BCS Phys-Ed: More than Just Running Around
Physically fit bodies seem to be the new craze sweeping over the nations. Even in the church, we understand that we want to be in the best possible shape and health in order to serve God our best. Jacelyn Wescoe, our beloved Phys-Ed teacher helps our children grasp the basics of sport skills, the art of competition and the responsibility of displaying Christ in all that we do. In her article below, Mrs. Wescoe also drops a few tips on how families can keep their child's excitement and momentum going through the summer months!
THE GOALS AND CHALLENGES OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION AT BCS
This year I had the pleasure of teaching Physical Education at both the Ebenezer Campus and
the Calvary Campus. My goal for this year was three-fold. First, I wanted to help all students
learn basic sports skills or improve skills they already have. Secondly, I wanted to instill a love for and confidence in physical activity. Lastly, I wanted to teach and encourage the children that Christ-like behavior must extend to the playing field if we call ourselves followers of Christ.
Like any other classroom, each student comes to Phys Ed with a different level of ability. It was important for me to encourage each child to do their best no matter what their athletic ability. There is no such word as “can’t” in Mrs. Wescoe’s gym class. I have seen such progress in many of the students and that brings me joy. In the beginning of the year, many students believed they could not do even 1 sit up. Now, those same students are doing 5, 10 even 15 sit ups in a row. There were also students who did not know how to properly do a push up or plank. By the end of the year, some of the students were able to plank (in proper form) for a full 2 minutes!
Congratulations to each student. They all worked very hard this year!
For some children, Phys Ed is their least favorite class because they do not have confidence in their physical skills or knowledge of sports skills. My desire this year was to help each child not just learn the skills and rules, but also to learn to enjoy Phys Ed. This year we concentrated on flag football, basketball, soccer and volleyball. We also had some fun with scooters, dodgeball, jump ropes and hula hoops. It was very rewarding to see students who had no prior knowledge of or skill in these sports learn the basics and have fun, too!
One challenge that is faced as a Phys Ed teacher is helping students exhibit good sportsmanship.
Children who excel at sports can be very competitive. Competition is a good thing. It can build
team work. It can push a child to try their very best. However, there can be a downside to
competition. Students need to learn to compete with Christ-like character: to win gracefully and to lose gracefully. This is a skill that did improve over the course of the year, but one on which we will certainly continue to work.
WEAVING PHYS-ED INTO FAMILY SUMMER FUN
Many students have made great progress this year with their physical skills. Just as you would encourage your child to read over the summer to exercise their reading & language skills, you should also encourage your child to participate in active play to exercise their physical skills! The best way to do this is to make it fun and make it a family event.
There are so many outdoor activities to do over the summer: swimming, biking, hiking, golfing,
walking, horse-back riding, running, jump-roping, boating (row, canoe or kayak), etc. Get the
family together (or a couple of families together) for a kickball game, baseball game, soccer
game or flag football game. Join your children in playing tag. Set a goal as a family for at least
60 minutes of active play a day. It doesn’t have to be all at one time (but it certainly can be).
Rainy day? Have a Twister tournament or a dance party. Borrow a kid-friendly work out DVD
from the library. Take the family bowling. Town & Country Lanes on Stefko Blvd in Bethlehem has a Kids Bowl Free program over the summer. You just have to pay for the cost of shoes. Just make sure to go with full bellies so the kiddos don’t want to feast on the snack bar! Don’t forget about Sky Zone, Free Fall & Bounce U!
I also suggest making a point to limit screen time. Consider setting parameters such as video
games only on the weekends or only on rainy days. You could also set up a Video Game Bank.
For every hour of active play, your child could earn 10-15 minutes of screen time. Of course,
you might want to set a limit on that! You could even “withdraw” time from their Video Game
Bank account for poor behavior and/or fighting with siblings. CHA-CHING!
Whatever you do, have fun, keep moving and enjoy the summer. We all know how quickly it
will go!