Discussion #5

Teachers don’t teach content in the abstract; they teach it to students. In order to ensure student learning, therefore, teachers must not only know their content
and its related pedagogy, but the students to whom they wish to teach that content

 

Discuss the following:

Teacher gathers formal and informal information about students for use in planning instruction.

Teacher learns student interests and needs for use in planning.

Database of students with special needs. 

Another fabulous thing about teaching health is the idea of knowing my students just comes naturally. I know their eating habits, their exercise patterns, what they like to do, and a glimpse into their home life just by their assignments. The course is designed to enlighten them on day to day things and to give them a broader idea of how their choices may affect them long term.

Last block I had multiple students with horses so we talked a lot about how great of a workout riding a horse can be, I'd refer to riding more instead of say soccer or baseball because I knew it would hit home with several of my students. They all loved it and would make comments during the lesson about how awesome riding was.

There are many ways I could incorporate my students hobbies into my lessons more and I should work on that. For my image design class I like to show off other students projects during my recordings, with permission from the student beforehand. It gives them a sense of pride and allows other students to get to know a specific student more.

 

Discussion #4

In order to guide student learning, teachers must have command of the subjects they teach. They must know which concepts and skills are central to a
discipline, and which are peripheral;

Discuss the following:

Lesson and unit plans that reflect important concepts in the discipline
Lesson and unit plans that accommodate prerequisite relationships among concepts and skills
Clear and accurate classroom explanations
Accurate answers to student questions
Feedback to students that furthers learning
Inter-disciplinary connections in plans and practice

So many things about the health courses overlap which is great because it really drives in those skills that students need to stay healthy and make good decisions. The class starts by talking about communication skills, how to be a friend, how to say no, and those skills learned and talked about over and over in almost all units, in our drugs and alcohol unit, relationship unit, and sex ed. Because these ideas of clear communication are used so frequently in the course I make sure that we do test on them and if students miss the question I provide explanations of what communication is and the key components that make one a good communicator. Using I messages, active listening, refusal skills, and body language all are important components and this type of feedback is exactly what I'd give the student.
I feel like if they can truly understand how to actively communicate than that opens so many channels for good decisions in their lives. Knowing how to say NO under pressure is also a very important life skill they learn throughout several units. 
What I love so much about teaching health is the question is never raised-"when will I use this in my life?" I tell them that what you learn in health you use daily, from what you choose to eat, what friends you choose, what you decide to do etc. It's all connected and focuses on wellness.

 

Discussion #3

An essential responsibility of professional educators is keeping accurate records of both instructional and non-instructional events. Discuss how you keep track of: Student completion of assignments. Student progress in learning. Non-instructional records (permission slips, money for field trips, etc.)

This has been a great point for me to reflect on and to make note of what I could work on. In Health we are required by the state to teach Sex Ed, but with that we must have permission from parents/guardians so a disclosure is sent out for signature. I ask for the students to kmail me the form once it's complete, the easiest way I have found to keep track of all of these is in an excel spreadhseet. I mark who turned it in and what option they chose whether its to take the course, take it with exceptions, or to not take it. It's a really easy and quick method that I can and do refer to often throughout the semester and during the sex ed course.

I use Total View a lot for notes on when I talk with students be it an instructional/non-instructional setting. Most of the phone calls, small groups, or one on one tutoring are all instructional and I make note of those in our notes in Total View, it is a great way to keep track of everything on every student.