Health and Physical Education Field Experience

The purpose of this field experience is to better understand the New York State Physical Education Standards by analyzing what is available to the students in the classroom and school where you are completing your field experience. Before your observation, please review the “new” New York State standards for physical education: http://www.nysed.gov/curriculum-instruction/physical-education-learning-standards

Possible sites for this observation include schools and/or community health or physical education programs (such as the YMCA, PAL, local sports programs).

When candidates complete the 5 hours of required observation, a written report in the following format should be submitted:

1. Identify, in detail, each site.
2. Date and times for each of your visits.
3. Address of each school, a description of the community, a description of the school.
4. Description of the student population, including number and disabilities.
5. Describe school and classroom environment in as many physical education and “recess” activities as possible. Attend at leastone physical education class and describe the class in detail.

III. Talk to a physical education teacher and the principal (if possible) about physical education activities that occur throughout the school year. You may want to take a look at the state standards together.

1. Depending on the age of the students, talk to several of the children about physical activities that they engage in during school hours (including during lunch and recess). Be sure to talk to girls as well as boys. How do these children understand physical education and health? Do they talk about any objectives included in the state standards? Discuss your thoughts on the importance of movement in early childhood settings.
2. Analyze your observation and your interviews in relation to the health and physical education standards. Where does the school seem to meet or exceed the standards? Where does it seem to fall short of meeting the standards?
3. Personal reflection about what was learned through the field experience.