This is Why I Teach!

written by Tom Winiecki, Mott Road Elementary School, Fayetteville, NY

Physical educators love their jobs. There isn't anything that we would rather be doing. You'll have to excuse my Buffalo Bills' reference here, but as Marv Levy has said, "Where else would you rather be than right here, right now?" Of course there are always days when things don't all go accordingly to plan, or someone or something gets in the way of you excelling at your job. But for the most part, physical educators have the best job in the world! We have a chance every day to shape young minds and bodies toward a healthy life.

As someone who has taught for more than 30 years, there have been a few "aha" moments that have made me say, "that's why I teach!" I'd like to share some with you. I'm hoping that reading my list will help you through those tough times when a person or thing gets in your way and remind you why you chose this great profession. After reading through my list, I'm certain that you could easily come up with a unique list for yourself. Enjoy!

I did it!

Have you ever heard one of your kids yell this out from the other side of the gym? I really hope so. Whenever I get a student who initially struggles with a skill and they keep pecking away at it, it is so rewarding to hear "I DID IT!" yelled from across the gym. To know that they continued to try something until they got it and were truly excited to accomplish it on their own is incredibly rewarding. Plus, now you know that this student has learned how to work at something and that effort brings rewards. It's OK if your students don't get it on their first try; success is something worth the effort. That's why I teach!

The Easy Button

We have some DDR pads and a Wii that we use with our 3rd and 4th graders during their recess time each day. They can either choose to go outside for their recess or sign up to use the equipment I have. If they come to me, they all wear pedometers and add up their accumulated steps after each session. They earn medals for their shoelaces for achieving a specific number of steps. I have figured how far certain places are within New York State from our school and posted these distances in terms of a number of steps they need to get to reach these destinations. Most all of these places relate to what the 4th graders study as part of NY State history in their social studies curriculum. They also get their name up on a white board if they reach either a "100 combo" on any level with the DDR pads, or get 10,000 points on any song in "Just Dance" with the Wii.

A "100 combo" is getting 100 steps correct in a row for a song with the DDR pads. An added bonus for doing any of these is that they get to push the "Easy Button." I think this cost me $7-$8 at Staples. You should see the kids' faces light up when they hear the voice say "That was easy." What really made me smile one day was when a 4th grade girl beat her record on a song in Just Dance. When she got to push the Easy Button and it said "that was easy," she looked right at me and with the biggest smile she could fit on her little face said "no it wasn't!" Her smile told me that she loved trying to beat her own best score and was also thrilled that she did it. That's why I teach!

The Extra Credit Shirt

While I teach in Central New York State, just outside of Syracuse; I was born and raised just outside of Buffalo, NY. I am, without reservation a Buffalo Bills fan. If I'm not watching or listening to a game, I find a way to get updates wherever I happen to be. With that as a bit of background, anytime I see a student in my building wearing anything that says Buffalo Bills on it, I tell them that they get extra credit that day for wearing that shirt. They all give me a big smile and fortunately none of them have actually asked what the extra credit is really worth! One day, I was wearing a Bills shirt and a first grader came right up to me and said that I was wearing an "extra credit shirt." It made me realize how perceptive these kids really are. That's why I teach!

Do You Have Any Journey or Boston?

All three of the elementary schools in my district do a morning fitness walk at the beginning of each day. We stress both to the kids and the staff that by doing this each day, they are getting better "raw material" to use when they teach or learn each day. I am preparing their students to pay attention better and learn more. A lot of the research supporting the value of physical activity is linked to my web site and I especially like the one image I have that shows the brain activity of someone who is sitting still for a while compared to a person who just took a 20 minute walk. I also play upbeat music in the hallway each morning as we all get some exercise to start the day. Each Friday is called "Flashback Friday." Basically I get to play my music from the '80's and '90's.

A lot of the staff enjoy my selections and it gets everyone moving. Well, on one particular Flashback Friday I was playing some Doobie Brothers tunes. As the kids were power walking through the hallways, a 4th grade girl came up to me and said that she liked my '80's music and asked if I had any Journey or Boston. After stammering for a second, I composed myself and said thank you and yes I had some Journey and Boston. I would play it when her class came later that day. That's why I teach!

Serious About Getting Stronger!

Every year right before Thanksgiving, I set up every upper body station that I can come up with. I'm fortunate that I have a cargo net and a traverse wall. Our district is very supportive of the teaching we do in PE. I also lay out a mat for them to arm wrestle. I have some old cotton ropes that the kids couldn't climb, so I asked the district to put mounts in the wall at floor level. I hook these ropes into the wall and lay them out. The kids lie on their backs and pull themselves on their back toward the wall and then back toward their partner who is holding the other end of the rope. I also use thera-bands for arm curls and scooters where they can only pull themselves with their arms. We set up other challenges as well. This is called our "Hugging and Handshaking" stations.

See, we all know that the first thing Grandma or Grandpa want to do when they see us on Thanksgiving is to give us a big hug. We are going to do what we can to make sure that we are all prepared to give Grandma, and Grandpa the biggest, strongest hug that we can on Thanksgiving Day. To do that, I tell them, we have to do things so we get as tired as possible. If your arms get that tired feeling they feel heavy and that's OK. I tell them it's supposed to feel that way. They've heard me say all year that the "tired feeling will go away, but the stronger muscles will stay!"

