ABOUT MY CLASSROOM
My classroom exists in a variety of locations and settings as Physical Education is a mobile and flexible space. The majority of our time will take place between two different outdoor courts and an outdoor soccer field. We will also use the cafeteria as an instructional space on occasion. My school is currently in the process of building a sports complex that will hold most Physical Education classes in the future. A growing student population has pushed our facilities to capacity and students often have to share their space with passing students and teachers.
I teach at an international school in Yangon, Myanmar (Southeast Asia). Current enrollment is approaching 800 students with an expected growth to 1200 in the next five years. I currently teach elementary Physical Education for all sections of grade 2-5.
The majority of my students fall into one of three main categories regarding their nationality. A third is from the United States, Canada, and Western Europe. Another third are local Burmese from Myanmar. The final third are from Korea, Japan, or China. Although we have students from 36 countries, most of them fit within these defined categories for nationality. Almost every student is bilingual with English as a second language for about 75% of my students. More than half the students are diagnosed as overweight with nearly 25% classified as obese.
The students are incredibly kind and hardworking during Physical Education. Many of them are Buddhist and their culture shines through in their respect for teachers and a continued pursuit of academic achievement. As my school is a private, international school, many of my students are considered to come from families with a high socioeconomic status. This status also reflects two-parent households for most students.
The essential design of my classroom is centered on an inclusive approach to instruction and learning. We begin most classes by sitting together in a circle to introduce or review skills and learning outcomes. During activities, I attempt to minimize individual focus and prefer to create cooperative environments for students. Class size ranges from 18-22 and is conducive for high engagement and direct instruction. We have become a class that adapts well to our provided space. Often we will incorporate the existing lines of the field and court to create boundaries in our activities. This provides more time for exploration of skills and reduces the logistics of cone placement, goal position, etc.
Equipment is consistently stored near each court location for quick access. Equipment for the field and cafeteria has to be carried anytime we use these spaces. Equipment can also be shared within the department and this requires great flexibility from the students. We can quickly adjust activities to fit our available equipment.
One of the best ways to let parents know what is going on in Physical Education is through our newsletter. I am able to update families on any changes to the class, or advise them on highlighted focuses for a current unit. As many of our assignments are performance-based, parents can use the newsletter to get a better sense of what we are doing in class. I would like to create a website with a page for each grade level. I have seen the success of these class sites in high school and will pilot one in upcoming semesters. I will always take advantage of an opportunity that exists to increase channels of communication. In addition, it can create better exposure of our learning activities which should lead to increased support of Physical Education.