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Pam Liewer's Teaching Philosophy

Elementary school Physical Education classes can be one of the most important avenues for children to become healthy, active individuals. I sincerely believe that if you teach young children the basic principles of fitness and the importance of it, they will become healthy, active adults. I believe it is my main responsibility as the Physical Education teacher to provide activities that stress cooperation, team work, and fitness along with teaching the children at a very young age to set goals and teach them to work towards meeting their goals. In order to teach the “whole” child, it is also important to integrate core subjects into your Physical Education activities and program. I believe it is also my responsibility to stress character education and life skills throughout all areas of the Physical Education program. My fundamental goal is for children to become thoughtful, healthy, goal oriented individuals. Project Fit America Kick Off Event at Effingham Elementary, Oct, 2007. Kansas City Chiefs Mascot “K. C. Wolf” vs. Atchison County Community High School Tiger Mascot on the Pole Climb

Lancaster Elementary School Cummings ELementary School Effingham Elementary School

Use of the Project Fit America Program

I am so excited to have Project Fit America at all three of my elementary schools! This is my 23rd year of teaching Physical Education in Atchison County School district and now that I have the PFA program at all three schools, I feel equitability has been established and I can offer the same exciting program at all three centers for all kids in grades Kindergarten through 4th grade. Having been a PFA teacher for five years now, I have been thoroughly trained with the outdoor and indoor equipment and with the curriculum. I start the beginning of each school year training the children on the equipment while stressing safety. Kids are tested on the stations, along with regular fitness testing; they set their personal goals, and quickly begin Station Stars. Every class session begins with a quick warm up fitness activity that very frequently uses the fitness cups.

Some of these fitness warm up activities are “overs and unders”, partner push up high S's jumping rope, heavy hoop activities, tummy toughies, ABC exercises, follow the leader, zookeeper, and many others. Following one of these activities is a core lesson based on state Physical Education and Project Fit America standards. Very often when we are outside for class, we use the Outdoor Project Fit America equipment with many of the activities from the PFA core curriculum and others Steve Cox taught me to use with my classes. Students' favorite games include Capture the Pins, Beat the Ball Covey Style, Breakout, Super Shuttle Cup Race and many others. T.C.C. is stressed during all activities. In some form, the Project Fit America equipment is used on a daily basis with all my students. As each student has set goals on the outdoor equipment, I find children working on the equipment even during their regular recesses.

How I Have Made PFA Work For Me

Through the use of the Project Fit America equipment, curriculum, and training it has become very clear to me how easy it can be to teach kids fitness concepts without really having to work at it. Most of the children really want to succeed and be able to perform on the outdoor equipment. I try to give the children ways to build up strength to be able to climb the pole or the ladder, and to jump, step or hang. I have seen children evolve from being sedentary, unmotivated students to motivated, goal setting individuals at a very young age. This truly excites me to see this. Teaching has become more enjoyable for me when I see students getting excited about their fitness goals. The younger 5 and 6 year old get very excited when their heart rates speed up. Many of them want me to "feel their hearts." It is ultimately the biggest joy for me to see students take responsibility for their own fitness levels and work diligently to improve them.

As previously mentioned, I now have Project Fit America at all three elementary centers where I teach. The Station Stars program is an integral part of all three schools. Students love to see their names up on the “Stars” wall. Right above the “Stars” wall is my new “PE Word Wall”. Each Monday of the week, I chose a word that children hear in PE classes or is a fundamental part of PE. So far, the first word of the year has been Fitness and the next one was Muscle. Each student from grades Kindergarten to 4th grade are give a half sheet of paper that looks like this:

When students turn in their paper, I post it on the wall under the word of the week for everyone to see. Children are very proud of their work and love seeing their work and names on the wall.

Two years ago I started having a Fitness Recess at my elementary schools. Students are divided into four groups and each of them rotates to one of four different stations twice a week. One station is 4 ball soccer, one is a jump roping station, one is a station to walk/jog laps, and the final station is Project Fit America stations. This program is a supplement to regular recess and PE classes. It serves as an excellent fitness break for kids and helps them continue work on their fitness goals. When the weather gets bad in Kansas, we turn to an indoor fitness recess and then I provide fitness activities using the fitness cups 100% of the time. It is fun to see the children progress from building one dimensional cup structures to elaborate and very creative 3-D structures. T.C.C. is at it’s finest during fitness cup use. Children use the old childhood game of “Rock, Paper, Scissors” instead of arguing and “Yellow Brick Students” are becoming very plentiful to help others who don't quite get it yet.

I also incorporate the PFA outdoor equipment into some of my older PE games. Instead of just jogging or being “out”, kids go to the PFA area and perform on a station until they are “exhausted” before they come back to the game. Other new activities I started as a result of becoming a PFA teacher are Non-stop Kickball and Zookeeper. By the way ...more to come .....!