Promising Practices

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.

1. Physical and Psychological safety
2. Appropriate structure
3. Support for efficacy and mattering opportunities for skill building
4. Supportive relationships
5. Opportunities to belong
6. Positive social norms
7. Integration of family
8. 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?