| 50 WAYS TO SURVIVE |
| 1.. Scour the Internet for curriculum and best practices among schools |
| and teachers . |
| 2.. Join as many discussion groups as available and participate twice |
| as much |
| 3.. Go to state conventions and workshops. |
| 4.. Volunteer for everything and do what is not asked of you - JUST DO |
| IT |
| 5.. Integrate with other core subject areas |
| 6.. Make technology your best friend..digital pics , slideshows, Smart |
| Board , homepages, links, applications, tech websites |
| 7.. Search the NET and ads , etc., for every possible link and follow |
| those links to more links |
| 8.. Investigate TV , newspapers , movies , radio and all media for |
| ideas |
| 9.. Keep a notepad with you so you can write your ideas as you drive |
| by billboards , signs , ads and look to the community for ideas |
| 10.. When other people are sleeping , keep one step ahead , and use = |
| that time to get the "the early bird gets the worm syndrome." |
| 11.. Make each student feel special and do all you can to make their |
| lives meaningful |
| 12.. Never complain - nobody will listen |
| 13.. Learning never stops- enrich or develop a "new path that is least |
| traveled." |
| 14.. Use homemade equipment to show creativity |
| 15.. Always be energetic and enthusiastic - we are actors , let your |
| hair down and try anything , once. |
| 16.. Don't be afraid to fail - not ever trying is worse than failing |
| 17.. Help classroom teachers understand what (you) are doing- use |
| their expertise and use it , it will win them over |
| 18.. Make friends of the community , parents and administration- but = |
| do it truthfully - be yourself |
| 19.. The janitor may be your best ally |
| 20.. Write your thoughts in a diary , or weblog , it helps keep your |
| feet on the ground |
| 21.. Scan the newspapers for any avialbale opportunity to advance your |
| career and share what you know |
| 22.. It is an absolute must - always be organized , plan appropriate |
| activities |
| 23.. Have a suggestion box - ask what the students like to do |
| 24.. Be visible(bus , cafeteria , hallways , library)...smile , extend |
| your hand to each student that passes(gimme five) |
| 25.. Keep abreast of all new trends in our craft |
| 26.. Have the ability to move large groups without any down time- keep |
| it moving |
| 27.. Listen to the students - be aware of their body language- you |
| will know when they have to use the restroom , when they tire or ward |
| off possible trouble |
| 28.. Explain why you are doing things( heart rate , fitness testing , = |
| etc.) |
| 29.. Check each area for safety concerns |
| 30.. Have fun ! Participate with them |
| 31.. Don't keep score and keep competition with individual improvement |
| 32.. Have a GYM SHOW to showcase what you do in your classes to the |
| parents |
| 33.. Realize the fact the students are a captive audience and hang on |
| your every word |
| 34.. Keep records for assessment - that way the parents will know and |
| authorize grades |
| 35.. Adapt the area , equipment and rules according to each classes |
| ability |
| 36.. Be aware of special needs students and how to integrate and make |
| them comfortable with the rest of the class |
| 37.. Don't look for trouble it will find you |
| 38.. Use duty schedule time to find out what makes the students"tick" |
| 39.. Don't use too may rewards - they will forget what they did and it |
| loses meaning |
| 40.. Be computer literate - share with other teachers - they will come |
| to respect your ability to be a real teacher. |
| 41.. Communicate with other teachers through instant messaging and |
| conferencing |
| 42.. Learn the grant writing process |
| 43.. Be careful of the "lunch room" gossip and stay away from |
| negativity |
| 44.. Seek out other teachers with a positive outlook and don't be |
| afraid to talk about (your) concerns about education or home |
| 45.. We are with students for (7) hours and since (we) are there - |
| make it special and appropriate- |
| 46.. Develop as many homepages as possible, learn html , programming |
| and functions |
| 47.. Look for everything free - there are a thousand sites that offer |
| gifts and equipment |
| 48.. Listen , you will learn , participate and you will grow |
| 49.. Write articles for the daily newpaper , PE journals or Internet |
| sites |
| 50.. Be patient , learn stress management , keep up with your own |
| health , do community work, pray or meditate for strength |
| I hope this has been informative and that I will be availabale to |
| continue to offer my views on this listerv. I will be looking for a new |
| job for workshops , consultations and in-service days. Of course , the |
| golf course awaits my wayward shots but I still feel young in heart and |
| mind and hope that I can be of service to all that may need assistance |
| in PE and technology issues. I will end with some controversial thoughts |
| that I have picked up over the last (5) years on this listserv: |
| a.. Dodgeball - never throw at a person or try to adapt that makes it |
| acceptable |
| b.. Compete with self on personal improvement |
| c.. Not all of us are great typists - don't jeopardize a potential |
| message writer - don't criticze their ability to write - help them |
| d.. We must sell , sell ,sell our craft |
| e.. Sometimes we can write in CAPS - I know its shouting ! |
| Gerry Cernicky |