Ahhh p.e.

[Unregistered]

Hey all....I'm FINALLY starting my first year as a p.e. teacher. Anybody have suggesstions on activites for the first session and also any management tips are welcome. Thanks

[Babs]

Make sure to get your groups together and well divided. A great game is an obstacle course, followed by PE trivia to pick team leaders. I build my whole first week around that theme.

[Sara]

I think it is important to keep P.E. positive and cooperative for all students, not just the good athletes. For starters, never let students select teams. It only makes some students feel left out. I also avoid games of elimination. Not ony does it make students feel ranked or left out, but the students who need the most practice are always the first to be eliminated.
I don't know what age group you are teaching, but for the first session you may want to try ice-breaker activities that are geared toward that age-group. They encourage the students to cooperate in small groups instead of competing on the individual level. This is also the perfect time to establish the rules of behavior and attitude, and classroom procedures in your class. This will help set the tone for the entire year and make your job easier.
Good luck!