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Post by Deleted on Feb 4, 2014 9:43:28 GMT -5
<< waves hands >> ME!!!!! I was a finalist in the Presidental Physical Fitness Test. I even loved playing co-ed ultimate frisbee and swimming in HS! The only think I couldn't stand was square dancing.
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973beachbum
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Post by 973beachbum on Feb 4, 2014 9:46:00 GMT -5
So is there anybody out there that LIKED Phys Ed? Me. I wasn't made to spend hours everday practicing the things I couldn't do though. They just let us pick the activities we wanted to do as long as it was one from a list they had that was preapproved. I do remember a gynastics rotation people could do in HS. I tried it once and I remember plenty of people who wouldn't go on the balance beam. And I don't think I was ever made to do any one particular skill like a somersault and certianly not to distraction. which is all this is.
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muttleynfelix
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Post by muttleynfelix on Feb 4, 2014 9:52:49 GMT -5
So is there anybody out there that LIKED Phys Ed? I didn't enjoy it and I competed in the state Track and Cross Country meets.
My Junior and Senior years of high school I was in what was called "athletic PE". As a varsity athlete we were given the last period of the day (so we didn't have to miss class by leaving early for games or meets - plus we didn't have to change out of our practice clothes). Most of the time we did mainly cross training. If we had a game or meet that day, we didn't do anything (well, homework). Or during our season, we could just have study hall instead of PE. I loved it. I could really focus on technique for my field events during PE class (something I still hold the school record in 15 years later). Basically I added another 45 minutes to my practice time. Elementary school and junior high, it just depended on the unit. I loved when we had our timed runs in elementary school because I beat EVERYONE (including the boys). But teams sports ... I was one of the last one picked (I had no hand-eye coordination).
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Formerly SK
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Post by Formerly SK on Feb 4, 2014 9:56:33 GMT -5
I hated PE. Part of that was the fault of the teachers/coaches - my HS PE teacher was a complete and utter asshole. Former marine and rabid football fan. There was never any hint of PE being fun.
Part of it was also my family. No one was active in my family and people who played sports were belittled. My parents were addicts and basically we raised ourselves in many ways. So, no support there, either.
It was only at age 37 that I discovered exercising and how fun it could be. What a waste! I mean truly what a waste to have all those years go by and not enjoy physical activity. I agree with the pp who said PE should be about showing kids how fun it is to be physical - whether running or playing baseball or yoga or whatever. It should be about the joy of pushing your body to do something, so that hopefully you continue to do those things as an adult.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 4, 2014 10:06:07 GMT -5
So is there anybody out there that LIKED Phys Ed? I sure didn't. It was geared to team sports and I suck at team sports. Maybe if the teacher(s) had done what they were paid to do and shown me how to throw a ball properly, or how to catch one, or how to hold the bat.. but they didn't. It still ticks me off. Maybe this is how the kids who had problems with the academic side felt when teachers devoted all their attention to the brainiacs. Last year, at age 60, I did 3 charity bike rides (over 3 months) of 50K each and a sprint triathlon, among other things. I just can't do team sports. But I feel for the OP's son. It's clear that what the teacher has been doing isn't working and is, in fact, making things worse. I agree that sometimes you have to teach kids to get over their mental blocks to accomplish something, but you also have to teach them when to say, "I'll never do a somersault/be an opera singer/get on the cheerleading team" and focus on their strengths.
