Pre-assessment Reflection (January 20,2017): Today was our first Physical Literacy Friday. The kids were very excited to be taking a step back from our basketball skills and drills, and playing games instead. They didn't realize that while they were playing this game, they were also learning! When I initially asked them what physical literacy meant, there was not a response from anyone, which is exactly what I predicted would happen. However, with the combination of me telling them the definition, providing them with examples and asking them probing questions, I could see that they were really starting to understand physical literacy. At the end of the class, the students were able to identify that we had used teamwork and leadership skills during our tag games, however they were unaware that communication skills were involved as well. Thus, I made sure to clearly explain where and how we were using these skills. In regards to the behaviour portion of my research, there were not any behaviour issues or outbursts in the Language Arts class following gym. In fact, they were so focussed that they earned a reward from my teacher mentor!
Mid-point Survey Reflection (February 15 2017): We have had about 4 Physical Literacy Fridays by the time it was mid-point survey time. In our Physical Literacy Fridays, I tell the students to be paying special attention to the games and activities that we do in the class because they are going to be asked about which fundamental movements and leadership skills we used in them. With this in mind, the students are able to be mindful while they are playing, thus these activities become more about what we are gaining from them, rather than winning. At the end of the class, we re-group in the middle circle and have our physical literacy chat, where I ask them the questions mentioned above about our activities, as well as questions to assess their understanding on physical literacy. Through these chats I have seen the students knowledge and understanding on physical literacy evolve, they truly started from nothing and now are quite confident in their knowledge. Their confidence was truly displayed, outside of the gym class, when we had a substitute teacher in our class when we returned from gym. This sub asked the students what they did in gym that day and they gladly told her that it was Physical Literacy Friday, what physical literacy is and why it is great that we know more about it. I was so proud. Based on my observations and moments like the one mentioned above, I was fairly confident that the students ratings on the survey would be much higher than the pre-assessment, showing that they know much more about the topic. I was not wrong and was so happy when I started analyzing the results and saw way more 4s and 5s than the first time. One question that I saw primarily 1s and 2s on this mid-point survey was question 9, asking if they find it easier to focus after physical activity. We had a chat regarding this question in one of our gym classes one day, and the students really expressed that they don't focus better because they just want to keep being physical. Their feeling on this does show through within the classroom as well, being that they do not do well in lessons where the expectation is to just sit still and do desk work after gym class. Thus, we have combatted this by easing them back into the classroom, after gym, with an activity that gets them up, out of their desks, in which they focus fantastically. I highly recommend other teachers to try this, if they find their students having trouble focussing after gym because after this out of desk activity, the students are able to sit in their desks and focus much better. Thinking ahead to the final survey, I am thinking I will include a written portion to the survey, in order to really assess their understanding. As well, because this survey and my observations show the understanding to be very well at this point, the written portion will just challenge them a little more and give more information on their understanding.
Final Assessment Reflection (March 21st 2017)- I knew going into this project that before I would give the final survey, I would want to feel confident that the students had actually got something from the physical literacy chats and activities. I had this confidence even after my midpoint survey, so I was not worried when it was time to give the final survey. I also knew that I wanted to switch the survey format a little because the rating scale that I had used in the previous ones didn't give me the detailed expression of the learning that I wanted and needed. Through the chats at the end of our physical literacy Fridays, I have seen the students knowledge and understanding on physical literacy evolve, thus I new they would be comfortable with this new format. When I read and reflected on the students’ responses, I was so happy with their responses. It was at this moment that I truly saw that my students learned about a brand new topic, physical literacy, and were even able to extend that knowledge into their 7 habits. I feel so incredibly accomplished knowing that these students are now going to carry this knowledge with them forward throughout their lives, because they truly realize the importance of physical literacy. Now, just because we are finished the surveys for my project, I am still going to continue with our Physical Literacy Fridays until the end of my practicum. Physical Literacy is an always evolving topic, and a skill always worth building, thus I will continue to teach it no matter what!