physed reflection

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Alexandria Green

Instructor: Donna Cucunato

Tapestry of a Liberal Studies Education, 497

18 May 2011

Reflection II:Arts/Physical Education

The following provides a detailed map of the courses completed under the umbrella heading,

arts/physical education. Providing the broad range of departments represented therein, I found it

particularly important to provide course summaries.

Course Title: Teaching the Visual Arts, ART 350

Professor: Jamie Kough

Date: Fall 2009

Description:Explored the elements of creativity in the visual arts and how they could be taughteffectively at all age levels (K12, special education). Students learned to develop an entire

school art program and produced a portfolio of projects and lesson plans. The course was divided

into four areas of study--art basics, art history, final lesson plan, and student teaching. Each unit

built upon the previous, a model for scaffolding in the classroom.

Course Title: Music, Movement and Drama for Teachers, LBST 310

Professor: Brandi Merchant

Date: Spring 2010

Description: This course examined the connected relationships of music, movement, and drama

and their importance as teaching tools in the K8 classroom. The course explored and evaluated

basic music theory and State Content Standards and Framework in designing and developinglesson plans. Choreographic studies were infused with drama to create theater and/or individual

expression using everyday curriculum. Video viewing, audio listening, and applied arts activities

were utilized weekly.

Course Title: Physical Education for the Elementary School, AT 307

Professor: Donna Cucunato

Date: Fall 2009

Description: This course was designed to provide students with a basic understanding of the

purpose of physical education and methods for implementing a physical education curriculum in

the elementary school. Analyses were made of fundamental movements, which when modified

make up the skills of all sport and dance activities. The California Physical EducationFramework served as a foundation for developing lesson plans.

Course Title: Health Education for Teachers, EDUC 431 ONLINE

Professor: Howard Keith

Date: Spring 2010

Description: This course provided teachers with a basic understanding of their role in the total

school health program and how to create an emotionally healthy classroom environment. Topics

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that were examined included: suicide, eating disorders, chronic and communicable disease,

dating violence and health risk behaviors such as drug use. The course also examined the

California Education Codes regarding parents' rights in the areas of sexuality education, laws

regarding child abuse reporting, and legal responsibilities regarding student safety.

I. Metacognitive Reflection

Providing opportunities for students to excel in the arts, physical education, and health

refines the skills necessary to take part in the world--creativity, teamwork, and self worth. As

result, they are invaluable parts of a childs education. These areas of study should be validated

as subjects in of themselves, rather than used as supplement (a.k.a. reward). They offer

opportunities of multiple intelligence; tapping into parts of the brain that otherwise would not be

activated. For example, creativity is lost if not fostered as a child. With the onset of puberty, the

pressure to assimilate is so heavy that it is repressed. Unfortunately, these activities are the first

to be cut under the pressures of achievement testing. Ironically, these are the most praised and

memorable activities in elementary school. The aforementioned courses provided strong

reasoning for the arts, physical education, and health in school. They emphasized learning as a

mind/body connection; a philosophy that is since rooted in my thoughts about education.

Movement is inextricably part of mental processing. Talking, writing, and acting out

ideas are all valid ways to process newly learned information. All three actions constitute muscle

movement in their own right. Verbal communication engages the muscles in the mouth, written

communication engages the fine motor skills of the fingers, and acting engages the gross motor

skills of the body. Though some children learn best while engaging fine motor skills, others excel

when their gross motor skills are put to the test. Too often, children become disinterested

because the traditional teaching model caters solely to the former group of students. Even so, all

students experience boredom with the vast amount ofseat workin the classroom. To avoid

disinterest, teachers can employ the active learning model, which uses the arts as a part of the

teaching process. In Music, Movement, and Drama for Teachers, it was emphasized that the arts

have power to commit information to memory unlike traditional methods. For example, using the

ROTE method to teach a new song produces memorized material within minutes. The teacher

begins with a period of focused listening in which she sings the song, giving students words or

patterns to listen for (i.e. What color is the basket? How many times do I say the word time?).