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whoisjohngalt
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Post by whoisjohngalt on Feb 4, 2014 10:11:29 GMT -5
Personally, as a parent I would look at this situation as an opportunity to teach perseverance and grit. My dd at age 5 couldn't do a somersault. She was in gymnastics 2x/wk and everyone was already well ahead of her but she just couldn't do it. Coaches worked with her, etc and nope...couldn't do it. Finally I said we would practice at home - she'd try 20x each night with my help until she got it. I talked with the coaches to get pointers and there are youtube videos out as well. It took maybe 5-10 minutes each night to practice, and within two weeks she got it. She just couldn't figure out how to curl her torso and roll. Ironically, she was invited to join team in gymnastics about six months later. I think the important lesson in situations like this is that if something is difficult for a kid, it just means they need to practice at it more and that THERE IS NOTHING EMBARRASSING ABOUT THAT. Practicing with a loving/patient parent in the privacy of the home helps not only to learn the skill, but teaches the kid that the parent is on their side and they are not alone as they face the world's challenges. There are all sorts of things kids will have to do for school that many of us never use as adults and it is easy to just discount the importance of those things. But personally, I think those little challenges matter because they prepare kids for handling bigger challenges later. Honestly, it sounds like your DS could use a win in his pocket about now - it may help his anxiety tremendously if he could learn to somersault. Talk about overcoming an obstacle!! I would do everything I can to diffuse the emotions of the situation so it doesn't dominate his day. Then just spend 10 minutes a night working on it in a fun/light manner. No pressure. It's very hard to learn when there's pressure. Watch youtube videos, google for tips. Unless there is physical impediment, he should be able to eventually get it and he'll be so proud of himself for doing it. You could even keep his new success a secret and the next time there's a tumbling unit at school have him immediately do 10 somersaults in front of the coach so the coach's jaw can drop in amazement. How fun would that be? I kind of disagree. I think that at some point there is such a thing as cutting your losses and moving on with your life, if it's not a life-crucial kind of thing. There is the whole cost-benefit thing, you know
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Green Eyed Lady
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Post by Green Eyed Lady on Feb 4, 2014 10:12:32 GMT -5
What happens when your son tries to do a somersault? Does he go over on his side? What exactly happens? While I don't happen to think a somersault is a big deal, maybe it's not the somersault for the teacher. It's the point of trying something you don't think you can do. Think how your son will feel if he succeeds? Some said they feel he/she is being a bully because he/she insists on your son being able to do one. Perhaps that's not it. Perhaps that teacher is doing your son a great service by making him stick to something until it's done instead of just walking away from something that is hard. I wish the little guy the best.
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NomoreDramaQ1015
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Post by NomoreDramaQ1015 on Feb 4, 2014 10:15:19 GMT -5
to team sports and I suck at team sports. Maybe if the teacher(s) had done what they were paid to do and shown me how to throw a ball properly, or how to catch one, or how to hold the bat.. but they didn't
That was my PE experience too. I'm sorry but a 5'0'' girl who doesn't break 100 lbs is not going to succeed at tag football with boys WAAAAAAAAAAAAAY out of her weight class. In fact it's a great way to get hurt.
Instead of recognizing that I got humilated every class period. I'm not going to be good at things that require decent height or weight. If we'd had a gymnastics unit I might have been good at that.
I learned how to have a thick skin, it wasn't like I could opt out of PE. But once I graduated I vowed I was never playing sports for the rest of my life. I'd had enough embarassment/humilation to last a lifetime.
Pretty much the life skills I learned in PE were to not bother, you're just going to suck at it and people will laugh/yell at you. Great lesson.
The first time I got told I might be good at anything sports/excerise related was 5 years ago when my boss asked me if I was a runner. I apparently have the natural build for it. I was never told this in PE while being ground into the dirt in flag football. I do wonder how different things would have been if the PE teachers had encouraged and looked for potential individuals talent rather than trying to make us all fit into the same box.
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zibazinski
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Post by zibazinski on Feb 4, 2014 10:19:45 GMT -5
Is it part of testing? Because now PE can't be fun anymore. We have to test the bejesus out of kids just like classroom teachers do. If it is, that's the reason for the huge emphasis the PE teacher is putting on it. Please ask.
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zibazinski
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Post by zibazinski on Feb 4, 2014 10:25:05 GMT -5
I liked it and taught it. I had all kinds of kids with all kinds of abilities. Some never will be able to climb the rope. I always told them that I never could either, not true, but that I managed to grow up, graduate, have a family and a fairly happy and successful life. That took pressure off them. Male teachers can tend to be more anal about success, not all, but I worked with 3 men and 1 was a horses ass. I can so see him belittling a child.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 4, 2014 10:32:53 GMT -5
What happens when your son tries to do a somersault? Does he go over on his side? What exactly happens? He'll get down on his hands and knees, tuck his head, then instead of just rolling, he tries to "kick" his way over with his legs so that he's flipping his body straight up which has to be murder on his neck. Usually he just ends up on his side. I'm going to work with him on it again tonight, we haven't for a long time...since last years fiasco actually
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Post by Deleted on Feb 4, 2014 10:37:59 GMT -5
If he leans towards his toes he should just roll as long as he stays tucked. I would have him concentrate on staying compact.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 4, 2014 10:41:18 GMT -5
Since I'm groping my way through learning SQL, I've been using the Web as a resource. Are there YouTube vidoes on somersaults? Hey, they exist for everything else! If there are any geared to adults, your son may find one that works for him, since adults are less flexible and usually not as fearless as little kids. Maybe without the pressure of an SOB PE teacher standing over him and pressuring him he'll learn on his own.
