Essay on Policy, Procedure, and Rules for PE Teacher at an Elementary School

It is brilliant seeing young people turn into recognized sportspersons worldwide, courtesy of their guidance at the elementary school. As a (Physical Education) PE teacher, my job is very interactive, engaging, and fun due to the healthier lifestyle I promote among my students. Specifically, I plan to teach and tutor students in line with sporting activities that provide social and physical skills. In managing the students under my profession, policies, procedures, and rules play a role in increasing the efficiency of the guidance on the students.

The elementary school’s policies guide me in my decisions to achieve rationale outcomes during PE lessons. An example of policy embraced is the “Health and Safety” policy that requires me to teach students to consider their safety and others while in the playing grounds. Students between ages 5 to 11 (in elementary school) need more guidance than those past the 18 years threshold (past elementary school). This is because they are still experiencing new challenges in life and discovering their talents. It is essential to advise them that even as they acquire the physical skills in the various sporting categories, their health is paramount. The policy requires that I conduct a risk assessment before allowing students to play on the fields to reduce the chances of harm even as they take care of themselves and others. Managing sporting activities while relying on such an effective policy is vital as both the teacher and students feel satisfied with the PE activities.

For a sporting activity to be effective, I must follow specific procedures defined by the elementary school. Vaghri et al. (2017) note that a procedure describes how an activity should be conducted. For instance, the sample procedure provided by my place of work is the entire process for an activity. First, I have to plan the time and place where an event will take place. I have to alert students early to prepare for the activity. By this, I mean getting the right equipment and the students getting their sporting attires ready. When the bell for games rings, the students then shift to the field and wait for their teacher to organize them into groups, after which they can start playing while observing the read activity rules. Having a procedure for a game with defined expectations is relevant in the management context for high productivity.

Still, in elementary school, rules enhance my management role as students follow the rules to avoid consequences. For instance, the rule “Always play safe!” has the consequence of “verbal warning” and a reward of “praise.” The elementary school enforces such rules to ensure students rarely get hurt while playing. Some students are fragile, and games are not their thing, but in the process of discovering that, rules exist to keep them safe. “Parent consent” is a rule I have to consider for high-risk activities such as boxing, recently introduced as sporting activities. Considering such rules in elementary school is essential for me as a PE teacher. I have to follow the rule to increase my reputation among fellow teachers, students, and the community. Besides, following such a rule ensures my students are safe and bring the best out of the PE lessons.

Program

The elementary school has a program in place to ensure students are safe while playing in playgrounds under the supervision of the PE teacher. The “Daily Physical Program” established by the elementary school aims at improved classroom behavior, physical fitness, and test scores. This section describes the program and then provides an assessment based on the previously provisioned guidelines.

The “Daily Physical Program” dates back to 2020, when the elementary school reestablished its guidelines to suit the Covid-19 protocol. Woods et al. (2020) confirm that physical activity serves as a remedy to the novel coronavirus that threatens human life in addition to proper nutrition. Students must exercise for 150 minutes during the 5-school-day (30 minutes per day) with the already implemented program. The 30-minute break comes between lessons before the evening-break students leave for their homes. Each class has a PE teacher, though the PE may serve different classes depending on the timetable. It is a requirement that students shift to the sporting attires during the exercise and adhere to the provisioned rules read by their teachers. The PE teacher takes the first 5 minutes brushing through the rules before giving out the playing equipment to the students.

Progressively, the students exercise while adhering to social distancing rules. The group play activities are now turned into individual activities. Meanwhile, the students must sanitize and wear masks during the activities. In achieving the social distancing rules, the elementary school has spot markers on the playing field courtesy of the “Daily Physical Program.” The program embraces physical activities with additional health concerns in the Covid-19 era. The students are to play within 30 minutes, and the least time for the whole PE lesion is 10 minutes. For disabled students, the program applies the inclusivity model, where students with special needs engage in modified activities. For instance, they have specific zones in the marked fields where the PE teacher can incorporate them in the ongoing activities. There are also lighter balls, large balls, lighter bats, different colored balls, and softer balls for the students with special considerations. The “Daily Physical Program” has been effective, and the students enjoy the PE lessons.

