pe

Yesterday on Monday 24th September after lunch Room 7 was going to head out for PE. They had earnt their free time last Friday, but it was raining so we couldn’t go out and I had promised them we could go next week instead. So PE it was…

Firstly the students drank their Fonterra Milk while I read a few pages of ‘The Hunger Games’ which is our class read aloud. It was a really good part where Katniss heads in for her TV interview and Peeta drops the bombshell that he secretly has liked her

for years! (I know right?). Some students were listening and some were playing hand games, but at least they were quiet so I kept reading. Next we took a vote about what game we wanted to play for PE. I said to the class “we are NOT playing Invisible Touch, we are NOT playing Bullrush and we are NOT playing Golden Child. I’m bored of playing those games.” All the children started calling out games they wanted to play but of course it sounded like a baboon of screaming monkeys to me, I couldn’t hear anything. When they finally calmed down we took a vote, and then I changed my mind and we agreed we would play 20 minutes of softball and then they could play touch (or any other game they wanted) afterwards.

We headed outside to the bottom field and waited for Waiari and Sumuree to bring out the softball equipment. I called “year 6’s line up behind Syariah-Lee and year 5’s behind Havea”. They did, then I instructed them to do paper scissors rock which Have won. Hevea chose to bat first, so the year 5’s sat down and the year 6’s took their places on the field. As the students went through I noticed some were very confident and others showed uncertainty. I modelled for Vina how to hold her body: toes forward; knees slightly bent; elbows up; head facing the pitcher. I was so delighted for her when she hit the ball on her third attempt. A couple other highlights (or funny moments) where when one of the boys (Timote I think?) smashed the ball, it went soaring through the air like an eagle, then got caught by Davlyn on the full. “Out!” I called in amazement. Another random funny moment was when somebody hit the ball (I can’t remember who) and the ball bounced right at the pitchers feet then bounced upwards...! Awkward!

We were playing what I call ‘easy rules’ where there was no fowls or anything, because it makes the game take longer and I wanted to ensure everybody got a turn. We swapped over when the batting team had 3 out’s. After each team had two turns, I blew my whistle and told the students they had “5 minutes to go and play!”. They all ` ran off. Some played touch; others played passes; others played races. I felt so relaxed and happy to watch my students whom I love so much (even though they frustrate me sometimes…) playing and laughing with each other to end our day.

In the end the score was 12-5 to the year 6’s. We stumbled around trying to pack up and headed back upstairs to get our bags. It was a nice afternoon playing with the students while I was feeling exhausted.