I have a love of being active and being outside. I have been doing lots of running and yoga to keep in shape and so I was excited for my soccer game yesterday. Jared and I got to the field and there was a very good player turn out, I was so excited to get back on the field as it had been almost two months since our last game. The game started and things were going great. Within the first five minutes I rolled my ankle and got a bad sprain.
Last night and today I have been thinking about what life would be like if I had a permanent disability. What if I had to crawl around my house to go to the bathroom or get an icepack or what about if I was confined to a wheel chair and couldn't run or play soccer anymore. I would be very unhappy because things get pretty boring being stuck in a bed doing nothing except reading all day...and I like reading.
So my goal for this post is to compile some suggestions of ways to make class time active and engaging for everyone - including students with physical disabilities (keep in mind I don't intend to address all physical disabilities in this post). These resources will primarily be for early years but of course as teachers, we make adaptations. First of all, I believe in hands on learning so this makes incorporating movement into my classroom activities a given. I will only explain a few because, well, I'm sure you get the idea.
I think that using activities like Word Family and Color Slam by Toddler Approved are a great way to get children moving. Whether they are in a wheel chair or standing, the principle is still the same. Children are able to use their upper bodies to throw the ball at the words or colours that they have chosen. This activity practices gross motor skills and can be incorporated into any language arts activity.
Another way to incorporate physical activity can be through using a beach ball for reflection. When students are thrown the ball they have to create a unique movement involving the ball and then say something that they learned during the day. This would allow students to create a movement based on their skill level and capabilities as well as allow them to reflect upon their experiences.
One more activity I think is important in engaging students is having class time outside. Whether everyone is sitting, standing, or working on an assignment everyone can be outside and it helps to engage students because it adds variety to the learning they are experiencing. It also allows children to move freely if they need that extra movement to get rid of some energy.
Anyways, there's some of my thoughts for the day.
Cheers,
Haleigh
Last night and today I have been thinking about what life would be like if I had a permanent disability. What if I had to crawl around my house to go to the bathroom or get an icepack or what about if I was confined to a wheel chair and couldn't run or play soccer anymore. I would be very unhappy because things get pretty boring being stuck in a bed doing nothing except reading all day...and I like reading.
So my goal for this post is to compile some suggestions of ways to make class time active and engaging for everyone - including students with physical disabilities (keep in mind I don't intend to address all physical disabilities in this post). These resources will primarily be for early years but of course as teachers, we make adaptations. First of all, I believe in hands on learning so this makes incorporating movement into my classroom activities a given. I will only explain a few because, well, I'm sure you get the idea.
I think that using activities like Word Family and Color Slam by Toddler Approved are a great way to get children moving. Whether they are in a wheel chair or standing, the principle is still the same. Children are able to use their upper bodies to throw the ball at the words or colours that they have chosen. This activity practices gross motor skills and can be incorporated into any language arts activity.
Another way to incorporate physical activity can be through using a beach ball for reflection. When students are thrown the ball they have to create a unique movement involving the ball and then say something that they learned during the day. This would allow students to create a movement based on their skill level and capabilities as well as allow them to reflect upon their experiences.
One more activity I think is important in engaging students is having class time outside. Whether everyone is sitting, standing, or working on an assignment everyone can be outside and it helps to engage students because it adds variety to the learning they are experiencing. It also allows children to move freely if they need that extra movement to get rid of some energy.
Anyways, there's some of my thoughts for the day.
Cheers,
Haleigh