Assessing the “Daily Physical Program” is essential to check on its conformity to the school’s guidelines. The policy “Health and Safety” is achieved through the protocols such as wearing masks, sanitizing, and observing social distancing. Physical activities are vital for a quality health status but must ensure the Covid-19 era is handled properly among the elementary students. The procedures are also catered to in the program since wearing sporting kits, respecting scheduled 30-minute practice is embraced. The PE teacher controls the activities and observes that the students are taking part inclusively. Actively, the students must exercise but adhere to the Covid-19 protocols that are also captured as part of the policies. From my experience with the students, the program is both student-oriented and teacher-oriented as it captures both interests. The PE teacher effectively manages the students who willingly work with the guidelines. The five-minute guide has always been beneficial and students corporate, giving the PE teacher a smooth transition from one activity to another.

Situation Requiring a Contingency Plan

The injury situation deserves a contingency plan for the elementary school since the students may get hurt while playing. Especially, children aged five years are prone to injuries when not properly guided during the training. Some appear aggressive when disturbed a bit by their friends, resulting in fights that may generate bodily harm to either or both of them. Therefore, as a PE teacher, I consider such incidents crucial, and perhaps, a plan is worth it. Still, during the activities, a student can get injured by others, especially in physical interactions that seemingly are not recommended under the school’s policy. The students can break the rules, but they may do it unintentionally and end up crying for help. In such a scenario, the student calls out of pain when hurt. This young category of students is prone to quick movements that appear attractive, though they need attention to reduce getting hurt.

A possible plan to handle such situations is by alerting the ambulance team always to be ready for a severe injury. Some students’ bodies react to the slightest damage, and their caregivers advocate immediate medical attention. The elementary school has a medical facility within the school to give prompt remedies. From the medical faculty, an agent can liaise with us during the games to reduce the chances of injury cases. The agent will help in identifying possible harm depending on the activities set for the day. The agent will also communicate the possible strategies to avoid damage or give way forward when one arises. The coordination is relevant since, as a PE teacher, I may have the basics, but the agent is more of a specialist in health matters. I will further consult with the medical department within the elementary school on more health safety measures to ensure the physical activities align with safety requirements.

I am also strengthening my first aid skills as a PE teacher to handle minor cases. According to Bakke et al. (2017), teachers should undergo First-aid training to reduce further damage to students with special needs in case a need arises. The authors believe that offering such training is part of life-saving measures that nay curriculum should embrace in line with PE education. Therefore, I consider the advancement in First-aid management skills a contingency plan that would enable me to handle the injury cases more effectively. This plan aligns with the proper handling of injury cases for young students.

Apart from the physical care, the contingency plan also includes mental care through “positive verbal reinforcement.” As the students grow, the way they communicate with each other on the field determines their relationships. Despite winning or losing a game, the students should consider it a lesson and proceed effectively with the academic stuff. I will mention words such as “I like how John and Mark played today; is anyone willing to try it out, next class?” “Who would like to acknowledge how their friends played today positively?” Such positive words build the students’ confidence, and they become more open during the activities. The ultimate goal of the contingency plan is to increase inclusivity while avoiding extreme injuries and handling emerging ones effectively.

References

Bakke, H. K., Bakke, H. K., & Schwebs, R. (2017). First‐aid training in school: amount, content, and hindrances. Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica, 61(10), 1361-1370. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/aas.12958

Vaghri, M., Memarbashi, A., & Mostafapour, M. (2017). ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT: CATEGORIES AND ANTICIPATION PROCEDURES IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION. European Journal of Physical Education and Sport Science.

Woods, J. A., Hutchinson, N. T., Powers, S. K., Roberts, W. O., Gomez-Cabrera, M. C., Radak, Z., … & Ji, L. L. (2020). The COVID-19 pandemic and physical activity. Sports Medicine and Health Science, 2(2), 55-64.