Blog: In this week’s blog, consider how the work you have done during this program fits within Touro’s values and how you are going to take what you have done into the world to make a change. Will you share your work with your principal or colleagues? Will you post about it on twitter or other social platforms? Or will your focus be making a change within your classroom or something else? What practical thing will you do to be of service?
I’ve enjoyed talking about my research with family and colleagues when I get the chance. I feel like I have dedicated so much time and effort to this research that I have to spread the word about what I have been doing. People are responsive and genuinely receptive, but most don’t fully understand what I am doing. They don’t have a background in physical education or Adapted physical education and working with students who have special needs. My goal is to network with groups of people who understand what I’m trying to accomplish. Nothing against other teachers or family members, but I want someone in the trenches. I have not reached out to other PE teachers or APE teachers because I want to finish my research and projects first. I want to make sure that I have a strong foundation to stand on before I start suggesting that other individuals should give what I have been researching a try. I’m glad that I have collected some solid quantitative data that should give a good platform to jump off of. I think I will start small with other educators in PE that I know personally, and then hopefully branch out from there. I will continue to implement my heavy work training program and maybe individual tweaks to each student's workout. I would like to see over the course of next year if I can get some more conclusive evidence to support an increase in self-confidence. I believe that time was the limiting factor in some of the data that I was seeing. Overall, I’m going to keep exploring new ways to better meet the needs of my students.
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Blog: Write any final thoughts you’re having about your whole master’s experience.
Overall, this has been a really positive and rewarding experience for me. I’ve enjoyed developing professionally and taking a deep dive into APE and its effect on my students. This is the first time in my seven years of teaching that I have devoted this much time outside of work to thinking about my teaching. The reflection process has been so useful thinking about new ways to meet the needs of my students. It has been great exploring so many new applications that I most likely would have never stumbled upon or known that I have a use for. I’ve become considerably more comfortable on the computer and using various programs that can enhance my teaching. My brain is going about a million different directions right now as I feel about 95% complete on all of our projects. Each one needs a little tweaking and I’m hoping in the next couple days to officially check some of those off to move onto the next one. This year has flown by and it's hard to believe that this program is coming to an end. It really feels like we just started our first class this past summer. Perhaps it's the crazy and endless busyness that has occurred from then to now that has seemed to evaporate time. A masters program is supposed to be challenging and tough, but it was achievable. We have had tremendous support from our teachers that has really helped manage everything along the way. I feel like I lucked out with such an awesome cohort. I’ve appreciated everyone's unique background and the knowledge that they have brought to each and every class. Of course, the laughs along the way are exactly what I needed to keep going. So thank you all! TPACK Journey
TPACK encompasses the key components necessary to be an effective lesson designer and ultimately a great teacher. It focuses on the concept of pedagogy, content, knowledge, and how they are intertwined with technology to enhance student learning. This program through Touro has really allowed me to reflect on my teaching practices. What is working, what needs to change, and how do I better present content to meet the needs of my students? This research project encompasses everything that TPACK represents. You must have a strong understanding of your content and abilities as an instructor. You must be able to reflect and build knowledge on what is working and what isn’t. You must ask questions every step of the way. I must admit, when I started this program, I was very technologically challenged. Or at least, didn’t give it enough thought. Though I do not use much technology in my classroom as a Physical Education teacher, I sure did as I was analyzing data for this research project as well as each class to complete this program. I do feel more confident in my ability to navigate and use technology in my classroom, but it comes down to finding the right tech to implement as well as the logistics that come along with it. My next step and goal is to outfit my APE students next year with fitness trackers to record activity levels during and outside my classroom. My hope is that it is a constant reminder to remain active outside of PE and to set daily step and heart rate goals. This data can be easily collected and reviewed with the students to help them better understand the importance of physical activity. Blog: Blog: For this week’s blog, please write about two things:
The main reason that I chose the research topic that I did was that last year I completed my Adapted Physical Education Authorization. This allowed me to work with students with special needs in an intimate PE setting. Much like completing the credential program, I was left feeling overwhelmed and wondering exactly how I was going to implement a new program that still seemed foreign to me. I was fortunate enough to work with a wonderful mentor from the Sonoma County Office of Education that opened my eyes to training practices that he was using in his class. It made complete sense to me and I was eager to try some of what he had been discussing. The students were motivated and enjoyed the array of things that I was throwing at them. It seemed like it was working, but how was I going to quantify the results. This program timed out perfectly and gave me the opportunity to research the questions that I was developing as a result of implementing heavy work training. After my first round of action research, I am seeing positive results with heavy work training as it applies to overall gross motor performance. My plan is to keep implementing these training techniques and recording results over time. There are mixed results for building self-confidence with heavy work training. At least that’s what the surveys are showing that I gave to my students and their teachers. For the future, I may just ask the students how they feel and take a more quantitative approach rather than have them fill out surveys. I feel like when I talk to them they give positive feedback and approach confidence differently overall than on the survey. I also plan to possibly implement fitness trackers for my APE students to quantify their level of activity both during class and on a daily basis. My hope is that this would encourage students to meet certain thresholds each week and promote movement and a healthy lifestyle.
