Janeth Espindola

LBS 400
May 5, 2015
Reflective Statement VPA and PE
In order to teach Visual Performing Arts and Physical Education, one must have
knowledge in loco motor, non-loco motor and manipulative skills. Knowledge in movement,
basic biomechanics and motor learning principles is important to educate students on the
importance of fitness in their daily life. It is important as a teacher to incorporate rhythmic
activities to teach students about movement in place and around the room, and make them aware
of a sense of space and time. Through these skills and principles, children will be able to increase
their flexibility, muscular strength, body composition and aerobic capacity.
The classes that have provided the knowledge needed to teach these subject areas are,
Dance Perceptions (DAN 130), Dance in Elementary Schools (KIN 447) and Physical Education
in the Elementary School (KIN 425). In these courses I learned about cultural dances and the
history behind them. I learned the importance of fitness in the life of a child and how to create
different activities to motivate the student to stay active. We learned the different stages of
growth and the skills a student should have at that age and how to properly teach them general
skills such as throwing, jumping, kicking, skipping, etc. I learned how rhythmic activities do not
have be necessarily be dances, but can be things like skipping around the room to the beat of
music. In these courses I realized how little I knew about physical education and how my
perspective was a negative one because I associated it with something that was not fun to do.
However, I have learned to incorporate movement in a classroom without it being activities that
some students find difficult to perform such as push-ups, curl-ups, etc.
The artifact that I have chosen for this subject is my lesson plan from KIN 447. In this
lesson plan, we had to create an activity that could incorporate a VPA and PE standards. This

lesson plan was done as a group of three students and we chose our lesson focus to be the chacha slide. This lesson plan demonstrates my knowledge in the importance of warming up and
cooling down properly in each activity. My knowledge and proper stretches to work on
flexibility and the correct body terms used during each exercise. It also shows creative rhythmic
movements as we added the scarves during the second part of the lesson to take away the tension
students may have as they dance in front of others and focus on a prop.