Next, she sequences the song using I sing, you sing (one line at a time, then two, then four,

etc.). Then, a second period of focused listening involves students closing their eyes, singing the

words silently in their heads while the teacher sings aloud. Finally, students and teacher sing

aloud together. I will never underestimate the power of a memory bank of songs! As long as the

concept is attained first, rote memorization is not inherently good or bad.Moreover, competition is not inherently good or bad. It is the nature by which the

competitive spirit is utilized that makes it so. Motivated intrinsically or extrinsically, children

gain some understanding of self-worthiness and physicality through competitive sport

participation. InPhysical Education for the Elementary School, we engaged in conversation

about how to facilitate healthy competition. Using social referencing, children learn to react to

victory and failure from coaches, parents, and peers. This process of socialization lends itself to

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the positive and negative effects of competition in youth sports. As parents are enrolling their

children in sports at ages younger than ever before, children are beginning the process of

specialization much sooner. Instead of sampling a variety of sports, the focus shifts to one in

hopes of excellence. Beyond basic fitness, sampling is the goal of a well-implemented physical

education program. Children will excel in some sports and struggle in others. Different children

will shine by way of varying activities. Positive coaching, lowering the affective filter, and anelement of fun, creates a healthy competitive environment. For me, this was a lesson in

behavioral teaching methods. With the pressures of testing, all too many classrooms have grades

posted, achievement ladders, etc. For struggling students, this is detrimental to a healthy

competitive spirit. Children need to be given the chance to shine in their areas of strength, not

called out for their weaknesses. I will be a positive coach on the field, during instructional time,

and in tutoring sessions.

Keeping children moving enhances the learning process by increasing circulation,

allowing time for the information to be committed to long term memory, and stimulating the

release of good chemicals in the body. InHealth Education for Teachers, a particular focus was

on the relation between physical and mental health. Stretching before a stint of sedentaryinstruction provides oxygen flow to the brain and thus, narrows childrens attention on the task at

hand. Once instruction ensues, the number of minutes a student can stay focused is equal to his/

her age plus two. Elementary school teachers must plan their instruction time accordingly. After

that staggeringly short amount of time, students need a chance to process new information. The

site of the hippocampus in the brain absorbs and sorts the information before distributing it to

various places in the cortex for long term memory. If the hippocampus is overloaded, new

learning will not occur. By consciously reducing the amount of sedentary instruction, the

probably of overloading the hippocampus is slim. Among other neurological benefits, exercise

increases the number of capillaries around the neurons facilitating oxygen flow, releases

endorphins increasing alertness, and produces the neurotransmitter dopamine improving mood.Incorporating movement into the classroom seems like a no-brainer next to all its benefits. I vow

to keep my students healthy by adding movement into everyday activities.

I vow to advocate the arts. Something curious happens when children draw. They are

communicating an idea much larger than can be expressed with elementary level vocabulary.

This is especially true for young children who are beginning writers--the drawing expresses the

main idea, the writing is the support. Colors exude feeling, line expresses emotion, shape

delineates constraints. In Teaching the Visual Arts, the professor emphasized that there are no

mistakes in art. She forbid the use of erasers claiming that which seems out of place can be

used, molded, and layered to create something new. This is especially important for children

round the age of 7-8 because this is when an obsession with correctness develops. Moreover,

we were discouraged from using the term like in evaluating a work of art. Liking or not liking

a finished work does not pay tribute to the artistic process. It does not denote use of line, color,

value, perspective, composition, etc. What a valuable lesson! The product of learning is not

nearly as important as the process. If taught effectively, art lowers ones affective filter because

there is no right answer to bubble. I struggled with this as a student of art. I wanted to be

Monet. However, I am not Monet. I am Green. By receiving undying positive reinforcement, I

overcame my obsession with perfection in the manner of a child.

