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A  professional development programme for implementing indigenous play-based pedagogy in  Grade-R’s.

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Good day everyone,  Today’s presentation is all about promoting professional development for teachers and school sport coaches.  This will include aspects of physical education and Olympic education within Grade-R’s current school curriculum.

Teaching Physical Education
in the Foundation Phase
ria
Chrisna Otto • rmke Visser • Karen McKee

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Pre-primary  schooling  is  children’s educational  foundation, every  stage of education that follows relies on its success.  Enrolling  a child for Grade-R is not only vital for laying a good foundation, but it also sets the tone for the rest of their schooling life . This is where  Physical Education  as well as the inclusion of  Olympic Education  comes into play. Physical Education (PE) develops students’ competence and confidence to take part in a range of physical activities that become a central part of their lives, both in and out of school . A high-quality  PE-curriculum  enables all students to enjoy and succeed in many kinds of physical activity. They develop a wide range of skills and the ability to use tactics, strategies and compositional ideas to perform successfully.  Throughout history, sports have played a variety of important functions in society as a form of recreation; preparation for war or the hunt; or later, as a substitute for war. Sports have undergone many changes; some have stayed much the same (e.g. wrestling); while others have adapted with the times. New sports are always being invented and developed. Physical Education was introduced into the South African curriculum as PT drill that was borrowed from the British system. This system comprised English ball games and military manoeuvres on the one hand and the gymnastic freestanding and apparatus work from continental origin on the other. In the English public or elite schools, ball games remained popular, while gymnastics and military manoeuvres never enjoyed the same status. The reverse was true for elementary or the poorer schools.

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The  early 20th Century was characterised by an increasing interest in the gymnastics and drill aspect of PT. However, gymnastics and drill were more popular in mission schools, whereas the playing of games that later evolved into organised sport, were more popular at elite boys’ schools. The PT drill that was introduced in the mission schools had as its main aim discipline for the purpose of social control. Many pupils at these schools therefore never valued it as highly as playing games.  In  addition, PT was more widespread in girls’ schools. Boys’ schools introduced PT much later into their curriculum and organised themselves around sports leagues in team games. Mission schools in the Western and Eastern Cape did the same. However, mission schools were marginalised from mainstream school sport competition and therefore PT and not school sport, provided purposeful movement participation opportunity for these learners . In South Africa, PE underwent several policy-related restructurings, from being a stand-alone subject (prior to 1994) to Outcomes Based Education (Curriculum 2005, cited in Van Deventer 2011), resulting in the reduction of PE as one of the learning outcomes in Life Skills (LS) (Grades R–6) and Life Orientation (Grades 7–12).  Currently  Physical Education is being taught as part of the school-subject, Life Skills, whereas school sport is presented as an extra curricular activity either individually or team-based. Physical Education today is more theory-based and school sport is practically-based.  Physical Education is taught by teachers and school sport by coaches.  I see the future of PE and school sport in South Africa progressing and becoming more of a “big deal”. I do also think that PE and school sport will be implemented from a younger age which is essentially good for a healthy and balanced lifestyle.

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The teaching model that I base my Professional Development event on is the following: Cooperative Learning,  In this model the students take greater responsibility for their own learning and also help their classmates learn. Unlike the other models, the cooperative learning model is less prescriptive in the layout of the lesson, but rather provides a wealth of  student- centered   activities that can be used either separately or in conjunction with another model. The best example of cooperative learning in practice is called ‘Jigsaw’, whereby students are first put in to teams (base groups) at the start of the lesson. Student may then compete in an activity or game with their base  group After, students in each base group will be assigned a specialist role/responsibility or number. Students will then meet up in specialist groups with members from opposing teams. Together they explore a skill or tactic (or other area needing improvement) until they feel competent in their understanding. Students will then return to the base groups with their new specialist knowledge in-hand and take turns teaching each other what they've learnt.  To  wrap up the lesson, students return to the task or game from the beginning of the lesson and see if they have improved their performance. This approach to learning is excellent for developing the whole-child (physical, social and affective domains) and places students solely at the  center  of their learning experience. In order to deliver this model effectively requires careful and thorough planning (from groupings to resources), a willingness to take risks, and it is helpful if students have experienced student- centered /independent learning strategies previously.