During the stations, I'll give them stretches to do to help alleviate soreness in their arms. I will also ask them what they could possibly do if they were waiting their turn on the cargo net or another station to keep getting stronger. Invariably, someone will start doing push-ups. I make sure that everyone else sees how serious that person is on getting stronger and now I have kids doing push-ups all over the gym. Hey, I let them know that this is a hard thing to do, especially while they are climbing or pulling on something. I want them to know that I acknowledge their choice to stay active getting stronger, even when it's easier to just wait for their turn again. Seeing their tired, smiling faces after doing this makes me say, "That's why I teach!"

Sweat Trophies

I heard this term at a conference many years ago from a fellow professional from California. Sweat trophies are beads of sweat on your face. The most valuable one is the one that drips off the tip of your nose. I say, "Don't ever wipe these off!" They are trophies after all. I am always asking my kids to show these to me when they get them. I want them to know that getting sweaty is not gross; rather it's something you want to get. The sweatier you get today, the stronger your heart will be tomorrow! They know that if they get their heart going fast in an activity (K-2), or hit the target range (grades 3-4) and get sweaty, they WILL be stronger tomorrow.

There is a certain 1st grade teacher in my building who came down to pick her class up from me one day and actually said to the line leader: "Oh gross, I can't hold your hand, you're all sweaty!" This poor little girl just looked at me as if to say, "you just told me that being sweaty was good, what am I supposed to do now?" Needless to say, that didn't happen again. I had a pretty direct conversation with that teacher. The next time that teacher came to pick up her class; I made sure to put the sweatiest little girl in the front of the line. As the teacher reluctantly reached to hold her hand, I asked the little 1st grader to tell her teacher how she got so sweaty and why that is so important to her. As they walked back to their classroom, I could hear that little girl proudly tell her teacher why getting sweaty was so good for her. That's why I teach!

The Monkey in the Gym

Our gym has a folding door that divides it into two teaching stations. We have to use two keys, at opposite ends to operate it. There is an electric eye as a security measure that stops the door if someone moves while the door is in motion. It's a bit of a nuisance to do, but I understand the security behind it. I begin every year telling my classes that there is a monkey that lives up above the door. Whenever we turn the keys to move the door, it turns on a light up there that signals the monkey to pull a chain and move the door. I go up there once a week to give him a big bunch of bananas to eat. He does like to see what we are doing but he is painfully shy.

He does not like anyone to see him up there. I tell my kids that if any of them do happen to catch a glimpse of him to not shout it out. That, of course makes him hide under his bed up there and I have to go up and coax him out. Instead, I tell them to secretly come to me and whisper that they saw him and to go back to their work. The monkey wants to see what you are up to and how good you are getting. The good part comes when some of the kids start bringing bananas to class so I can feed the monkey. Well, I take their banana, walk into the housing holding the door, eat the banana and come out with the empty peel. They are flabbergasted! I have even had former students come back to visit and they will ask if the monkey is still up there. That's why I teach!

Look What I Got For Christmas!

One teaching goal all physical educators have is to prepare and motivate their students to be active outside of school. Our 3rd and 4th graders wear pedometers each day. We use the numbers in different ways to help them see how active they are each day. Once in a while, someone will ask me where I get them. I give them different places to find pedometers. There are always a few kids each year that come running in to show me a pedometer they got. I am always excited to have them show me how many steps they have. Pedometers are just one example and a fairly high end one as well. I've also had kids come in and tell me how they made their own jump rope at home. Part of my instruction with jump ropes is showing them how to get one that fits them. To know now that someone took that time to cut a piece of rope at home to fit them is a great thing to see. I must have taught them how to enjoy using a jump rope in such a way that they want to use one at home. That's great to see! And that's why I teach!

It Wasn’t Like This When I Was A Kid!

The ultimate compliment: What would that be for you? Is it a parent telling you how much they appreciate what you do for their child? Is it a perfect score on an observation? Is it something else? For me, I would have a hard time hearing something better than a parent coming in and saying: "I wish I was back in school. It wasn't like this when I was a kid!" I think this says a couple of things. It speaks to where we all came from and the programs we grew up in.

For those of you who had great physical educators as kids, this is less meaningful. For the rest of us, this statement acknowledges the far-too-many "throw out the ball" types from days gone by. It also speaks to how parents see us now as viable professionals who teach something important to their kids. And today we can do it in ways that makes learning enjoyable for all. We can create situations that our students want to experience. They're excited to see what it is they are going to learn each day in our classes.

For me, when a parent takes the time to comment positively on my program, I have a hard time thinking there is anything better they could say. I know that as parents we all want it better for our kids than what we had it. I am so happy to hear that a parent thinks this way about their child's physical education, compared to their own growing up. It makes me look forward to how respected our profession will be when the next generation of students comes through. That is why I teach!

Have a great New Year and be sure to appreciate the special moments you have in 2014 that remind YOU, "That's why I teach."

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