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II. Significant Artifact

Teaching the Visual Arts laid the foundation for an engaging, effective, and worthwhilearts education program. The professor kept the work rigorous, expecting us to believe in

ourselves as artists. She expected us to walk out of the course with no less than art basics, arthistory, and lesson planning in pocket. What power lies in high expectations! For this reason, I

am particularly proud of my final notebook that compiles all the content covered in the course. I

was required to display the information visually, in writing, and with the professionalism of a

portfolio worthy to show a future employer. During the unit on art basics, every concept was

displayed visually with the figure of a tree. For example, line is first defined as an identifiable

path of a point moving in space. It can vary in width, direction, and length. A line has the unique

ability to express emotion, color, and texture. Following, the chart displays several examples of

lines that express the foregoing. In doing so, I do not assume that the definition is understood. All

possibilities are then utilized in a composition of a tree. This exercise is repeated for every

element of design--shape, texture, space, dominance, etc. Doing so emphasizes the translation

from definition to utilization. The second unit, art history, emphasized the importance of contextualization whenteaching lessons. Each scripted lesson plan is accompanied by information about the artist and

decade associated with it. The goal is that students walk out of a lesson with more than a finished

product, namely knowledge about its significance. Of particular emphasis, most art movements

erupted out of rebellion to what came before. For example, the work of Keith Haring stood for

something simple and honest, revolting against the need for complexity in art that came before.

This all compiled into the student teaching component of the course. It involved two one-hour

teaching experiences, of different grade/ability levels. I was fortunate enough to work in mild-

moderate special needs (grades 4, 5, 6) and grade four classrooms. Each step was modeled and

mimicked by the students. Collage, color theory, and drawing skills were used to complete the

composition. It was important that the product, in its entirety, was completed by the student.Using the same lesson format, the goal was modification--fewer elements and larger print for the

special needs students. With modification, even the most challenged students with special needs

took home a product they were proud of. This project deepened my understanding of art for one and all. I was challenged with thetask of displaying one element in three forms, attaching contextualization to a lesson, and

modifying instruction for different learners. I believe that the most successful teachers are

flexible learners. They have the ability to think and articulate one concept in different ways--

providing access to the curriculum, no matter the difference! I vow to mimic this process of

scaffolding/modification in everyday lesson planning.

III.Course Outcomes Connected to CCTC Program Standards and CDE Frameworks

Standard 1 - Program Philosophy and Purpose These courses successfully integrated the missions of Chapman University and theCollege of Educational Studies. Chapmans commitment to personalized education is ever-

present in the small class sizes and differentiated instruction. In every instance, I felt comfortable

asking for clarity because I formed a solid teacher-student relationship. Professors were not

frustrated by my lack of understanding, but rather searched their teacher toolbox to find a new

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way of explaining. InMusic, Movement, and Drama for Teachers, the professor realized that we

were not trained musicians. Reading music was a foreign language for those of us who chose a

different interest growing up, including myself who played the clarinet for all of 2 months. When

I became thoroughly confused at the thought that a C note could fall two places on the staff, she

provided examples of both instances. She sang the note in both pitches and played it on the

xylophone, providing me various opportunities to hear the notes. These courses have been well-rooted in critical scholarship and ethical inquiries. PhysicalEducation for the Elementary Schoolincluded a research assignment of my own choosing,related literally or liberally to the course content. Involved in competitive dance growing up, my

interest was sparked during a video presentation on competitive sporting. With guidance from the

professor, I analyzed and synthesized my research into a well-written piece of work. It now sits

comfortably in my professional library, a compilation of my work and the work of scholars.

Health Education for Teachers delved into difficult studies on suicide, violence, and sexuality

education. These are not topics to study for the faint of heart. They require the scholar to detach

emotionally, evaluating the information ethically and critically. The class kept a running

discussion board in which students shared their thoughts and received feedback. I remember

discussing the legality of sex education, largely disagreeing with one particular studentscomments. We both justified our positions and respectfully combatted the others point of view,

skills that higher education is bound to produce. Ethics includes actions an individual takes on

for one self. Correspondence beyond the initial post was completely voluntary. Both parties felt

strongly about the topic and took it upon ourselves to discuss further.