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The value that  P hysical Education has for Grade-R learners  are that they develop  the confidence to take part in different physical activities and learn about the value of healthy, active lifestyles .   It helps  students develop personally and  socially,  t hey  work as individuals, in groups and in teams, developing concepts of fairness and of personal and social responsibility . Physical  education allows the child to develop skills, especially in sport such as the  following physical  aspects in sport : Movement Performance Agility Balance Co-ordination Strength Although Physical Education is vital for these children, so is Olympic Education . Olympic Education needs to be included in the curriculum of these young children , as it not only introduces them to the Internationally recognised Olympic Games but to their values as an entity. Olympic Education can teach these children about strong values that they can use not only in sport but also in their everyday social lives.  These values of Olympism are three core  values  of and are a central focus at the Olympic Games and Youth Olympic Games and include : Excellence Respect Friendship

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Pierre de Coubertin’s influence on Educational, Sport and Physical  Education: Pierre de Coubertin (1863–1937),  the founder  of the modern Olympic  Games, understood  the importance of  emotion and  imagination as educational  tools. In  organising the Games, he  integrated sports  with culture. He created  symbols and  encouraged ceremonies, music,  and pageantry . These artistic and  cultural experiences  help to make the  Olympic Games  different from all other  sporting events  and provide a basis for  values education  activities in a  variety of  curriculum areas as well as  sport and  physical education . He believed that  young people  needed to train their bodies as well as their  minds and advocated  for the practice of sport and  physical activity  at schools in his country. He thought that  his ideas  would receive good publicity if he  organised an  international sporting event based on the  ancient Olympic  Games of  Greece, to  promote the development of those physical and moral qualities  which are  the basis of sport . He wanted  t o  educate young people through sport in a spirit of better  understanding between  each other, and of friendship, thereby helping to build a  better and  more peaceful  world   as well as  t o  spread the Olympic principles throughout the world, thereby  creating international goodwill. He also wanted to  bring together athletes of the world in the great four-yearly sports festival, the Olympic Games .

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T he educational values of the Olympic Movement, the joy of effort in sport and physical activity, fair play, respect for others, striving for excellence, and balance between body, will and mind—have relevance and application far beyond the context of sport. Activities that focus on the development of these values can contribute to the development of learning outcomes in many different subject areas.  We can use this in today’s current education curriculum when educating these young children on the importance of physical education and implementing the values of Olympism and that what Pierre de Coubertin believed in.  The Olympic Charter  is the codification of the fundamental principles of Olympism, and the rules and bye-laws adopted by the International Olympic Committee. It governs the organisation, actions and functioning of the Olympic Movement and establishes the conditions for the celebration of the Olympic Games.  Its view on physical education is t o promote the fundamental principles and values of Olympism in the respective countries, in particular, in the fields of sport and education, by promoting Olympic educational programmes in all levels of schools, sports and physical education institutions and universities, as well as by encouraging the creation of institutions dedicated to Olympic education, such as National Olympic Academies, Olympic Museums and other programmes, including cultural, related to the Olympic Movement.

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The  Olympic  moto   which is “ Citius ,  Altius ,  Fortius ” are Latin words, they mean “Faster, Higher, Stronger ”. This  motto sums up the Olympian value of striving for excellence, and being the very best that one  can.  It expresses the aspirations  of the  Olympic  Movement not only in its athletic and technical sense but also  from a  moral and educational perspective . The Olympic Oath which is  “ In the name of all competitors, I promise that we shall take part in these Olympic  Games, respecting  and abiding by the rules which govern them, committing ourselves to a  sport without  doping and without drugs, in the true spirit of sportsmanship, for the glory of  sport and  the honour of our teams .” This oath is put in place to deter athletes from cheating which is morally wrong,  t he  oaths taken by athletes, coaches and officials  during the  opening ceremony are an important Olympic  protocol.  The  Olympic oath can be used as the basis for an  activity to  explore the problems of cheating in sport  in both ancient and  modern  times.   By instilling these oaths, the integrity of the games is upheld and everyone is treated fairly and with respect. Olympism is a philosophy of life, exalting and combining in a balanced whole the qualities of body, will and mind. Blending sport with culture and education, it seeks to create a way of life based on the joy found in effort, the educational value of good example and respect for universal fundamental ethical principles ( Olympic Charter, 2020). Teachers and learners can both benefit from this philosophy as it can be seen as a way of life. Olympism as a philosophy of life, benefits all in following a balanced lifestyle, when teachers, teach this way, learners will start their life philosophy the correct way. Olympism can be seen as a guide for teachers to follow not only for themselves but also to teach from and improving their overall performance as an individual and as a teacher.