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zibazinski
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Post by zibazinski on Feb 4, 2014 10:42:32 GMT -5
Neither of my children can skip. Don't ask me why? I certainly can. They still managed to grow up and be good people regardless.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 4, 2014 10:47:12 GMT -5
Is it part of testing? Because now PE can't be fun anymore. We have to test the bejesus out of kids just like classroom teachers do. If it is, that's the reason for the huge emphasis the PE teacher is putting on it. Please ask. I asked him that in the email, so we'll see what he says if he ever answers me. I was hoping by copying the principal he'd be more inclined to reply. I just get the gut feeling that he is a being a bit of an ass when it comes to this stuff, and that was reinforced by a couple conversations I had with his classroom teacher. She didn't come right out and implicate him, but I could tell she wasn't comfortable with how things were being handled. This is a Montessori school, so I'm always hearing about how anti-testing they are and allowing the individual child to have the freedom to explore the world, learn at their own pace and find their own strengths, is so important. This seems so contradictory to that, but it's also a charter and has to follow whatever rules the state has as far as testing.
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Green Eyed Lady
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Post by Green Eyed Lady on Feb 4, 2014 11:00:45 GMT -5
What happens when your son tries to do a somersault? Does he go over on his side? What exactly happens? He'll get down on his hands and knees, tuck his head, then instead of just rolling, he tries to "kick" his way over with his legs so that he's flipping his body straight up which has to be murder on his neck. Usually he just ends up on his side. I'm going to work with him on it again tonight, we haven't for a long time...since last years fiasco actually Good for you! You two will get it done and you'll both feel better.
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raeoflyte
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Post by raeoflyte on Feb 4, 2014 11:03:22 GMT -5
Personally, as a parent I would look at this situation as an opportunity to teach perseverance and grit. My dd at age 5 couldn't do a somersault. She was in gymnastics 2x/wk and everyone was already well ahead of her but she just couldn't do it. Coaches worked with her, etc and nope...couldn't do it. Finally I said we would practice at home - she'd try 20x each night with my help until she got it. I talked with the coaches to get pointers and there are youtube videos out as well. It took maybe 5-10 minutes each night to practice, and within two weeks she got it. She just couldn't figure out how to curl her torso and roll. Ironically, she was invited to join team in gymnastics about six months later. I think the important lesson in situations like this is that if something is difficult for a kid, it just means they need to practice at it more and that THERE IS NOTHING EMBARRASSING ABOUT THAT. Practicing with a loving/patient parent in the privacy of the home helps not only to learn the skill, but teaches the kid that the parent is on their side and they are not alone as they face the world's challenges. There are all sorts of things kids will have to do for school that many of us never use as adults and it is easy to just discount the importance of those things. But personally, I think those little challenges matter because they prepare kids for handling bigger challenges later. Honestly, it sounds like your DS could use a win in his pocket about now - it may help his anxiety tremendously if he could learn to somersault. Talk about overcoming an obstacle!! I would do everything I can to diffuse the emotions of the situation so it doesn't dominate his day. Then just spend 10 minutes a night working on it in a fun/light manner. No pressure. It's very hard to learn when there's pressure. Watch youtube videos, google for tips. Unless there is physical impediment, he should be able to eventually get it and he'll be so proud of himself for doing it. You could even keep his new success a secret and the next time there's a tumbling unit at school have him immediately do 10 somersaults in front of the coach so the coach's jaw can drop in amazement. How fun would that be? If this was last year I would agree spending 10 minutes a night would be a good idea. However at this point he's spent an extra 10 hours trying to learn how to do one, not succeeded and his anxiety is affecting areas he excels in. Even if he masters a somersault I don't see him ever feeling good about the experience. If this was the only time to learn perseverance-sure keep pushing. But I'd rather teach that lesson with skills that he's more likely to use as an adult, and encourage him to keep trying different physical ed options until he finds something he likes. I was 30 before a boss told me to stop spending so much energy on things I struggle with, and instead focus that in areas I'm already good at. That I would go farther and accomplish so much more by reversing those 2 and he was right. Now I don't walk away from everything that is difficult for me, but I do see if I can make changes so its easier, or outsource if possible. Sent from my ADR6410LVW using proboards
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chen35
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Post by chen35 on Feb 4, 2014 11:06:46 GMT -5
What happens when your son tries to do a somersault? Does he go over on his side? What exactly happens? He'll get down on his hands and knees, tuck his head, then instead of just rolling, he tries to "kick" his way over with his legs so that he's flipping his body straight up which has to be murder on his neck. Usually he just ends up on his side. I'm going to work with him on it again tonight, we haven't for a long time...since last years fiasco actually That's exactly what my problem was, and at about his age. I finally figured out how to do it correctly, but like I said, not a life changing event. Maybe try telling him that his knees have to stay close to his body, no kicking. I think that's finally what got me to get it.