Standards 2/3 - Subjects of Study The course material covered in Teaching the Visual Arts andMovement, Music, andDrama for Teachers mostly cover the content specifications outlined by the California

Commission on Teacher Credentialing. These courses were particularly effective because they

focused on both content knowledge and teaching methods. Content standards in Domain 4,

Visual Art, specify that candidates demonstrate a fluency with the principles of art such asbalance, repetition, contrast, emphasis, and unity and are able to explain how works of art are

organized in terms of line, color, value space, texture, shape and form. As detailed in section II,

Significant Artifact, the course covered these elements in detail by way of the portfolio.

Furthermore, candidates should be able to identify and explain styles of visual arts from a variety

of times, places, and cultures. The class studied art movements from impressionism to post-

modernism, identifying the characteristics of each. This study informed lesson planning for the

duration of the semester.Music, Movement, and Drama for Teachers covered the basic fluency of

respective content: (1) elements of dance such as space, time, levels, and force/energy, (2)

elements of music such as pitch, rhythm, and timbre, and music concepts, including music

notation, (3) acting, design, and scriptwriting. This content was taught in lecture format,

providing activity that demonstrated each element therein. It also covered appropriate techniquesto create respective activities with children. We were required to write and present four lessons--

one movement, one music, one drama, and one integration. However, this course did not cover

how to identify and explain styles of dance, music, and theatre from a variety of times, places,

and cultures. Physical Education for the Elementary School,andHealth Education for Teachers farexceed the content specifications outlined by the California Commission on Teacher

Credentialing. Content standard 1.1 specifies that candidates can describe critical elements of

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basic movement skills, such as stepping in opposition when throwing and/or following through

when kicking a ball. When learning a new skill, it was broken down into steps of action. For

example, the actions that make a pitch include: (1) step back, (2) pivot, (3) rock back, (4)

cobra, and (5) follow through. The cobra was a nickname for the position of the arm right

before the throw. The steps were first practiced as static actions without a ball in hand. Then, they

were practiced with fluidity without ball in hand. Finally, it all came together with fluidity andball in hand. Content standard 1.2 specifies that candidates can describe physical fitness

components, which are included in comprehensive personal fitness development programs. One

unit was focused on the FitnessGram, one assessment and reporting program for youth developed

in 1982. The professor modeled each activity and described how to evaluate the results in terms

of the healthy fitness zone. The class completed FitnessGram testing, requiring that every student

perform the tasks and evaluate others on their performance. Under the Human Development

heading, content standard 3.1 specifies that candidates identify sources of possible abuse and

neglect, and describe their impact on development.Health Education for Teachers covered this

content in detail, evaluating the legality surrounding the issue. We were required to read articles

on the subject and offer our opinions by way of a discussion board.

Standard 4 - Integrative Study Though the courses were not intended as studies in integration, three of the fourinherently dealt with other disciplines. Teaching the Visual Arts emphasized the effect of

historical and cultural context on art movements. For example, Jackson Pollocks abstract

expressionism exploded in the decade of rock n roll. A blend of southern blues and gospel, rock

n roll was a shocking addition to the music industry. This rebellion in music was echoed in art,

artists experimented with expressing feeling rather than illustrating it. The professor emphasized

that students should be able to produce a work of art andtell you about it. This information is

presented throughout the lesson, mentioning pertinent facts with an enthusiastic, Did you

know...? Include facts that are pertinent, but also interesting (pop culture is always a hit). For

example, Did you know that in the 1980s, Michael Jacksons single glove became an icon?! InMusic, Music, and Drama for Teachers, we were required to create and present alesson covering a core subject standard. The objective was to use the performing arts to teach the

content. For example, the following is a movement activity that teaches how slow/fast sound

moves through solid, liquid, and gas:1. Separate students into three groups.