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Through  the range of experiences that PE offers,  these children  learn how to be effective in competitive, creative and challenging  situations   which goes hand-in-hand with the aspects of Olympic Education.  Our aims  as teachers and coaches should be to: nurture  sportsmanship in all aspects of  competition widen each student’s sporting experience and enjoyment create a passion for active recreation and sport assist students in reaching their physical potential in a variety of sporting environments . The  purpose  of this event  is to up skill you as teachers and coaches in the  above-mentioned  aspects of sport. We want you to gain the adequate knowledge to teach or coach these children effectively and to the best of your teaching abilities.  The  question is where do we begin?

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Firstly we need to  understand the rationale  behind this professional development event, which is why  educators need  the extra support such as the professional development event?  New  teachers juggle an overwhelming number of unfamiliar issues, such as classroom management, instruction, curriculum, school culture and operations,  administration ,  parent  relations, and interactions with other teachers . This takes up staggering amount of their time, leaving little or none time available for them to apply themselves physically to their learners curriculum.  Thus with  extra support, however, new teachers learn more  effective  practices to apply to daily  challenges, it also helps  retain new teachers and set them on the path to becoming  effective educators. Many  school systems provide mentors and induction programs for novice  teachers.  Most importantly,  new  teachers who  receive intensive  mentoring  have  a  significant effect  on student  achievement.  It is important as teachers and coaches to understand the interests and needs of our learners and based on that to design and  create relevant  pedadogical  outcome . We  as teachers need to update our knowledge on these current interests and needs in order to be effective educators to our students and to accomplish this we can create certain physical activities or programs for our students to complete during their Physical  Education  C urriculum .

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Sport  pedagogy  is interested in the ways in which children and young people can be supported to learn sport-specific skills and, importantly, how that learning can be structured and managed to ensure they also gain wider personal, social and health benefits from their participation. The wider benefits to be gained from participation in sport are not insignificant.  In the learners and learning dimensions of pedagogy, children and young people are diverse learners and the ways in which they can be supported to learn must be effective in and through sport. Effective teachers and coaches are  lifelong learners  themselves who continuously and critically reflect upon their personal capacities to meet the needs of young learners As a true ‘professional’, teachers and coaches must commit to ‘growing’ their expertise continuously in the sport-related knowledge available to be taught or coached and in the range of pedagogical tools and models from which to draw in order to harness the power of sport.  In this way, teachers and coaches model lifelong learning for children and young people. Teachers need to ensure that there is  holistic development  within the learners as it involves play and social engagement.

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Physically active play, such as running or climbing involves large body movements, when children are in supportive learning environments, exploration and appreciation of movement through play challenges the body’s capacity to respond in creative and skilful ways.  Play should not only be during break times in school playgrounds, nor should it be replaced too early in the lives of young children by structured, formal sport, but more of a day-to-day activity that is fun and constructive at the same time.  It is particularly important to consider the role of competition when children move from unstructured to more structured play environments.  Physical education is a vital part of school life as it may be the only place on the curriculum where children can learn in and through movement. This learning can be significant in developing a child’s physical literacy. It provides opportunities for the development of knowledge and understanding of specific activities, the skills needed to participate and the foundations for future successful participation. Physical Education contains aspects of sport that have extreme value to children.  There is  educational value  where sport is an instrument in the hands of education that helps to develop children’s characters and personalities, it also has the possibility of transferring certain qualities to children such as honesty, integrity, discipline and respect which is essential to have.

