6.1 Identify strategies to become an advocate in the school and community to promote a variety of physical activity opportunities.

The following paragraph was included in the weekly bulletin send home to parents at St. John’s Catholic School where I completed my elementary student teaching experience. This was my first formal introduction to all of the parents at the school.

If you’ve been wondering whose been helping out in the cafeteria, hanging around the gym and helping out with the long walk after school rest assured it’s just the new student teacher. My name is Erin Siebert and I am student teaching with Mrs. Grundahl for the third quarter. I am a student at the University of Wisconsin – Madison and am graduating this spring. While I love all things badgers I am a Wisconsin transplant originally from Holt, Michigan, which is right next to the capital city of Lansing. I choose to study physical education because I love being active and helping students to understand what it means to be active and healthy individuals. Encouraging students to try new forms of physical activity and try out new sports is just one of the many perks of being a physical educator. In addition to student teaching I play women’s club hockey at the university and coach Verona girls JV lacrosse. I look forward to getting a chance to know and work with your students over the course of the term. Please feel free to approach me with any questions, comments or concerns in person or via email at esiebert@wisc.edu and thank- you to all who have already welcomed me to your wonderful school.

6.2 Identify and use community resources to enhance physical activity opportunities.

The culminating activity for the cup-stacking unit was a school wide cup-stacking tournament in the gym with parents present. Here students got to compete against other students in the school to see who could stack cups fastest in the 3-3-3, cycle, stationary relay, running relay, jumbo relay, mini and doubles. Students learned how to stack the cups for the various events and then competed against their classmates. The fastest student in each class got to compete against students from other classes at the tournament. To make sure the tournament ran smoothly and all students were rewarded for their efforts parents were encourage to come to the gym and help facilitate the tournament. Parental involvement included taking pictures, videotaping, directing students and most importantly providing encouragement to all of the students competing in the tournament.

6.3 Establish productive partnerships with parents/guardians and counselors/colleagues to support learner growth and well-being.

Parent teacher conferences with Mrs. H from SJS.

6.4 Identify signs of learner distress and seek help as appropriate.

Here is James Madison Memorial High School’s Action Plan for the 2010-2011 school year.

6.5 Actively participate in the professional physical education community (e.g., local, state, district, national) and within the broader education field.

While attending the University of Wisconsin I had countless opportunities to participate in the professional physical education community. One such time was when I attended the annual Health Fair at UW Hospital. During this fair I could choose from any number of speakers on a wide variety of topics including farm to school programs, quality of care issues and purposeful movement activities. The fair was also a wonderful networking opportunity. I was able to make contact with teachers and administrators in many different school communities throughout the state of Wisconsin.