At the start of the school year, I always visit the children in their classroom for the first week of physical education. This lets them adjust to me in a familiar environment with the classroom teacher nearby. I wear a duck hat and a quacker whistle and read a special book entitled "Come Along Daisy" by Jane Simmons. I explain to the children that throughout the school year I will be the Mama Duck and they will be my ducklings. It is my job to keep them safe and their job to listen and follow the directions of the Mama Duck. This analogy seems to work well with young children and they always love it when I blow the quacker.
Since students have now moved to the gymnasium for physical education, they are learning that there are many rules and procedures that must be followed in order to make everyone's experience safe, successful, and fun. I always start off the year by reviewing our class rules and then play a game where children move in different ways, find the appropriate class rule, and discuss how it applies to the class. Since most early childhood students are still non-readers, all rules are represented through illustrations. In simplistic form, here are some of our rules:
1. Inspector Respect - Listen and follow directions so everyone can learn.
2. Topsy Turtle - Try your best.
3. Shoo Fly - Do not tattle on friends. Know the difference between tattling (hurtful) and telling (helpful). Work out differences with others by talking to them first before coming to the teacher.
4. Happy Hearts - Treat each other with love and kindness.
5. Healthy Hands - Keep hands clean so germs are not spread among our friends.
6. General Space - The big area in which we work.
7. Private Space - The personal space around your body that allows one to work without touching others.
Students also self assess their effort each day as they leave the gymnasium. If they feel they gave their best effort they touch "Daisy" the duck and say "Daisy Day." If they feel they could have given better effort they touch "Oops" and say "I'll try harder next time." Self assessment helps children accept responsibility for their own work. They usually work hard to have a Daisy Day.