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Sport includes a  social aspect  where forming friendship bonds and being part of a group is desired by many. It helps influence growth and the development of social relationships between children that benefit individual health and social benefits. Sport, therefore integrates children into society and form bonds with others.  S port has a  psychological value  which consists of building children’s self-confidence that improves an individuals own personal development. Sport can relieve stress and thus has therapeutic value for children who are going through difficult times at home, school or both.  Ethical  value  is another aspect of sport that can build sportsmanship in children and teach them the importance of fairness in play.  Lastly we take a look at the  political value  of sport, this link with Olympic Education where sport can be used to bring different countries together and be a nation builder. This teaches children the importance of political fairness and equality among all who chose to take part in sport.  While play, physical education and sport settings provide opportunities for children to learn and develop, this learning does not happen automatically. Children need to be supported, encouraged and guided through a range of developmentally appropriate activities to facilitate this learning. This task is made more complicated by the need to consider and accommodate the complex and varying needs and interests of the children during the activity and this is where teachers and coaches come in play in order to provide this to learners.  Physical Education needs to include Olympic Education within its curriculum in order for holistic development to realize. Olympic Education is based on the values, morals and motto’s of that of the Olympic Games.

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We  will be focusing on excellence, respect and  friendship. Excellence  means doing the best we can, on the field of play or in our professional life. Here the teachers and coaches need to strive in building up confidence within these young learners, in order for them to strive for their own excellence on the field of play or in their social life.  Respect  is a given whether in sport or in life. Educators need to teach the importance of having respect not only for yourself but for others as well. Respecting yourself is important as this builds up self-confidence which leads to striving for self-excellence. Respecting others is even more important as it brings people together and builds connections between one another which can essentially lead to friendships.  It is however important, when a teacher teaches respect, it is important to start with having respect for the learners. Learners essentially at such a young age, mimic what teachers or coaches do, therefore treating the learners with respect will ensure that they treat yourself and others with respect. Friendships  are important as it forms part of the social aspect of learners lives. Creating friendship bonds will ensure that learners learn about themselves as well as others and develop certain skills that they didn’t have initially. Friendships are good for promoting good mental health, gives a sense of belonging and it provides you with a good support system which is essential when growing up.

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Teachers  are expected to follow differentiated pedagogical  practices,  u nlike  the curriculum cantered education approach, today,  focus is on learner . We can say that the kind of education needed and taught today requires teachers to constantly advance their professional knowledge and skills . Teachers  need to stay updated with the advancements in different fields, skills in demand, future of work and potential careers for students. They are required to be agents of innovation because innovation is critically important for generating new sources of growth through improved productivity and efficiency . Upskilling the teachers is of utmost importance to guide them  on what the best practices are to use when it comes to Physical Education as well as Olympic Education. Effective professional development enables educators to develop the knowledge and skills they need to address students’ learning challenges, to be effective, professional development requires thoughtful planning followed by careful implementation with feedback to ensure it responds to educators’ learning needs.  Educators who participate in professional development then must put their new knowledge and skills to work. Professional development is not effective unless it causes teachers to improve their instruction. Whether students are high, low, or average achievers, they will learn more if their teachers regularly engage in high-quality professional development. The effectiveness of professional development depends on how carefully educators conceive, plan, and implement it.

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In  effective professional development, teachers or coaches analyses students achievement to identify learning problems common to students in their particular grade. This then determines which problems educators have the most difficulty addressing, and identify what they need to know and do to be more successful in helping students overcome these learning challenges.  Evaluation is a systematic process you can use to learn if your activities are achieving their intended purpose.  The results of evaluation can be used to : demonstrate successful outcomes to your school gain additional support for your activities identify specific ways to improve implementation of your programs make strategic decisions about what activities to continue or change moving forward The type of mode that we will be using during this professional development event will be: Observation, where teachers observe other teachers Coaching an expert teacher, one or more colleagues Team meetings to plan lessons, problem solving, performance improvement, and learning a new strategy  Faculty or grade-level meetings Workshops to dig deeper into a specific subject

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My evaluation plan is to evaluate teachers on their professional development, to see whether these young children will benefit from their knowledge and skills. I will have a number of assessments on the teachers to see whether or not they have grown and  upskilled  their knowledge. If not, they will have workshops to promote this at the schools in order to provide the best learning outcomes to these Grade-R learners.  We will also have the learners participate in the evaluation plan, by asking them what their changing interests are in order for us to meet their needs, we will evaluate their progress with the curriculum as well in order to evaluate the teachers performance to the maximum.  When we sample all the data after the assessments, we can analyses the data, see what to improve or what to change, make modifications to the programs of the children and the teachers, put it back into play, evaluate again until we are satisfied with the end product.

A professional development programme for implementing indigenous play-based pedagogy in Grade-R's.

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