Intramural Programs

In going through my schoolwork to find eportfolio articles, I stumbled upon an intramural program I had created for administration of PE. The program requires students to take on much of the leadership of the program by being referees, score keepers and team captains as well as having to meet twice to decide the sports being played. The idea behind the program is to teach students how to be involved in sport administration so that they can be active members in their community.

The question I want to pose is giving student's alot of responsibility in intramural/lunch time programs a bad thing? Should lunchtime programs be more about just having fun and enjoying sport instead of teaching them how to administer programs? For you art students, substitute a sport intramural program with a lunchtime art club. Would giving student's too much responsibility within that club take away from the fun of the art?

Solutions for teachers with strapped budgets

Its fairly obvious to everyone that education budgets in BC keep getting slashed. The Vancouver school board is considering closing schools and I know from talking to various teachers that schools are strapped for cash all over our province.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2010/04/29/bc-vancouver-school-budget-cuts.html

So the question I want to pose is what can we do to continue to offer a high standard of education at a fraction of the cost? For physical education, I think we may have to begin to offer alternatives to our usual major sports. Activities like Yoga are cheap to run and provide an alternative experience that may attract students not usually interested in sports. I think outdoor ed and orienteering are other good units that can be run with a low cost.

Does anyone have good ideas for ways to cut costs in class room subjects like Socials, Science or Art?

My First Day

Hey guys,
So I just had my first day in the school and I actually had to teach the first day for PE because they have it every other day and I wouldn't have enough time to teach them if I started in the second week. So anyway, I was teaching badminton to 25 kids with 4 nets and it is so hard to get everyone involved in such a short space. but anyways, grade 8 has so much energy and they cannot do anything for very long until they go crazy but anyways, it went well. You really do realize how many kids have problems and its sad cause you just want to help them but there are so many other kids that its so hard to go to one person.

I hope all you guys are having a good time with your practicum!
Feel free to post what experience you have had.

LEGO ART

On a much less serious note .... Lego art on display in New York!

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/video/remarkable-sculptures-made-of-lego/article1522072/

http://www.ssireview.org/articles/entry/1594/

Stanford Social Innovation Review Spring 2010
New "Race to the Top" model for funding education in the US .. any thoughts about this?

A Message from Kali...

Hey all -

Kali just wanted me to pass this message on for her:

"one thing I forgot to say that I should have said when asked that question about coaching is: although I dont think that coaching will help me with getting a job right away...I DO think that I have got some pretty awesome bonds with the girls from those teams that are really valuable. Additionally, the students in your regular classrooms see you coaching and they see you as being a more permanent member of the staff and they respect you more. Whether or not they admit that, i believe that it makes a huge difference in the classroom when they know you coach. I think that my practicum would have been easier if I didnt coach, but Im not sure it would have been as much fun."

you can also email her at wilsonkd@uvic.ca if you have any questions!

Private schools and sports academys competing

Is it fair that private schools are allowed to compete in BC school sports programs. Are the students at these academies missing out by not participating in the other sports offered or is this specialization beneficial? Private school have a different set of rules for training restrictions and catchment areas is it fair that they are allowed to compete in the public league.I'm coaching a rugby team currently and by the end of the season we will have caught up but currently the private school is fully functional and the kids are much further advanced in the game.Obviously practice has occurred during a different sport season.So if they are competing should they not play by the same rules?Anyone think including them is beneficial for public schools or are we only doing the private schools a favor?Anyone have an alternative?