The action begins and we are off....

As I complete my 5th week assignment for Research, I find myself overwhelmed with all that lies ahead. I am excited and eager to begin the planning, grunt work and implementation that will hopefully bring about positive change for students, my self and the school campus. The plan is in place and I will begin two additional afterschool clubs that will target 3rd-5th grade students that did not fall within the recommended Body Mass Index of their healthy fitness zone on the Fitness Gram and 1st and 2nd grade students that are identified for intervention in reading. The 3rd-5th grade BMI club will focus on C.A.T.C.H. (Coordinated Approach to Children's Health) activities that get children moving and learning about nutrition and making healthy choices. The 1st-2nd grade intervention club will focus on Action Based Learning (Jean Blaydes-Madigan) lessons and objectives that are designed to provide a movement environment for academic and physical development. Throughout the year I will be tracking BMI levels, TPRI progress, running totals and comparing 2008-2010 fitness gram scores to 2008-2010 TAKS scores. Throughout the study I hope to acquire new insight and understanding regarding what impacts student learning and if physical activity plays a significant role in the achievement of students. On your mark, get set, GO!

Pressing Forward

I will be meeting with my site supervisor this week to share the Week 4 assignment with him and to make any revisions he sees necessary. I hope it goes well. He is extremely busy with the beginning of school just around the corner. I know daily physical activity is not a priority with administrators since there is no district policy that implicates its importance as TAKS scores do. I will continue to press forward and fight for what I believe necessary in the development of teaching the whole child. As an elementary student I was an A-B student, but I lived for recess and lunch. I still have the heart of a child and want to make physical activity valued and loved by those I teach. Wish me luck.