Lab A orienteering Jim Caswell

Lab A Reflection

What
Gut
So What
Now What

Preparing to blow my whistle to start the activity 

WHAT

For the last couple of years I have been a head coach of various sports, so heading into Lab A I had a general idea of how I needed to act as a teacher. One of the skills I brought from that was how to speak so that everyone can hear me and understand what I’m expecting of them. When I coached I only coached a team of males, so I used the word “guys” on multiple occasions. I even caught my self saying it and then said guys again the next sentence.

GUT

When I first got the activity I had to do (orienteering) I was excited, I never heard of it before so it was interesting researching it and figuring out a way to make a fun activity for my class to warm up with. The first time I taught I came up with a game that was fun, but took to long to explain so I corrected my mistake the 2nd time and got the game going right away. While I was teaching both the first and second time, I felt that I was doing a good job projecting my voice so that everyone could hear me with out a problem, and I had couple people come up to me afterwards and complement me on that exact thing.  Although I spoke very well I was a little upset with my self, especially after the second time going. I have the horrible habit of saying guys. For example “Ok guys bring it in” “alright guys”, “do you guys understand”. This is not ok and I need to change it immediately. The first time I taught I caught my self saying it a couple times but brushed it off. The second time I taught I said it about 5 times in one sentence. I started off good and then I slipped up said it once, shook it off and then I caught my self saying it again. I was embarrassed, but laughed at my mistake, as you can see in the video, and even bring attention to it (which I know I shouldn’t). Then the very next sentence after, I say guys again, at that point there was nothing to do but laugh and move on. Afterwards I was angry at my self, I made the mistake more than once, and also pretty embarrassed.  Calling a class guys is not ok, especially if there is a female in that class. It excludes the females of the class because they are not guys, so they could feel that whatever  I said, or have to say, doesn’t matter to them. PE is about the inclusion of everyone, using guys excludes some and is that is simply not ok .

SO WHAT

I don’t know why I use the term guys when there is clearly a mixed group of females and males. It could be a nervous habit, or just part of my every day vocabulary that I need to change. Calling the class guys is not a good thing at all.

NOW WHAT

I don’t feel like there is many ways to fix me saying guys other then for me to expand my vocabulary and practice it in every aspect of my life, not just in the classroom. I could make a swear jar like thing and every time I say “guys” put a dollar in.  Or instead of saying guys I need to say things like ladies and gentleman, class, everyone, boys and girls, or students.

Teaching the class