When I start a conversation with my son and ask him, "How was your day?" I will usually get one word answers. "Good." As a parent, I want to know if he is comprehending what he is reading and performing at school. Where are they struggling and how can you help them? Is he behaving and being a leader and not a follower? I want more detail and thinking of different ways to get my son to engage in conversation requires me to change how I ask questions.
If I can ask one HUGE favor from you... When your child comes home from school on P.E. days, please do not ask him or her, "What did you play in P.E. today?" Instead, ask, "What did you learn in P.E. today."
Children learn best when they are given the opportunity to explore their world while moving. My students do not just play games, they learn something new each day.
In a quality physical education program, students learn:
How to improve their overall fitness,
To perform a variety of skills,
To be responsible for their health and fitness,
How to set achievable goals,
To cooperate with others and accept responsibility for their own behavior,
To socialize with their peers,
And to be confident, independent and exhibit self-control.
Tell me what you "learned" in P.E. today.
Tell me about the best part of your P.E. class.
What was the most challenging thing you did in P.E. today?
What skills are you working on in P.E.?
What are you doing differently from last year?
Tell me how we can incorporate your learning in P.E. into a family activity/outing.
What was the best thing Mr. Graham asked you to do in P.E. today?
Did any of your classmates do anything funny?
Who did you play with today?
Can you show me (or teach me) something you learned today?