Training Log Archive: barb

4 classes today - various ages JK-3. It went well! We have been focusing on getting the habits of doing a course down with SPORTIdent. It's fairly self-serve, thanks to Easygec. So we can pay attention to the kids instead of dealing with download, or choosing the course for them.

It is just so weird that I am now (sort of) a PE teacher. Back when I was in school, I used to avoid PE at all costs.

Tomorrow I teach six classes and then we're running a workshop at the international Association for Experiential Education conference. Here is our abstract:

How do we transform passive lesson plans into active learning? Navigation Games teaches map skills using a progression of games. We start with no map, and no compass. Instead, we emphasize exploration, search, remembering, and building up a mental map before we advance to a paper map. In this workshop, participants will learn about our elementary school orienteering curriculum. You will come away with orienteering lesson plans, as well as ideas for transforming how you teach your own subjects.

Attendees will (1) know the value of orienteering-based education, (2) know how to execute one of our core elementary school lesson plans, (3) envision how to include map navigation in their own programs, (4) re-write a lesson plan to transform it from passive to active, (5) discuss three forms of transfer of learned material to the students’ future (specific, non-specific and metaphorical).

C • PE 5

Taught 6 classes, ranging from JK to 3rd grade. Charlotte was with me the whole day. Our goal this week is to teach them use of SPORTIdent, so that next week we can provide variations and progressions that are appropriate for their age. It's pretty sweet when you have tiny little JK kids running around, grabbing their next clue sheet, clearing, punching start, and doing a course, without any instruction. I love that they "get it" and can feel confident about what they're doing. They're definitely getting outdoor exercise. Some lovely moments of kids helping other kids, and we call that out at the end so they know it's encouraged.

I'm not consistently logging anything, but today I taught 6 30-minute PE classes in orienteering to grades JK/K or 1-3. Today marks the end of the first week, of 3 weeks, of teaching at the Tobin Montessori school. I definitely did not see myself as a PE teacher, ever.

I'm enjoying the partnership with Tim Gill, the PE teacher. He did a nice job of calling out how kids were helping each other.

Kids tested positive for COVID in 2 different classes we teach in. We were outdoors, wearing masks, with other precautions, and were not therefore in close contact with either student. We got tested, as we do each week. I was not worried, but we did make sure to communicate fully across the folks we're working with.

Tomorrow morning Ethan is teaching orienteering on the new Auburndale map in Newton, made through the Orienteering USA youth map program. Andrea was the cartographer. The Parks & Rec person did the field checking, and said she learned a lot from doing that. She created a photo-O from the photos she took for Andrea, and Ethan will use that tomorrow.

Tomorrow I'll be teaching at Brookline Rec on the map I made. Then, on Nov 21st, we'll be teaching 15-25 people with mental disabilities, some of whom are special olympians, also on that same map.

Tomorrow afternoon, Ethan will teach girl scouts geocaching and slip in some orienteering. I need to design that event tonight!

Monday I'll have new employee Charlotte with me. She'll teach on Tuesday, and also take on the remote lessons for the Tobin.

Next Friday, Ethan and I are delivering a 90 minute workshop at the international experiential education conference. !!!

Love you all! Have a great weekend!