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chen35
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Post by chen35 on Feb 4, 2014 11:08:44 GMT -5
I was 30 before a boss told me to stop spending so much energy on things I struggle with, and instead focus that in areas I'm already good at. That I would go farther and accomplish so much more by reversing those 2 and he was right. Now I don't walk away from everything that is difficult for me, but I do see if I can make changes so its easier, or outsource if possible. Sent from my ADR6410LVW using proboards This is so true! Like you said, you can't just not do the things that are inherently difficult, but if you focus on your strengths you will get so much further ahead.
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milee
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Post by milee on Feb 4, 2014 11:12:03 GMT -5
Neither of my children can skip. Don't ask me why? I certainly can. They still managed to grow up and be good people regardless. My younger son skips all the time. All. the. time. He's just a happy guy. No idea why he does it, but he just skips happily along with a huge smile on his face. Doesn't matter if it's just going from his chair 10 feet to the bathroom or down to the end of the driveway to get the mail - he skips. And yes, this is the kid what wore the butterfly flower fairy jacket forever. He's also the kid that loves to swim but has no interest in racing, so it's been challenging to find swim teams where he can just come to all the practices but not compete. (And of course the older kid is the complete opposite. Hyper competitive, tightly wound, killer instinct, leave no survivors.)
Why are our kids so weird? It would be so much easier if they didn't have all this weird stuff going on.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 4, 2014 11:12:32 GMT -5
MPL, Here is a good article about some simple ways to tell if you child is physically literate. If he is have problems with only the forward roll, probably not an issue. But if he has trouble with many of them, you may want to have him spend some more time doing physical activities. activeforlife.com/9-ways-physically-literate/
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Post by Deleted on Feb 4, 2014 11:20:22 GMT -5
I was 30 before a boss told me to stop spending so much energy on things I struggle with, and instead focus that in areas I'm already good at. That I would go farther and accomplish so much more by reversing those 2 and he was right. Now I don't walk away from everything that is difficult for me, but I do see if I can make changes so its easier, or outsource if possible. Sent from my ADR6410LVW using proboards This is so true! Like you said, you can't just not do the things that are inherently difficult, but if you focus on your strengths you will get so much further ahead. I've been telling DS that I doubt many kids his age have near the math ability that he does. They weren't making homemade calculators in 2nd grade after teaching themselves about binary code. Stuff like that is going to be what gets him somewhere in life. His lack of somersault ability won't matter, but feeling like a failure might.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 4, 2014 11:21:55 GMT -5
MPL, Here is a good article about some simple ways to tell if you child is physically literate. If he is have problems with only the forward roll, probably not an issue. But if he has trouble with many of them, you may want to have him spend some more time doing physical activities. activeforlife.com/9-ways-physically-literate/I'll have to check this later tonight. The filters at work are blocking it.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Feb 4, 2014 11:27:52 GMT -5
I've been telling DS that I doubt many kids his age have near the math ability that he does. They weren't making homemade calculators in 2nd grade after teaching themselves about binary code. Stuff like that is going to be what gets him somewhere in life. His lack of somersault ability won't matter, but feeling like a failure might.