2. Tell students that they are going to represent molecules.

3. Arrange first group in straight line, students shoulder-width apart (molecules close together, solid).

4. Arrange second group in straight line, students elbow-width apart (molecules farther apart, liquid).

5. Arrange third group in straight line, students arms-width apart (molecules far apart, gas).

6. Give each group a ball and ask them to pass it down their respective line as quickly as possible.

7. Sound travels fastest through solid because it is passed between its molecules quickly.

This activity integrated movement and science, providing all students access to the core

curriculum. Another example studied in the course included poetry as song, and vis versa. Song

is written in prose, an inherent integration. In Physical Education for the Elementary School, various cultural dances wereintroduced as components of a successful program. Third grade California Physical Education

content standard 1.15 reads, Perform a line dance, a circle dance, and a folk dance with a

partner. The professor emphasized that these lessons offer opportunities to study history and

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culture. Dances like the hand jive and the twist were American crazes worth studying.

Dances like the polka had their beginnings abroad, cultural explorations worth integrating into

the lesson plans. Taught largely in isolation,Health Education for Teachers did not draw on other subjectsto support its own. However, disciplines that fall under its umbrella include psychology, human

development, and physical education. Knowledge therein is integral in creating a healthylearning environment, physically and mentally.

Standards 5/6 - Teaching and Assessment Practices Music, Movement, and Drama for Teachers and Physical Education for the ElementaryClassroom were both taught in lecture-activity format. Most often, the professors would offer

direct instruction on the topic at hand and then provide an opportunity that supports it. For

example, the professor described the ROTE method of teaching song and then model it.

Moreover, the professor described elements of the FitnessGram (pacer test, body mass index,

trunk lift, etc.), modeled them, and then provide opportunity for students to practice. Both classes

included a considerable about of homework in the form of lesson planning, research, and

reflection. In traditional format, these assignments were graded on the basis of detail and criticalthinking. Both courses also utilized unit exams, assessing the comprehensive content gained.

These exams required thorough studying in hopes that students would commit the large amounts

of information in memory. Unfortunately, much of the content was lost afterward. For this

reason, I think I gain much more from the homework assignments listed above. These activities

require a heightened level of information mapping, offering a greater chance that the information

will stick. Teaching the Visual Arts was hands-on, through-and-through. The discipline lends itselfto this teaching approach, allowing teacher to model and student to mimic simultaneously. For

example, the following is an activity teaching color and value:1. Teacher andstudents dispense quarter-sized amounts of white and one color of their choosing on

the paint palette.2. Teacher andstudents dip brush into the true color. Paint a stipe on the painting surface.

3. Teacher andstudents dip bush into the true color and then into the white one time. Paint stripe on

the painting surface.

4. Teacher andstudents dip brush into the true color and then into the white two times. Paint stripe on

the painting surface.

5. Repeat, adding one additional dip into the white each time. Paint stripes in succession.

6. The final stripe is nearly white.

This approach to teaching art is effective because it demands active participation, while allowing

students to absorb the material thoroughly. Assessing art is an entirely different task because it is

largely subjective. To make it as objective as possible, the professor graded based on personal

critique and work-ethic. After every completed work, we presented it to the class describing its

intent, elements, and composition. Then, other students commented upon it offering positive and

corrective feedback. I will mimic this approach to evaluation, making it the work of the teacher,

the artist, and other students. Health Education for Teachers was taught in online format, never once meeting theteacher or students face-to-face. Although online courses are convenient, the class is largely

disconnected because it is set in virtual reality. In this course, the professor was solely the

facilitator. Every week, we were required to post responses to the reading prompts on the

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discussion board. We were evaluated upon our ability to synthesize the information and express a

point of view. I appreciate the method of evaluation, but could have done without the online class

format. Convenience is not a substitute for effectiveness.

