

I would incorporate these strategies into an overall plan by choosing activities based upon skillset, get to know the children, and allow the child to use discovery learning. This would allow me interact more to discover likes and dislikes while allowing them to organize knowledge instead of passively accepting my reasoning of answers.