routines for the proactive management of physical education lessons

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Title Routines for the proactive management of physical education lessonsAuthor(s) Steven TanSource REACT , 1999 (1), 41-47Published by National Institute of Education (Singapore)

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ROUTINES FOR THE PRO CTIVE M N GEM ENTOF PHYSIC L EDUC TION LESSONS

Review by Steven Tan

INTRODUCTION

Learning cannot take place in anatmosphere of chaos. As physicaleducators, we should be the designers andmanagers of the physical activity settingand learning environment. Many times, wemay be tempted to blame our students foroff-task or inappropriate behaviour andrespond with punishment. However,frequent student rnisbehaviours may be afunction of poor management practices,such as students waiting incessantly duringattendance taking, or not distributingequipment effectively for skill practice.

Because teachers are more likely toencounter disruptive behaviour during

organisation and management periods thaninstruction or activity time (Rink, 1993;Siedentop, 1991), teachers should beproactive and effectively plan hoy theywant students to handle these events. Theuse of routines can help make events runmore smoothly and to maximise theopportunity to engage students in physicalactivity.

Routines are predetermined proceduresestablished by teachers for dealing withfrequently occurring situations in thephysical education setting. Therefore,routines allow students to accomplishcertain tasks within a lesson in specificways. The goal of establishing routineswith students is to let them know what the

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expected behaviour is so that they are morelikely to behave appropriately. The use ofroutines, therefore, helps to minimise oreliminate potential disrup tions or delays tot h e l e s s o n r e s u l t i n g f r o m d i s o r d e r l ybehaviours. This article highlights someof the research ev idence describing the useof routines in the effective managem ent ofbehaviours in physical education classes.It also su ggests seve ral routines fo r use byphysical education teachers and providesguidelines for teaching them to students.

REVIEW OF RESE RCH

Num erous studies of effective teaching andc l a s s r o o m m a n a g e m e n t b y p h y s i c a leduca t ion spec ia l i s t s conf i rm theimportance of establishing routines in class.(Fink Siedentop, 1989; Nelson, Lee ,Ashy, How el l , 1988 ; Os l in , 1996 ;O Sul l ivan Dyson, 1994; Per ronDowney, 1997). Although these studieswere conducted at primary and secondarylevels, findings were relatively co nsistent.

Th e study of routines and expectations ofphys ica l educat ion teachers has beenlimited to two studies in the primary schoolsetting. Nelson e t a1.(1988) studied threeexpert physical education specialists duringthe first five classes at the start of the year.They reported each teacher introduced the

majority of routines on the first day of class.T h e s e r o u t i n e s d e a l t m a i n l y w i t hmanagerial concerns such as formations,questioning, and starting and stoppingactivities. As the class proceeded, specific,positive feedback was provided. By the fifthlesson, all classes appeared to be runningsmoothly and most students learned tocomply with the routines. At this stage, the

focus of feedback sh i f ted to spec i f icreprimands to the few students who werestill noncom pliant. W hen observed again

at the end of the first sem ester, the teacherswere still using sim ilar routines establishedat the start of the year.

Fink Siedentop (1989) examined thedevelopment of managerial routines andexpectations by seven effective primaryphysical education teachers during thebeginning of the year, Th e results revealedthat there were strong similarities betweenthese teachers and the practices of effectiveclassroom teachers (Emmer, Evertson,Anderson, 1980; Leinhardt, Weidman,H a m m o n d , 19 8 7 ) . T h e s e p h y s ic a leducat ion teachers descr ibed rout inesc l ea r ly, p rov ided s tuden t s wi thopportunities to practice them, prompteda p p r o p r i a t e s t u d e n t b e h a v i o u r s , a n dreinforced students for compliance.

O Sullivan Dyson (1994) studied 11secondary schoo l phys ica l educa t ionteachers who set up rules, routines, andexpec tations at the start of the schoo l year.These teachers did not perceive majordiscipline problems in their classes, and thlsperception was supported by the smallincidents of off-task behaviours observedin their classes. They w ere observed givinga great deal of attention and time to themanagement of routines and appropriatebehaviours at the beginning of the schoolyear. In fact, these teachers saw appropriateprocedures and expectations as importantcurricular content and carefully taught andthorough ly r e in fo rced them wi th thestudents.

In another study, Oslin (19 96) investigatedthe use of routines as organising featureswithin secondary school physical educationenvi ronm ents . Al l s ix teachers were

observed to give clear demonstrations ofappropriate and inappropriate performanceof routines, as well as specific consequences

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for noncompliance. Effective methods ofapplying routines included frequentinteractions with students, in which explicitinformation regarding appropriateperformance was provided. Maintenance

of routines appeared to be dependent uponimmediate and consistent application ofconsequences for noncompliance, prompts,and praise for compliance.

Perron Downey s (1997) study describedthe management techniques used bysecondary physical education teachers.Most of the eight experienced teachers usedwell-established routines and expectationsas part of their management techniques.Students were familiar with the routines andknew the consequence of any breach of theregulations.

TE CHING ROUTINES

Although a number of routines used byteachers were similar in these researchstudies, the method of presentation variedfrequently. Some teachers taught routinesdirectly, whereas others provided practiceactivities to demonstrate and maintainroutines. Overall, effective and expertphysical education teachers were found tobe more systematic and thorough in the waythey established, taught, and implementedroutines. For example, they:

taught students the routine (i.e.,explained the purpose anddemonstrated good examples ofappropriate and inappropriateresponses) during the first few classperiods;

subsequently provided numerous

opportunities for students to practisethese routines;

often prompted students with positiveand specific feedback when firstteaching the routines;

reinforced by praising students

frequently those who followed theroutines correctly;

used consequences on students whowere still noncompliant when themajority of students had learnt theroutine.