Calistoga Joint Unified School District: https://www.calistogaschools.org/about_us/about_the_district Mission StatementWe are a collaborative, culturally rich educational community, where a rigorous and innovative curriculum prepares our students to be successful contributors to our global society. I’m not seeing anything on our “About us” page about technology or 21st-century learning. As seen above, it does mention “innovative curriculum” which is pretty broad but could definitely encompass technology and 21st-century learning. The fact that it is not mentioned, means that it could probably use a little nudge. I definitely think that the mission statement implies these things, but can be ambiguous and not explicit. There is a goal section that would be a really good spot to add something about tech/21st-century learners. I’m not sure the last time the webpage was updated or even whose responsibility that is. It would be interesting to see exactly what they meant behind the statement. I have a feeling they wanted to keep it broad. Covers more that way. Sometimes when we get precise in our wording, we leave things out. Maybe open for interpretation is okay? It definitely has some education power words in it that are common in most mission statements. I must say that I do like that it is short and sweet. I’ve definitely seen some that are a page long and they lose you after the first couple sentences. The mission statement is amongst a lot of other things, but a simple scroll and a quick read get you what you need. Blog: Blog about your own goals relative to the goals of the program. What hopes/thoughts do you have on how fellow cohort members can support you with completing your capstone and how you can support them? How will you work to support positive cohesion among your cohort? What is important to you in terms of group norms?
My goal for myself in this program was to expand my knowledge and thoughts about teaching. I wanted to force myself out of my comfort zone. Before starting this program, I had just finished getting my APE authorization to teach PE to students with special needs. I was feeling really great and motivated after completing that program and I was looking for the next step that I could take in my professional development. A Masters’s degree seemed like the perfect direction to go. My goal was and still is to continue to grow as an educator. That fight right now is APE. I was fortunate enough to work with an amazing APE mentor who lit a fire under me in regards to APE and its implementation. That is what has got me to this point. I just continue to look for stepping stones to help me grow. I feel very fortunate to be in a small group for this Master’s experience. It has been very different from my other experiences in school in a very positive way. The intimate setting has allowed everyone a voice and built a very tight-knit community. There is a relief knowing that we are going through this experience together. What I need from this group is what I’ve been getting this whole time. A fun, lively, hardworking group that is there to support each other in any way possible. As we wrap up these last couple of months together, I expect the exact same. In terms of support from me, don’t hesitate to ask if you need anything. I’m here to support you in the best way I can. Remind has also been a great tool to stay connected and get advice or clarity on things pertaining to class. |
AuthorMy name is Bailey Tucker. I teach Physical Education and Adapted Physical Education (APE) at Calistoga Elementary School. I have a strong passion for sports, athletics and fitness. I've been involved with sports my entire life and that is what ultimately led me to the path of teaching. I have recently obtained my APE Authorization to teach PE to students with special needs. This has been a growing passion of mine and I have immensely enjoyed working in this new field with my students. I'm looking forward to this next chapter and working towards obtaining my masters degree. Archives
February 2022
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