Session: 1.11 & Session: 2.3
Presenters: Kristen Vito-Silva; Tiffany Giusti {1.11}
Carol Cummings; Kathleen Johnson; Kristen Pepin {2.3}
Opening:Youth Development -- Promoting equality through child and youth agency
Key Note Speaker: Dana Fusco
Dana Fusco was the opening keynote speaker within the promising practice conference. Fusco was a inspiring speakers. She explained about what is most important, our youth. She had four reasons defining youth development; maturation, learning, experience, and active participation. Even though Fusco did talk about youth development within the school systems, I felt like Fusco focused more on youth development outside the school systems, "
when school is not enough" such as after school program. Dana Fusco believes that child and youth development can provide healthy ecology for thriving. This also comes with eight characteristics that she explained.
- Physical and Psychological safety
- Appropriate structure
- Support for efficacy and mattering opportunities for skill building
- Supportive relationships
- Opportunities to belong
- Positive social norms
- Integration of family
- School and community efforts
Dana Fusco explained how when school is not enough this is when after school activities come into play. Such as the Boys & Girls club and how the staff there build relationships with their students, which also involves hands-on activities, along with celebrations for accomplishments.
Youth Development: Things that matter to me personally
Youth Agency
Youth Equality: Things that matter to me in the world
Session 1: Teaching Social Studies Through Zumba
Presenters: Kristen Vito-Silva & Tiffany Giusti
This workshop I attended was all about movement and teaching
students at the same time. When I signed up for it I automatically thought that
this was going to be a very interesting topic that was going to be discussed. I
was especially interested because this workshop dealt with movement, which interested
me even more because my major is health and physical education which is all
about movement. When I walked into the class room, I felt like I was going to
see all the kids participating in Zumba, and I did. Even though the students
where not physically present at the workshop there were however lots of photos
of the students participating in the Zumba instructions. Each of the photos had
about two to three students in them, giving step by step instructions on their
Zumba moves.
Tiffany
Giusti who is a Zumba instructor and also Mrs. Vito-Silva’s student teacher introduced
Zumba to the class and also Mrs. Vito-Silva. They both worked with each other
to come up with steps and ideas on how this would actually work and benefit the
students. Together they came up with “Teaching Zumba through Social Studies.”
The students learned continents, habitats, and animals through Zumba steps. Mrs.
Vito-Silva explained how teaching Zumba would keep the students focused because
they are in movement while leaning. The students work improved, students stayed
interested, and also have fun while leaning.
During this workshop
all I was thinking about was, “why couldn't
I learn the way these kids are
learning today?” I thought this idea was very different and unique teaching technique.
It keeps the students focused along with staying active even when they are not
in a physical education class or recess.
Session 2: Kinesthetic Connection for Middle School Aged Students
Presenters: Carol Cummings; Kathleen Johnson; Kristen Pepin
The second workshop I attended was with professors who I
have class with in the health and physical education department here at RIC. This
workshop was about keeping students active throughout the class. This workshop
also was about the human brain and how it works with our body movements. I
really enjoyed this workshop the best. I think this workshop was my favorite
part of the day, because I was moving and being involved. As soon as I walked in
the workshop there was music playing and professors moving and active to the
music. We started off with an “energizer” which was a high-five game to help us
remember names and also build relationships with the people within the
workshop.
Throughout
the whole workshop we kept getting up and moving. We moved and played games
more than we sat and listened to a lecture. This was the part that kept me
focused on the whole workshop. I kind of knew we were going to do these little
energizers in between the presentation because in my PED classes we always are
moving during class.
The presenters
were trying to get the point across that movement within the classroom helps students
more than just sitting and listening. Students work and grades would improve if
students moved while working, it basically wakes them up. This workshop also
taught me how group activities within the classroom that deal with movements
helps build relationships within the classroom because students feel
comfortable around each other. Also these small activates show how it is “okay”
to make mistakes and not get laughed at or feel “stupid.”
Towards the
end of the presentation there was little index cards called “fit deck” these
cards had exercises on them where you could do on your own when you do not have
access to a gym. We also went around the room in small groups and completed the
exercise that was on the index card. This workshop gave me good ideas for my
future and also I got to have fun while learning.
A.L.L.I.E.D
Presenters: ALLIED Group
The ALLIED
group was a very powerful presentation, I felt like it spoke for students, from
students. I felt like this presentation spoke out to the teachers in the room
and gave them new ways to think when they are approaching one of the examples
the students were explaining. This group helps students have a voice and it is
a place to go when you just want to talk about your week. I like this presentation
also because I felt like there was more meaning to what they were staying
because it was coming from the students in the group.
Overall I enjoyed this conference. I learned from it and also I was able to take idea's from the presentations and use them for myself and future. This conference was a good resource for students teachers and soon to be teachers. I am glad I was able to learn new information about
movement and how it affects students, especially because I am going into the health and physical education field.
Check out this link about movements for students K-12
Thinking Point: Would you try these movement activities in your classroom?
