It was not until taking Health and PE for the Elementary Classroom that I realized the true value in providing brain breaks, honoring policies regarding recess time, establishing a relationship with the Physical Education teacher, and integrating movement into the general education classroom. Our class was held in a room with windows behind where we faced, making the room feel tiny and boring at times. Recognizing that the space was not always the most conducive for our class, our professor build breaks into his lesson plan. Sometimes, the breaks included various exercises, mini activities, or even juggling. Besides promoting movement in this way, the breaks offered us a chance to catch our breath, let our brains process, and connect with other students in the class.
This class also opened my eyes to the wonders of integrating physical movement into the general education classroom. During this class, we were tasked with constructing two lesson plans: one that taught on a health related subject and the second that integrated physical education into the general education classroom. I appreciated the safe environment to implement our lesson plans because it allowed us to receive constructive criticism from our peers that only bettered our plan if we were to use it again in the future. I am proud of the lesson plan that my group developed because it incorporated a number of different learning styles.