High School Physical Education – Paige Morris, The Wallin School
As a fifth-year teacher in public education, I would characterize myself as an upbeat and ambitious teacher with a great deal of enthusiasm in the classroom. My positive attitude and presence set the tone that’s necessary for students to enjoy health and physical fitness, sportsmanship, and activities taught in my class. One of my biggest characteristics as a teacher is building positive and ever lasting relationships with my students. I take great pride building communication and collaboration with each of my student so they feel safe, acknowledge, and respected in my class. I do my best to reach and meet students at their abilities so that I am able to use my teaching and mentoring practices to help build their character and confidence as a student.
For my teaching, I utilize the reciprocal and guided discovery teaching strategies to help my students learn. I believe these two instructional practices allow students to independently use discovery learning without direct instruction, which will help students develop creativity and critical thinking on their own.<br /> -Above and beyond teaching in the classroom, I want my students to experience learning in various forms, which is why I take my students to different community centers that have the same sports complex as my classroom, but may offer a different experience. Without a doubt, I believe students learn best by being in the community where they can relate! For instance, I take my students to the bowling alley to learn and practice the correct method of bowling, but more importantly how bowling can benefit their physical, mental, and social health. The best way to teach students is to place them in real life situations, which is why I enjoy taking my students to community places that resemble the layout of my classroom for each sport.
One of the major activities I participate in each year for professional growth is a training geared towards physical education, health education, and fitness/health related programs at Delaware State University. This experience offers the opportunity to meet with other educator’s state wide to collaborate and learn new ideas where I can grow and be a more effective educator.
For the past 7 years, I have attended and participated in SHAPE Delaware at Delaware State University. I eagerly participate and learn from various physical education, health education, and fitness/health related presentations.<br /> -After each SHAPE conference, I utilize all the information and resources I learned by sharing the material during my PLC meetings with staff. I present my staff with new and innovative teaching practices to help build more student engagement in the classroom.<br /> -In addition too, I use activities from the SHAPE conference with my student athletes. To me, many of the activities teach cooperation, communication, and problem solving. These are team skills I want my student athletes to have on the field.
Easter Seals Volunteer Participant: For the past 3 years, I have eagerly donated and participated in the Easter Seals Volleyball program for Delaware. Along with my student athletes, we help raise money to donate to a local family in need.