A this point, to him it is very hard to get him to see the big picture.....that him learning how to do a somersault is not going to get him a paycheck (unless he's very good at it) and that the skills he DOES have will likely make him very self sufficient as an adult. Hell, the last time I did one when I had a spectacular fall water skiing, and it was totally unintentional!
But if you have a teacher implying that a somersault is imperative to life, then he is getting conflicting messages.
As someone else has asked, exactly WHY is this an issue? Is it a requirement for some sort of test that he is capable of doing this?
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NomoreDramaQ1015
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Post by NomoreDramaQ1015 on Feb 4, 2014 11:41:23 GMT -5
Hmm I must be too negative/cynical because I never felt better or like I accomplished something after being browbeaten in PE. Instead my thought process was "Yay, now they'll shut up and I'm never doing X again as long as I live".
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raeoflyte
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Post by raeoflyte on Feb 4, 2014 11:46:48 GMT -5
This is so true! Like you said, you can't just not do the things that are inherently difficult, but if you focus on your strengths you will get so much further ahead. I've been telling DS that I doubt many kids his age have near the math ability that he does. They weren't making homemade calculators in 2nd grade after teaching themselves about binary code. Stuff like that is going to be what gets him somewhere in life. His lack of somersault ability won't matter, but feeling like a failure might. If you think that succeeding at this will help his self esteem--then I would definitely say keep working at it. Personally I think I would just be glad that we could check the box and move on, and never.speak.of.it.again. I'm also looking at this as a lesson, that it is OK to fail. Everybody fails at something. I'm not sure why its taken me this long to realize that failing at one thing doesn't mean I fail at everything.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 4, 2014 12:08:25 GMT -5
I'm not sure if succeeding will help his self-esteem, but I'm pretty sure being forced to repeatedly fail isn't doing much good. I wish he would just have the attitude that it's not a big deal, but I suppose, like Mich said, he can't see that at this point.
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NomoreDramaQ1015
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Post by NomoreDramaQ1015 on Feb 4, 2014 12:21:24 GMT -5
I wish he would just have the attitude that it's not a big deal, but I suppose, like Mich said, he can't see that at this point.
As an adult I can thumb my nose at PE and realize what piss poor teachers I had. When I was required to attend PE 2-3x a week for 13 years it was A LOT harder to keep in mind it was not a big deal in the grand scheme of things. When it's continously reinforced it's a lot harder to overcome.
I could at least get away from it once the bell rang. If I'd been made to stay afterschool for 2 hours for weeks to practice my tackle I can't imagine how much more warped my views on sports/exercise would have ended up.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Feb 4, 2014 12:30:57 GMT -5
It's always easier to look back and see what was useful in school and what was an utter waste of time. We always have 20/20 hindsight, and what's important becomes even clearer when you have been out in the 'real world' for awhile.
I can see the importance of someone staying after school for 2 hours a night for a week to learn how to calculate percentages....because that is used just about every day in your life. But to learn how to do a somersault? At this point, I have to think that this is becoming more of a sticking point for the instructor, that he considers MPL's son inability to do a somersault a failure on his part and he's going to get it....come hell or high water.
The fall out is that this is having an impact upon the child's esteem. While I think that schools are paying too much attention to self esteem, I think that students need to learn to fail at something. It doesn't mean that they're destined for the gutter, just that this is not where their talent lies.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 4, 2014 12:33:14 GMT -5
I was 30 before a boss told me to stop spending so much energy on things I struggle with, and instead focus that in areas I'm already good at. That I would go farther and accomplish so much more by reversing those 2 and he was right. Now I don't walk away from everything that is difficult for me, but I do see if I can make changes so its easier, or outsource if possible. Good for your boss. Let me tell a related story on this. In 2008, DH and I were at the Olympic Swim trials because my nephew was trying to make the team. The monitor tracked everyone's reaction time (between the starting gun and hitting the water) and DN's were a bit slow compared to the others. I asked my brother (DN's father) about that and of course they were aware of it. DN and his coach had really worked on it but it just wasn't getting better. So they said the heck with it. DN made the team. He got a Gold medal in a relay. In 2012 he got a Gold and a Slver in relays. I doubt his reaction time inproved much. Sometimes you gotta know when to quit worrying about something. Sounds like the PE teacher in the OP hasn't figured that out.
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