ESTABLISHING AN EFFECTIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT!

I have to admit, I did not really notice this shift in CAPES! that you mentioned. I think after it was over we had a few epiphanies as a group and next week we certainly are going to be shifting our learning environments, but we had a week delay. :) A few of the things that I tried with our group this week was with L. He is a very obedient kid and super quick to please. If he is not following directions I think it is totally and completely because he did not hear or register them. He also has a tendency to have his eyes wander. So getting down on his level and having eye contact while giving him directions/instructions was much better. Also, asking him to repeat what you would like him to do (check for understanding) totally works with him. (BR wasn't there so I am wondering if the same methods would work with him??? Not sure) But I had L pretty successful at playing the rules of the game and cleaning up by using that method. We discussed ways we might help him and BR with their easily distracted little abilities and we have decided to try out the racquetball courts next week for them so that it minimizes distractions. Also, not sure about BR but L is a GREAT reader. So our idea was to have some kind of obstacle course or challenges for them to complete but the directions will be written on signs with pictures possibly. This way L can go to the challenge, read it, and complete it then move onto the next one. Hopefully the same method will work with BR but I am less familiar with him.
BE is so good at following directions/comprehension. His biggest challenge is fine motor skills, so I think for the remaining weeks I am really going to try to focus on different ways to improve that. I would like to take him down to the rock climbing wall and see if he can grasp his hands and just see what he can do. I think he would LOVE to get out of his chair and climb the wall. We will see if we can get his parents on board with that.

As far as learning environments go, what I have learned is really its a case by case basis. Which does NOT make my job any easier as a PE teacher. But just with my experience with L on Tuesday, I am pretty certain what will work for him. I don't have as much confidence with BR. So, what I personally have learned is learning environments are individualized. And that transfers over to a "regular" student learning environment in the same way.