Sylvia Asnip's Teaching Philosophy and Curriculum

My teaching philosophy is to provide fitness education for both children, teachers, and as many parents as possible with a goal of helping each to become and remain physically fit for their lifetime. We reach out to parents through our school's weekly newsletter informing families of various activities, exercises, and needs of the Physical Education Program. Additionally I send letters home with students several times during the year about the child's progress and include additional activities and exercises for use in the home, car, and as a family.

"Fit for Life" has become a personal motto and signature. Modeling this behavior daily by remaining active and eating healthy is important to me. This year, I have added the phrase "Move to Improve" as a motivational slogan with students. In a mentoring role with peers, I provide encouragement for their good exercise and eating habits.

Our schools' schedule for "specials" allows only forty minutes of physical education instruction to each class weekly. Therefore, I must efficiently use this limited time to motivate our students to improve their own physical well being in other means. North Carolina's Standard Course of Study is my guide into which I try to incorporate the greatest variety of fundamental skills and fitness activities possible. It is personally very important to me to have each of my students involved in physical activity throughout the class period. Whatever activities are done in class, modifications are made to involve any Special Needs Children. Also, once a month energizer activities, previously taught in class, led over the loud speaker during the announcements. Teachers and children have asked to have these exercises/dances more often. Our schools also participate in fifteen minute, once a year, vigorous activities called ACES (All Children Exercise Simultaneously). Promoting health and fitness awareness for all children in our country and in the state of North Carolina.

Project Fit America provides a plethora of integrated activities to enhance the phyical as well as the academic. The use of the Project Fit America materials has introduced an organized and innovative way to motivate students in fitness and strengthening activities. The lessons, particularly both Pacer and the Fitness Cup activities, have received shouts of joy when students walk into the gym. They are constantly asking when they can do the Pacer activity again, all the while knowing they can advance to a higher Pacer level the last week of each month except for December. There are monthly incentives to increase to the next level and student's names are placed on our Pacer Bulletin Board when they achieve level seven or above. Our measurement (PDF) for Pacer is fifty-two feet instead of forty eight. Metals are awarded at the end of the school year for the higher levels: Gold for Level Twelve, Silver for Level Eleven, or Bronze for Level Ten. One student has already attained Level Thirteen this year. Certificates  (PDF)

One of my favorite lessons to integrate height, length and width is the "3 Level Rope Jump" Project Fit America Fitness Cup Build. (In the Project Fit America Core Curriculum Lesson #5). The lesson plan was changed to have students take turns with a partner. After both jump the number of jumps according to their individual level, each receives 5 fitness cups and together they build a pyramid. After finishing the fitness activity we talk about the number of cups high or wide. When students build a three dimensional shape we talk about the depth.

Two Jump Rope Teams with weekly practices are among the after school activities now offered for our students.

There is also a walking program called W. A. G. (Walk Around Gang). Most of our teachers are using this program during a state mandated daily recess time. Students and teachers maintain a weekly record sheet to receive ribbons, certificates, shoe tags and T-shirt awards based on miles walked. They log both walking and Project Fit America equipment usage to log miles for their students and themselves. Awards are given every nine weeks. Bulldays W.A.G. (Walk Around Gang) Fitness Log (PDF).

"Double Track Cup Attack" (In the Project Fit America Core Curriculum Lesson #1) has become another of my favorite fitness activities. The students pick up three to five fitness cups when walking/running around cones inside track and outside track. An additional feature students enjoy is to walk or run with right or left arms hooked with their partner for the duration of the activity. They then build the pyramid together. If the students let go each other's arms, they lose their fitness cups. The number of cups awarded is determined by my plan to integrate with math education. In this fashion I can use multiple of 3, 4,5, 6 etc. or divide the cups into even stacks with partners and talk about even and odd numbers.

It is important our school have community and business support. In recent weeks students have participated in a community Veteran's Day observance and the Annual Draper Children's Christmas Parade. This is a point of reference for our children and pride by their parents; however, I view it as in increase in public awareness for our school and programs. Through letter writing and my personal contacts over a half-dozen businesses have donated equipment and/or money to the Physical Education program in the last two years.

When students are working together, whether involved in fitness stations or working independently. I try to use upbeat music. Music helps increase the pace of the activity and I feel it is a great motivator. Bethany and Draper Elementary schools , where I have taught for the past two years, have increased excitement about the Physical Education Program. Our students, teachers, and parents are more aware of healthful eating habits and desirous of being more physically fit. Our President's Council Fitness test scores and the Pacer Program attest to the success and accomplishments of the program. I am very excited about Project Fit America and look forward to having the full program in place at our new Bethany School replacement facility for the 2006-2007 school year.

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