Derek Jeter

I was reading on the Yankees website today that they are thinking about moving Derek Jeter to a different position in the playing field. In 2 years, they either want to move him to first base or take over for Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui in the outfield as their contracts expire. This decision is still up in the air, but it definitely makes me sad that Jeter might not be a shortstop in the near future. He's been my favorite player for years, but unfortunately, he is getting older and his stats are lowering. I can't imagine watching the Yankees and not seeing Jeter at shortstop. But, if the Yanks think that moving him in a few years will give them a better chance of winning, I can deal with that. Hopefully, the Yankees captain will step up this year and lead them to a World Series!

Sick

Today, I barely have a voice and feel miserable. Unfortunately, I had to give a short speech in my Public Speaking class today. I felt very uncomfortable standing in front of my peers because not only do I sound like a man, but my voice kept giving out. I went to the Health Center a few days ago, and they said I had flu-like symptoms. They gave me Ibuprofen for my sore throat, along with salt to gargle and cough drops. Being sick is about the last thing I need this week, because I have 7 upcoming tests/quizzes! I have so much studying to do, along with getting my web pages done before spring break! Wish me luck, please!

PE in Schools

In Physical Education classes at my high school, when a student doesn't dress, they have to walk the entire class period. Now, in my opinion, I think that this is a little ridiculous. During my PE classes in high school, there was always at least 2 people who claimed to be sick or forgot their clothes. Therefore, they would just have to walk around the gym or in the hallway. I feel as though they should be instructed to do something more productive. For example, they could either read material about the activity that the class is doing that day, or even watch a video on the skills involved. I say this because the students should be more involved even if they aren't participating with the entire class. Another thing that is so frustrating is that these students don't even walk at a reasonable pace - so it is useless. They are either texting on their phone or watching the class do activities. So, I'm not sure if this happens in all PE classes, but it sure won't happen when I'm teaching in a public school!

Carnegie Science Center

On Tuesday, I am going to the Carnegie Science Center since we do not have class. I've never been there before but I hear it's a really fun place, along with a good educational experience. I've been hearing a lot of talk about the Exhibition with bodies. Some people have told me that you can take a close-up look inside the skeletal, muscular, respiratory, and circulatory systems of preserved human bodies. Now, I don't know about you, but I'm not sure if I can handle looking at that! I have a really weak stomach, but hopefully I can get a few pictures because my family and friends are really interested in what the bodies look like. I'm going with the PEK Honorary Fraternity, so I'd imagine that we will have a lot to talk about when we get back from the Carnegie Science Center.

I-Care House

In Fitness Education last semester, we had to do 2 service learning projects. I chose to go to the I-Care House in New Castle for my one project. At the I Care House, children can range anywhere from 6-14 years of age. These kids are from low-income families and usually have no one at home. A van from SRU picks the children up every Wednesday and we take them to a gym about 5 minutes from the I-Care House. It truly is a rewarding experience because when these kids see us each week, they have big smiles on their faces and are excited for us to be there because we never let them down. Ever since, I've been going to the I-Care House on Wednesdays, and we usually just take a bunch of equipment and let them do whatever they want to do as long as they remain active in the gym. We play and interact with them for about an hour and a half. If any of you can spare two hours of your Wednesday night, I guarantee you it will be well worth your while.

Outdoor Pursuits

Today, in Outdoor Pursuits, our class learned how to tie knots in a rope. I don't know if it's just me, but I have a hard time learning and memorizing all the particular techniques. I think it might be because I've never done anything like this before, and it's so much information to comprehend in such a short time. We also learned how to belay when climbing. This process was a little confusing, but I think with more practice, I will get better at it. Outdoor Pursuits isn't one of my favorite classes only because I am new at everything we learn, and it's kind of overwhelming. Hopefully by the time we go down to the climbing wall at the ARC, I will have all these skills mastered because people's lives will be in my hands!

DDR

In one of my classes today, we were talking about bringing DDR (Dance Dance Revolution) into PE programs. This game is very popular among kids these days. For example, have you ever seen young adults playing DDR in arcades at the mall? They will wait in lines and pay money to be physically active! Its gets your breathing and heart rate up, which is what we want in PE classes. DDR's can be pretty expensive, but if you try hard enough, I'm sure there are plenty of grants out there that could help your school out. I feel as though if DDR's were implemented into PE programs, kids would enjoy being active and it would be promoting physical health and learning.

Podcasts

Over the weekend, I listened to Dr. Leight's podcasts she put on blackboard. In my opinion, hearing the material we went over class for a second time is very beneficial. You can rewind to hear something again, or even pause to take a few notes. After listening to the podcasts, I feel much more confident going into our quiz this week. I think the entire class should take advantage of this opportunity that Dr. Leight has provided us with. Hopefully my quiz results will reflect this great use of technology!