Huge Surprise in EDU 255

      On the first day of the semester the class was asked to individually teach the class for 4 minutes on a basic skill.  Everyone had the decision to choose from volleyballs, basketballs, soccer balls, footballs, or hula hoops.  When my turn arrived I decided to teach the class on how to properly pass a soccer ball.  I figured it would be the easiest for me to explain as I played college soccer at Cazenovia College.  Here is my first attempt in EDU 255 to demonstrate my teaching ability. I am sure there will be many more to come!

        Over the course of the four minutes I thought I did a few things well, while other components will need improvement in the next teaching session. I believe doing a demonstration of proper technique gave the group an understanding of how to make the right pass to his/her partner. During the time the group was static I was looking around to see if any individuals were passing with poor technique. I also think having the group move by passing and moving with a partner was good because I did not want the group to remain static for the whole four minutes. Lastly, at the end the group was asked to huddle and tell me if he/she had any questions for me to answer.
        A section needing improvement is my ability to communicate with my group. I need to project my voice better and express my information in a clearer manner. Also, I would like to work on fitting all my information in at the beginning instead of forgetting pointers at the beginning of the demonstration. For example, I forgot to mention when passing a soccer ball the shoulders should be square with the ball and the upper body should be over the ball to keep the ball from leaving the ground. I need to talk more during the exercise and assist an individual who may be having trouble grasping the idea. At the end I need to ask what my group has learned, like the different techniques needed to make a correct pass.
        Observations by a teacher can only be beneficial to the educator because it allows him/her to assess the students and the itinerary of course material.  The observation of students improves student learning as the teacher gains the ability to obtain consistent feedback. By obtaining feedback, the educator can then evaluate specific classroom approaches through the response and body language of students.  An educator's observance of the classroom can assist in the revealing of the effectiveness of teacher performance and the progression of students within the classroom.