Field Experience

Week Three Assignment Blog Entry

Abstract:

The researcher critiques a one-day volleyball lesson. The lesson is described from introduction to practice and closing and a rationale is given for each part of the lesson. A reflection is given at the end describing what was learned, what improvements can be made, and what the researcher enjoyed during the lesson.

Field Experience:

After teaching this Unit on Volleyball and the specific one-day lessons about forearm passing and the underhand volleyball serve, I have found that students tend to do much better when the lesson is structured and organized. First, I take a pre assessment, this does two things, it gives me an understanding of students’ knowledge of the sport and I get students in the mindset of recalling things they have learned in the past. Next, I relate a motor skill they have already learned like the underhand toss or bowling to the movement that will be used in the serve. I show students a video of the skill and model for them the correct movement pattern necessary to serve the ball underhanded.

After the pre-assessment and instructional phase of my lesson I pair students up to practice. I intentionally pair students to achieve my desired results, for example if I have English Learners in my class I will pair them with bilingual students, if I have high achieving students I will offer them a chance pair up with and teach students who are developing the skill.

As practice begins I do ongoing formative assessments and help students by offering encouragement and support. I will differentiate instruction for students with disabilities by offering brightly colored balls, lower nets and closer serving lines.

At the end of the lesson a summative assessment is given in the form of an exit ticket. Students must demonstrate the proper way to execute the under hand serve and the fore arm passing before exiting the class.

I learned that students perform better when they see and organized and structured environment, middle school students tend to entertain themselves (goof off) if there is not a structured environment set in place. I prepare my lessons with visual aids and an agenda on my bulletin board, from the get go students know that I mean business.

I would change the way my courts and materials are set up. I realized that I have brought too many balls out for the lesson and that there are not enough nets to allow students to practice continually.

I really enjoyed watching the students improve upon their serving skills, through this lesson they learned how to deliver a more consistent and accurate volleyball serve and they had a great time doing it!