TeachingPhilosophy

Physicaleducationcollaboratedwithallthedisciplinesstudentsareexposedto
canbeaverypowerfultoolinguidingourstudentstosuccessforahealthyactive
lifestyle.ThisdisciplineaswellasHealtheducationwillfollowthemfortherestoftheir
lives.Teachingthesedisciplinesareveryrewardinggiventhatwe,theeducators,can
eithermakeorbreakourstudentswithourpedagogicaldecisionsandcultivateapositive
mindsettowardsahealthyactivelifestyle.
Asaneducator,myaspirationsrevolvearoundthebettermentofmystudents.I
strivetobeaconstructivistteacher;onethatincorporatesVygotskysSocial
DevelopmentTheorysoourstudentslearnthroughpeercollaborationandoverseetheir
ownlearning.Furthermore,Iwanttobeabletoimplementcriticalliteracyandsocial
justicethroughvariouslessons/readingsthatwillbeassignedforclassinrelationto
sportsandhealth.Forexample,ifwearedoingalessononsoccerwecandiscusswhere
theballmayhavecamefrom(perhapsinPakistanwherechildrengetpaidpenniesto
maketheballversushowmuchcompaniesinAmericachargetobuyone).Anotherway
toincorporatesocialjusticeisthroughhealthclasses.Ratherthanteachingtopicsfrom
thedominantperspective,Iwouldchallengestudentstocriticallythinkabouthow
marginalizedgroupsinsocietyareimpacted.Forexample,inawellnessIcreated,there
isalessononhowmarginalizedgroupsofpeopleinsocietyfaceimplicationsregarding
accessibilitytotechnologyandmedicaladvancesthatareusedtosupportwellness.
Iwillbethatfacultymemberthatcollaborateswithmypeersandtheirrespective
disciplinestocreateinterdisciplinarylessonsaswellascreateacomprehensiveschool

physicalactivityprogram.Thiswouldbeachievedbycreatingamonthlymeetingthat
discussesdifferentwaysphysicalactivitycanbeimplementedintheirclassessuchas
utilizingGoNoodle.com.Ifthatwouldntbework,thenpersonallymeetingteachersone
ononetodiscusstheimportanceofourstudentsachieving60minutesofphysicalactivity
wouldbethenextstep.
Mygoalistohaveanequitabledemocraticclassroomwherestudentsunderstand
theyareinasafeenvironmentwheretheycansharetheiropinionsaswellasrespect
others.Iwouldcreatethisenvironmentbyallowingstudentstocreateandagreeonthe
rulesfortheclass.Furthermore,Iduseaformativeassessmentthatwouldgivemean
ideaonwhattheirinterestsareandtrytoalignthemwithcommoncorestatestandards.
Furthermore,Idalsoassessthemontheirstrengthsandweaknessesbyallowingthemto
voicetheiropinionsonassessmentsheetsIdcreatetogettoknowmystudents.To
successfullyfosterasafeenvironmentthatisfair,Ibelievethemostimportantaspectis
gettingtoknowourstudentsandgivingthemavoice.Idaccomplishthisgoalby
adaptingmylessonssotheyareculturallyresponsiveandalloweveryonewhetherthey
havephysicaldisabilitiesornottoparticipateaswell.Lastly,allowingstudentstocreate
rulesthatareagreeduponfortheclassandhaveasayinthecurriculumshowsthatthey
arerepresentedandrespected!
Myaspirationsformystudentsaretobeconfident,healthy,physicallyactive
citizensinourcommunity.Iwantthemtobeknowledgeableonvariouscomponentsof
physicalfitnessandskillssuchasgamestrategies,gross,andfinemotorskillsthatwill
supporttheirhealthyactivelifestyleasadults.Providingactivityideasforlifelong

activitiessuchasplayingtennis,swimming,badminton,basketball,groupexercise
activities,andhikingwouldhelpfulfillthesegoalsandaspirations.Furthermore,teaching
themhowtodevelopfitnessprogramswouldhelpthemcreateplansfordailyactivity.
Lastly,creatingpreandpostteststhatkeeptrackofstudentsprogresswouldnotonly
beformativeassessmentsformyself,butbeamotivatingtoolforstudentstostrivefor
more!
Iwouldutilizevariousassessmentstoteststudentscognitive,psychomotor,and
affectivedomainssuchasformativeandsummativeassessments.Idalsoutilizepeer
evaluationsaswellasselfassessmentsduringgroupactivitiestoenhancelearning.
Lastly,Idhavestudentscreateportfoliosofthemstatingtheirprogress,strengthsand
weaknessesthatwouldalsoconsistofpreandposttests.Theportfolioswouldserveasa
reflectivepiecetoseehowfaralongtheyhavecomeinmyclasses.
Asschoolyearspass,Iwillalwaystrytoimprovemyskillsthroughvarious
educationalmeans.IwillattendseminarsandconferencesheldbyNJAHPERDand
ShapeAmerica.Furthermore,Iwilllisteninonwebinarsthatareprovidedbyboth
organizationsandattendprofessionaldevelopmentseminarsthatareheldbytheschoolor
districtIworkfor.Iwouldalsobeareflectiveteacherbyevaluatinghowmylessonsgo
basedonchecklistsonwhatIcouldhavedonedifferentandhowtofixthelesson.Lastly,
Iwillobserveotherteachersinvariousdisciplinestoseehowtheymanagetheir
classroomstoprovideadifferentperspective.
Itisvitaltohavegoodrelationshipswiththestaff,students,andcommunity
becauseitallowsforahealthierenvironmentforthestudents.Beingabletocollaborate

withourpeerstocreateacultureintheschoolandcommunityallowsforaneffective
comprehensiveschoolphysicalactivityprogram.Teachingourstudentsbytellingisnt
effectivebutrathershowingthemhowtobebettercitizensbyworkingasateamwiththe
peoplearoundthemisthebestmodelforsuccess!