Phys Ed Hacks: Tips & Strategies for Classroom Management

This course is for any K-6 Physical Educator who wants to learn about effective classroom management techniques that will help reduce behavior problems and increase effective instructional time in their Physical Education Classes. If you want to save time, become a more effective educator, motivate your students to take responsibility for their own learning this course is for you.

Note: While this is focused on elementary-aged students, many of the philosophies and lessons could work for older students as well - just know going into it that you will likely need to modify a few of the systems if you teach older students.

Course Purpose

The purpose of this course is to go over classroom management strategies that I’ve found extremely helpful in streamlining and solving many of my management issues I experienced early on in my teaching career.

Course Description

This course is designed to teach teachers how to implement systems in their PE program that will provide some structure to many of the management issues that they will face during their Physical Education Classes. My hope is that after implementing what you learn in this course, you will have less management/behavior/organizational struggles and that will allow you to have more time teaching Quality PE to your students.

• Use teachable moments to avoid future issues in class
• Provide clear expectations and rules and examples to students
• Create a daily self-assessment for students that takes less than 5 minutes
• Teach students to solve their own small problems without an adult
• Help students understand how to take responsibility for their own learning in your class
• Teach students to use good sportsmanship
• Different mindset “hacks” that will help them become a better teacher
• Use music as a management tool and create awesome playlists
• Use Instant Activities as a way to engage students immediately as they walk into class and prepare them to learn
• Use stations as a teaching strategy for skill development or review
• Keep track of grades and behavior issues throughout a grading period

Reading Materials

All reading materials are available to download in the form of PDF files from within the course module. There will be several video tutorials as well.

Technology Needed to Complete

• A computer
• A Google Drive account (optional but very helpful).
• If you want to actually print the posters included in this course you will need a poster printer (or you can go to Kinkos or a similar company that prints posters)
• A Twitter account (to complete some assignments we ask you to share your thoughts on Twitter, if you don’t have a twitter account you can also share in the comments section)

Course Design/Schedule

We have estimated this module will take approximately 15 clock hours to complete. Of course, this will vary with every learner. Since the course will take approximately 15 hours you could apply for 15 professional development hours from your school/school district. Make sure to check with your principal or professional development coordinator to see how this works in your district.

Students can start and complete assignments any time they wish. You will have an instructor that you can contact via email or twitter for help if needed. You will not earn a letter grade from this course nor will any graduate credit be earned.

Standards

Source: SHAPE America National Standards for K-12 Physical Education (2016).

Standard 1 - The physically literate individual demonstrates competency in a variety of motor skills and movement patterns.

Standard 2 - The physically literate individual applies knowledge of concepts, principles, strategies and tactics related to movement and performance.

Standard 3 - The physically literate individual demonstrates the knowledge and skills to achieve and maintain a health-enhancing level of physical activity and fitness.

Standard 5 - The physically literate individual recognizes the value of physical activity for health, enjoyment, challenge, self-expression and/or social interaction.