Middle School Physical Education Teacher or the Year Matthew Faircloth
As a special needs health teacher, I strive to teach my students the value of good hygiene, hand washing and other various daily living skills. Fitness for life is extremely important for our population as well as they enter into the world independently own their own, in a group home or at home with their families. Nutrition is also a big push for our students as they need to know what they should and should not eat and also how to make a responsible decisions regarding their diets.
As last year ended and this year is upon us, getting creative with teaching and lessons has been key. I try to incorporate as many hands on learning opportunities as I can to make the learning experience fun. Visuals are important for all the students to enhance the learning experience for them. Task kits and sensory boxes are used often to keep students engaged.
As my population is very different than the typical school settings, I strive to focus on the nation health standards and key topics for all the students. Differentiating the lessons are a must for my students to make the information relevant and accessible for understanding.
Constant online trainings, pushing for better district PDs for the Health and PE departments, and attending conferences when I can and allowed.
We are a LF school and district so standards are what drive all the lessons.