CONCLUSION

Routines will vary according to schoolexpectations and policies, teacherphilosophies, student maturity, anddifferent content areas. For example,primary school specialists often teach anduse concepts of self and general space toyoung learners throughout the educationalgymnastics or movement educationprogrammes. As such, appropriate waysfor students to be in personal space, or seekout general space would be taught asroutines. Other teachers would choose toadd elements to routines to make themmore holistic. For example, some teachersadd directions about equipment to theattentionfquiet routine when students are

in a basketball unit. When the signal isgiven to gain students attention, studentsnot only stop their activity, become quiet,and face the teacher, but also place the balldown near the feet.

Almost all PE teachers have routines intheir classes. Not all, however, activelyteach them or have routines wellestablished. Therefore, routines are of littlevalue unless students learn and accept

them. It is important that routines arecarefully taught to students early during thefirst few weeks of a school year so that they

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know what is expected of them before teachers must share and make explicit theirpatternsofinappropriatebehaviourdevelop. expectations of students in physicalYoung learners will need practice and education classes, and ensure theyconstant reinforcement. Older students consistently enforce routines which resultusually have established routines that in effective learning outcomes.teachers may want to modify. In both cases,

Directing students to put equipment away

IMPLICATIONS FOR TEACHING

Routines for Different Situations and Tasks

PE teachers have to anticipate student behaviours in the physical educationsetting. They must then decide on the stipulated ways of how they wantstudents to conduct themselves in different situations and tasks. Assuch,routines have to be taught for all aspects of student behaviour that tendto recur frequently in classes. The following list highlights some of themore common routines that can be used in physical education.

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l Quickly assemble students at a designated location so that attendancecan be taken.For example: after changing into proper PE attire, ask students to assembleat the assembly area within 5 minutes. Students sit in rows in one of theassigned 8 groups, comprising approximately 5 students.

2. Take student attendance in an efficient way.For example: ask group leaders to check attendance and report the namesof absent students in their respective groups to the teacher.

3. Organise a warm up activity.Engage students in a specific warm-up without teacher prompting orsupervision. This routine should be structured in such a way so as to freethe teacher to deal with late arrivals and non participants (e.g., studentswho are feeling unwell or without PE attire).For example: ask students to run around the activity area 3 times followedby stretching and endurance exercises led by rotating group leaders.

4 Request students to reassemble.

Gather students at a designated location and in to a pr edet ermi ne dformation when directed.For example: use two short bursts of the whistle to gather students in asemi-circle formation around the teacher. The inner students sit or squatdown and the back students stand.

5 Attract attention of students.Demand an immediate halt to an activity or bring to a close what studsntsare doing.For example: use one long whistle burst to signal students to stop theiractivity, become quiet, and face the teacher. If students have equipment,they are to stop using it immediately.

6 Have students appropriately obtain or put away equipment.For example: at a given verbal command direct Go group leaders tocollect or return the equipment.

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7 Keep medically unfit and injured students aware of what s happeningin the lesson.Gather excused students around the teacher to still follow the lesson,particularly when the teacher is demonstrating and explaining a skill.

These students can assist the teacher in helping to collect and put theequipment away while the other students are doing their warm-upactivities.

8 Give signals for dismissal.Inform students when to leave student the activity area and prepare forthe next scheduled activity (e.g., classroom, canteen, assembly hall).For example: after the group leaders have returned all the equipment,give a verbal signal for students to leave.

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Attracting students attention.


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SOURCES

Ernmer, E., Evertson, C., Anderson, Rink, J. E. (1998). Teaching PhysicalL . (1980). Effective classroom Education For Learning (3'd. ed.).management at the beginning of the school Dubuque, IA: WCBJMcGraw-Hill.

year. Elementary School Journal, 80,219-23 1. Siede ntop, D . (1991). DevelopingTeaching Skills In Physical Education (3rd

Fink, J . Siedentop, D. (1989). The ed.). Mountain View, CA: Mayfield..development of routines, rules, andexpectations at the start of the school year.Journal of Teaching in Physical Education,8, 198-212.

Leinhardt, G., Weidman, C., Hammond,K. (1987). Introduction and integration ofclassroom routines by expert teachers.Curriculum Inquiry, 17, 135-176.

Nelson, K., Lee, A., Ashy, M., Howell,D. (1988). Rules and management routinesestablished during the first week of school:A study of expert physical educationteachers. Poster session presented at theNational Convention for American Allianceof Health, Physical Education, Recreation,and Dance, Kansas City, MO.

Oslin, J. L. (1996). Routines as organizingfeatures in middle school physicaleducation. Journal of Teaching in PhysicalEducation, 15, 319-337.

O'Sullivan, M., Dyson, B. (1994).Rules, routines, and expectations of 11 highschool physical education teachers. Journalof Teaching in Physical Education, 13,361-374.

Perron, J., Downey , P. (1997) .Management techniques used by highschool physical education teachers. Journal

of Teaching in Physical Education, 17,72-84.

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routines for the proactive management of physical education lessons

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