Fully Committed Communication

Watch Barenaked Ladies "One Week" Parody and more funny videos on CollegeHumor

http://www.cbc.ca/national/blog/special_feature/brain_gains/brain_gains_2.html

PAUL BROGAN - MVP 2009


travis barker remix soulja boy "crank that"






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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

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"Whatever" it Takes

Hip Hop Doc (Dr. Rani Whitfield) and Dee-1 (middle school teacher) are on a mission and their message goes straight to the heart (literally and figuratively). From "Walking the Walk" to "Whatever" the duo have been on a mission to educate and motivate youngsters to live a healthy and active lifestyle (YouTube Channel). Truly inspiring and in education we call what the Hip Hop Doc does so well, is enlist the interests of his target audience - the youth that love Hip-Hop. Let it Flow Doc!

Commander-In-Chief = Master Communicator

Historic achievements aside, President Barack Obama has been such a successful communicator because of his passion and dedication to making change and making things right. Vaulted into the national spotlight just four short years ago at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, it was clear to many that this "skinny guy with big ears and a funny name" would not go quietly into the night.

Each president has their own communication style and some say President Obama's rhetoric in his main speeches is the best of the modern era including Reagan. Linton Weeks wrote in his NPR article "The Art Of Language, Obama-Style", that Obama is a first-rate orator and is getting much better at his impromtu responses.

Because he understands on a profound level that language is the way to hearts and minds, it makes sense to observe his word choice and manner of speaking very closely. In terms of style, Obama has a new way with words. Obamantics, maybe?

After listening and watching to your teaching sessions, with which speaking style are you most comfortable? Do your words match your intended message and do your students understand what you are trying to say? Are there times when your students looked confused or do they transition quickly from instruction to activity periods? Could you say the same thing with fewer words in order to minimize confusion? Mastering effective communication skills is a never-ending process because it encompasses all that we do, say, and emote in the oral, physical, and written senses. The NPR article mentioned that perhaps even Obama has not hit his speaking-ablility "ceiling".

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What 's your Sport?

Everyone is good at something in terms of a sport or physical activity, but are there commonalities between each person's strength?

We will be examining and studying three fundamental skill themes: stability, locomotion, and manipulative.

Do sports skills have common themes running through them?

Leave a comment on how important it is to be proficient at the more basic skills in order to gain proficiency in the more complex and specialized skills and actions.

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.

Spring Class Rocking

We're off and running with a great bunch of new 255 students who were quick studies and adapted well to the "Ambush Teaching" lab. You can find their blogs listed in the right hand column of this Rockstar PE blog. Please take some time to read through their reactions to their teaching and to follow their growth in learning to become a Rockstar PE Teacher. Some students (Melissa and Kristen) have already mastered adding videos to their blog...Bravo! Lots more to come so hold on to your hats.

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, ]

Motor development skits (Part 2)

Here is the second batch of class presentations from Motor Development - infant development (reflexes, fundamental motor skills, and perception).

Skit #1 "Push It" by Bart, Efraim, Mindy & Julie


Skit #2 "Fresh Prince" by John, Matt, Matt, & Rich


Skit #3 "Monster Mash" by Russ, Kaitlyn, Amanda & Andie



And here is the rest of it.

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.