“How do you go from where you are to where you want to be? I think you have to have an enthusiasm for life. You have to have a dream, a goal, and you have to be willing to work for it.” - Jim Valvano

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Are games like Dodgeball acceptable in PE?

For many of us, we grew up playing the classic games like dodge ball and kickball in our PE classes and during recess.  I remember in Junior High one of the most liked activities played by boys and girls was 10 base kickball which was where my teacher set up six mats around the perimeter of the gym, and before you could go home you would have to have been to ten bases.  All the other rules of kickball applied as well.  Dodge ball was always fun as well.  There were always different versions that could be used to modify it a little bit, however you still needed the same skills in order to succeed in each one.  These activities can be fun, however, do they teach kids how to be physically educated?  How do you assess them in these games?  How do you set up lesson plans in order to teach these games?  Those are all questions I would ask because I don't feel as though they are acceptable in Physical Education.  For example, in basketball you could teach dribbling skills, shooting skills, passing skills, and rules regarding the game.
                   
With dodge ball however I feel as though it would be harder because the only skills are throwing and catching a round ball.  Also, the rules are that you either catch the ball or avoid it if you are being attacked, or you throw the ball at your opponent.  With that being said, you can basically teach the game of dodge ball in less than five minutes.  How do you assess someone in this circumstance?  If they make it to the last five left they pass?  If they can correctly catch the ball?  Sounds a little bit too hard for me.  On the contrast, in basketball you could see if they were shooting right by looking at where there hands were and how they followed through for example.  The only way I could see myself allowing games like these to be played was if I had a substitute and the lesson I was teaching was too tough for them.  However, I feel as though I could come up with a better list of activities for a substitute in which my students would be getting better physically educated and maybe not sitting "out" or on the sideline, instead of constantly being involved.

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Media/Pix/pictures/2010/5/19/1274280336557/Ben-Stiller-in-Dodgeball-006.jpg

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