SUNY Cortland PE Rockstars

Here is a great representation of what we do in EDU 255 and especially what happened this semester of PE Rockstar Training at SUNY Cortland.  It was compiled by Jack Murphy.  Please take a look at his blog for some of his many accomplishments and also follow him on Twitter by clicking here.

St.Mary's Motor Development Labs Spring 2009

Infant Skits Motor Development Spring 2009

Today's infant skits were fantastic and our guests were thoroughly impressed at how committed everyone was in performing.

Here is the album of still photos from the performances.

Click here to get the YouTube Playlist or enjoy the videos from this blog

Infant skits

And here is the rest of it.

Leader of the Pack

Learning to teach with the "Firm but Warm" ideals is an art all unto itself. In a way it is also the same mantra for Cesar Milan (AKA - The Dog Whisperer). Casar takes the toughest cases of dog misbehavior and works tirelessly to "re-rehabilitate the dog" but "train the owners" - and NOT the other way around. What does he say about the importance of a) walking together (exercise), b) belief in yourself as the leader of the pack, and c) creating a pack to create harmony. Watch this video and leave a comment that best explains your reactions to Cesar's techniques and the parallel to teaching youngsters. If you want to see more of Cesar and his techniques and awesome effectiveness click on this YouTube playlist and National Geographic Channel.

Dream The Art of Possibility

@ Yahoo! Video

Benjamin Zander at Pop!Tech 2008: How Fascinating!

Benjamin Zander is indeed a Maestro in every sense. As the conductor of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, he lives and breathes his mantra of "The Art of Possibility" which opposes the tide of negativity, conformity, and the downward spiral. The question is, how will you "move" people into the world of "Possibility" and "take them to a place they couldn't reach without you?"

Describe in detail which "Rockstar" essential teaching elements that Zander demonstrates in his motivational speech? Be sure to include: a) at least five elements, b) with each element describe what Zander said or did, and c) what the effect was on the audience or the student.

Compare and contrast your teaching style and technique to Zander's. Can you describe in detail two elements you covered in your Lab C or D and three of Zander’s teaching elements/techniques you want to be able to do by the end of your 256 experience. How will these changes in your teaching affect your communication style, student learning, overall growth towards being an outstanding leader, and reduce student misbehavior?

[Via Presentation Zen, TED Talks, Benjamin Zander, ]

Alphabet Re-Mix

Teaching well requires you to take the ordinary and make it extraordinary. The alphabet serves as a perfect example of an activity you can do to make it extra spicy. Even on Sesame Street, the simple alphabet plays an integral part of the overall mission of the TV series. And here is the rest of it.

Fully committed & Articulating the Music

I love finding examples of performances that are totally inspiring in their own right, but also serve as a great metahpor for beginner teachers. The dance group JabbaWockeeZ , on this year's America's Best Dance Crew, is a prime example of commiting to a performance and it's fitting that they wear masks while performing. Another crew, BreakSk8 not only dance but perform on roller skates - come on, dancing is hard enough, but to do it on skates is another phenomenal skill. The performing arts, like teaching, must be done with full commitment to communicating a message to the audience.


Americas Best Dance Crew JabbaWockeez - MyVideo