Toddler Kickball Assignment
Focus Assignment
In my classroom, I would have my students play a game that is called “Toddler Kickball.” Throughout the course of the game, I will incorporate several facets of the activity that are helpful to the entire classroom, yet does not make Philip feel different or excluded. The step-by-step setup of the activity are as follows:
There should be established teams or groups of children up to five evenly distributed between two teams. Phillip will not feel as if he is being singled out by placing in a group, and can also help other children develop and gain more gross motor control as well.
The children will have to kick the ball and then run the bases, depending on how far they kick the ball. This coincides with the Developmental …show more content…
Milestones as it encourages to toddlers to reach one of the primary bullet points found under muscular control, which is “Kicks object.” Kicking the object and being a team player can help foster both physical and social development. (p. 389)
As the children run the bases, it helps them meet another developmental milestone “Runs with stops and starts.” It will help the children gauge distances between the bases as well as help them further develop muscular control.
On the opposing side, when the children are in the outfield, they will once again need to work as a cohesive unit, ideally making Phillip feel included, while also meeting another developmental milestone, “throws object at target.” Children can additionally meet the developmental milestone to encourage finger control, “grasps and releases with developing finger muscles.”
The children can end the game by shaking hands or high fiving (depending on development) while encouraging good sportsmanship and kindness on all fronts.
At the end of the game, I would then proceed to create a checklist that details the overall success of activity. Based off of the results of the checklist, I could then tailor the activity to meet the specific needs that are present within the classroom. The checklist should provide results that are specific to the last five days so it is recent information that is applicable to the children’s current development. The five-day checklist would help me realize what to change or enhance in the activity to best meet the needs of Philip and each individual child. The checklist would include, though not be limited to, the following items:
Kicks object (muscular control)
Runs with stops and starts (muscular control)
Throws object at target (arm)
Grasps and releases with developing finger muscles (hand)
Each individual bullet point on the checklist allows me to specifically hone in on areas of gross development for Philip as well as the classroom in its entirety.
Self-Evaluation
Team-based activity
This is incredibly important for gross motor development. It provides the children with a sense of unity and teamwork and also assists them in gross motor development. Phillip, among the other children, will need to turn and look at one another, suggesting that team-based activities can reach a criterion on the checklist, “walk backwards” and “walk sideways.” Children will need to learn how to interact with one another as a team, and moreover, with kindness inside and outside of the classroom. This incorporates inclusive practices in the classroom within a child’s natural environment at school and does not single out a specific child (p. 253)
Kicking the ball & running the bases
Nonetheless, arguably the most crucial facet of this activity is kicking the ball then proceeding to run the bases. It helps children develop further while meeting an essential criterion on the developmental milestones checklist: “running with stops and starts” (p. 389) It encourages an active exploration of the world with a rush of adrenaline, both of which can be pivotal to a child’s overall development.
Outfield
Furthermore, children can further develop in the outfield as well. The children can meet two criteria on the developmental milestones checklist: throwing objects at a target (the bases) and grasping/releasing with developing finger muscles (catching the ball). This is systemic exercise with a set of rules that is easy to understand, while also fun and exciting for toddlers.
Shaking Hands/High-five
Children should shake hands or high five at the end of the game to emphasize appropriate behavior and good sportsmanship.
This can also involve the parents in the activity and become a family affair, depending greatly on developmental progression and the overall success of the activity.
This activity can help influence teaching strategies and overall student learning because it is a team-based activity, not excluding Phillip, but rather, possesses developmental value for all of the children. Due to the team-based exercise, learning can occur in a child’s natural environment with his or her own classmates. Learning and teaching frequently occurs in everyday experiences and contexts, and should therefore be taken into consideration when formulating activities to encourage developmental progression (p. 252)
Part …show more content…
2
Parental involvement is crucial to forming a successful early intervention plan.
I would hold optional parent-meeting bimonthly, though politely approaching the parents to attend at least one of the brief meetings. However, it is important to note that the vast majority of parents have varying, jampacked schedules. Therefore, in an effort to accommodate their needs and ensure they are up to date on classroom events, I would send out weekly newsletters. I would also provide the option of a hard-copy or email updates. Some parents prefer to have a hard-copy of the events so they can “see it on paper”, whereas other parents would simply prefer to have it emailed to them. For the parents that prefers to have hardcopies, I would send it home with the children in their take-home packets and follow up with the parents to ensure they have received them. The email newsletter would be a simple mass email, though I would also send individualized emails to parents as need be. Family-capacity building can be defined as “when professionals work in close collaboration with families to uncover each family members’ goals and wishes for the children” (p. 248). Family-capacity building is unique to each family because each family has a different dynamic and operates differently. I have not had the opportunity to try out any of these strategies yet, though I hope they can reach a wide variety of families, particularly when they seem distant or uninvolved in the classroom. Interacting
individually with distant families can help decrease physical or abstract communication barriers and ideally make the child’s time in the classroom a positive experience.