Standard 7 - Introductory Classroom Experiences

Physical Education for the Elementary Schoolincluded the opportunity to teach amovement lesson of your choice. The course material was synthesized into a scripted lessondetailing its purpose, transfer of skills, motivation, teaching style, materials, warm-up, activities,

and closure questions. There was a strong emphasis on managerial strategies and reinforcement

of which was cover in the course. The managerial strategies were to be kept consistent.

Reinforcement included general, specific, and value comments throughout the lesson (i.e.,

Good, I see that everyone has mastered parts one and two of the dance sequence! This means

we are ready to learn part three.) The lesson was developmentally appropriate, matching the

grade level standards. I chose a second grade lesson on the a folk dance, the heel-toe polka. The

dance sequence included basic motor skills and gestures of which students were already familiar.

We were provided the opportunity to practice the lesson with our colleagues before teaching the

lesson in an elementary setting. As a result, I received feedback and was able to tweak theactivities when necessary. This process modeled how to prepare for lessons in the future.

Practicing the lesson before implementing with students is invaluable. The concluding unit in Teaching the Visual Arts consisted of two student teachingexperiences. Unlike the foregoing choice assignment, the lessons and site assignments were

created for us. The professor modeled how to modify the same lesson for increasing grade levels.

For the first assignment, I volunteered to teach a mild-moderate special needs class with grades

four, five, and six. With guidance from the professor, I chose the lesson intended for grades two

and three of average ability. I arrived prepared with supplies organized and in hand. Four teacher

script materials were required--a simple lesson plan that could be read from afar, a supply list, an

art history information page, and a letter to send home to parents detailing the project. This

process mimicked the behind-the-scenes tasks that teachers have to accomplish every day. Itallowed for ease of teaching. I will conclude with an unforgettable anecdote in which the student

intuitively felt the emotion of color:A student at the back of the classroom was having trouble staying on task. When the opportunity

arose, I knelt beside her and inquired about the sad faces that filled the background. She replied

profoundly, My person is blue and blue is a sad color.

Standard 8 - Diverse Perspectives

As a future teacher, the responsibility to rise up a generation of global citizensa

compassionate, xenocentric community of learners who are, quite literally, movedto curiosity

hangs on my shoulders. Defined by the leading Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, culture is

the integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior that depends upon the capacityfor learning and transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations. Teachers possess the

responsibility to transmit knowledge, hence are propionates of culture. How much more

compassionate we would be if American culture was marked by xenocentrism, the study of

culture with an inferior attitude in mind? This is a far cry from our current ethnocentric situation.

In Music, Movement, and Drama for Teachers, the professor asked us to consider dance and

communication as conditions of human life. In this light, it would be inhuman not to use the arts

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in rising up culturally sensitive pupils. She encouraged teachers to infuse dance, song, and stories

from various cultures. For example, she introduced a Ghanaan song entitled Obuasi Misa Na

Na. American children are particularly successful at singing in African tongues because many of

the syllable sounds are familiar. This song was taught in rote and paired with a game. A lesson

might begin with a story about Ghanaan people--people who often sing and dance to relieve the

pressures of poverty. In learning dances from other cultures,Physical Education for theElementary Schoolechoed this drum of thought. This marks the intent of a xenocentric

classroom, pupils who are not afraid to explore outside of themselves.

Standard 9 - Technology Online in format,Health Education for Teachers used technology as the courses onlymeans of communication. Articles were posted in BlackBoard for easy retrieval. A new

discussion board was opened every week on which students posted their responses to the reading

prompts. The virtual discussion board is an effective technology tool in moderation. In an

elementary classroom, it provides a good introduction into uses of technology--other than video

games, dvd, and Mp3 that students are comfortable with already. Furthermore, it requires

students to articulate in writing ideas, opinions, etc. It is, essentially, the virtual equivalent of the

pair share teaching strategy in which students share information verbally after instructional

time.

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