Period 3+ 4, Thursday 24th November
Scenario: 1st year Physical education - Mr. Cooney, 80 minutes
The school have a new policy in place due to covid meaning if they [students] have PE that day they will arrive to school in their uniform - this means they don't get changed at all during the day and this allows for more time in the PE hall, adding an extra 20 minutes for activities
The students pile in shortly after the bell rings and they chat excitedly among themselves until the teacher is ready to give instruction - there are two classes going on right now - above the hall is the gym which is positioned like a balcony which students are clearly not used to and are distracted and intimidated by - as there are LCA’s using the gym.
The teacher asks students to gather in a socially distanced circle with him in the centre and he outlines today’s task which is continuing on with volleyball- he has to yell due to the high ceilings of the room
The teacher is uplifting in character - he seems almost hyper and stereotypically energetic which is really almost motivating in a sense
They begin to perform various leg and arm stretches - all of which are very gentle
Students are asked to begin a jog to get the blood pumping around the room - one that isn't too fast in pace not to lose energy - they do this for about 5 minutes or so with the teacher motivating them to keep up the pace and not to slow down
There is one student who seems to have a disability mentally and slows down quite quickly, in which the teacher treats him like the rest and asks him to try keep up
Once this is finished they are asked to get into 4 teams and begin - I was asked to referee!
As a bit of an evaluation the teacher asks the students to go in turns to tell me all the rules of the game and how they played it in the last class
The teacher also puts the speakers on and plays chart music that's upbeat - really adds to the whole atmosphere of the class and keeps the heart racing
The students are told to ensure they remember to social distance - and keep the masks and ignore the temptation to take it off to catch breath.- this looks hard.
Myself and the teacher continue to referee and this goes on for the full 60 minutes remaining
5 minutes before the bell the students help to take down the nets for the next cass and pack them into the store room - they’re folded in a very certain way, which I didn't know
The bell goes and the students pile out for lunch
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