In my classroom, I would have my students play a game that is called “Toddler Kickball.” Throughout the course of the game, I will incorporate several facets of the activity that are helpful to the entire classroom, yet does not make Philip feel different or excluded. The step-by-step setup of the activity are as follows:
There should be established teams or groups of children up to five evenly distributed between two teams. Phillip will not feel as if he is being singled out by placing in a group, and can also help other children develop and gain more gross motor control as well.
The children will have to kick the ball and then run the bases, depending on how far they kick the ball. This coincides with the Developmental …show more content…
Milestones as it encourages to toddlers to reach one of the primary bullet points found under muscular control, which is “Kicks object.” Kicking the object and being a team player can help foster both physical and social development. (p. 389)
As the children run the bases, it helps them meet another developmental milestone “Runs with stops and starts.” It will help the children gauge distances between the bases as well as help them further develop muscular control.
On the opposing side, when the children are in the outfield, they will once again need to work as a cohesive unit, ideally making Phillip feel included, while also meeting another developmental milestone, “throws object at target.” Children can additionally meet the developmental milestone to encourage finger control, “grasps and releases with developing finger muscles.”
The children can end the game by shaking hands or high fiving (depending on development) while encouraging good sportsmanship and kindness on all fronts.
At the end of the game, I would then proceed to create a checklist that details the overall success of activity. Based off of the results of the checklist, I could then tailor the activity to meet the specific needs that are present within the classroom. The checklist should provide results that are specific to the last five days so it is recent information that is applicable to the children’s current development. The five-day checklist would help me realize what to change or enhance in the activity to best meet the needs of Philip and each individual child. The checklist would include, though not be limited to, the following items:
Kicks object (muscular control)
Runs with stops and starts (muscular control)
Throws object at target (arm)
Grasps and releases with developing finger muscles (hand)
Each individual bullet point on the checklist allows me to specifically hone in on areas of gross development for Philip as well as the classroom in its entirety.
Self-Evaluation
Team-based activity
This is incredibly important for gross motor development. It provides the children with a sense of unity and teamwork and also assists them in gross motor development. Phillip, among the other children, will need to turn and look at one another, suggesting that team-based activities can reach a criterion on the checklist, “walk backwards” and “walk sideways.” Children will need to learn how to interact with one another as a team, and moreover, with kindness inside and outside of the classroom. This incorporates inclusive practices in the classroom within a child’s natural environment at school and does not single out a specific child (p. 253)
Kicking the ball & running the bases
Nonetheless, arguably the most crucial facet of this activity is kicking the ball then proceeding to run the bases. It helps children develop further while meeting an essential criterion on the developmental milestones checklist: “running with stops and starts” (p. 389) It encourages an active exploration of the world with a rush of adrenaline, both of which can be pivotal to a child’s overall development.
Outfield
Furthermore, children can further develop in the outfield as well. The children can meet two criteria on the developmental milestones checklist: throwing objects at a target (the bases) and grasping/releasing with developing finger muscles (catching the ball). This is systemic exercise with a set of rules that is easy to understand, while also fun and exciting for toddlers.
Shaking Hands/High-five
Children should shake hands or high five at the end of the game to emphasize appropriate behavior and good sportsmanship.
This can also involve the parents in the activity and become a family affair, depending greatly on developmental progression and the overall success of the activity.
This activity can help influence teaching strategies and overall student learning because it is a team-based activity, not excluding Phillip, but rather, possesses developmental value for all of the children. Due to the team-based exercise, learning can occur in a child’s natural environment with his or her own classmates. Learning and teaching frequently occurs in everyday experiences and contexts, and should therefore be taken into consideration when formulating activities to encourage developmental progression (p. 252)
Part …show more content…
2
Parental involvement is crucial to forming a successful early intervention plan.
I would hold optional parent-meeting bimonthly, though politely approaching the parents to attend at least one of the brief meetings. However, it is important to note that the vast majority of parents have varying, jampacked schedules. Therefore, in an effort to accommodate their needs and ensure they are up to date on classroom events, I would send out weekly newsletters. I would also provide the option of a hard-copy or email updates. Some parents prefer to have a hard-copy of the events so they can “see it on paper”, whereas other parents would simply prefer to have it emailed to them. For the parents that prefers to have hardcopies, I would send it home with the children in their take-home packets and follow up with the parents to ensure they have received them. The email newsletter would be a simple mass email, though I would also send individualized emails to parents as need be. Family-capacity building can be defined as “when professionals work in close collaboration with families to uncover each family members’ goals and wishes for the children” (p. 248). Family-capacity building is unique to each family because each family has a different dynamic and operates differently. I have not had the opportunity to try out any of these strategies yet, though I hope they can reach a wide variety of families, particularly when they seem distant or uninvolved in the classroom. Interacting
individually with distant families can help decrease physical or abstract communication barriers and ideally make the child’s time in the classroom a positive experience.