Health, Physical Education, And Recreation Newsletter

Page 4Volume 12, Issue 1HEPER Faculty Share Their Virtual Teaching ExperiencesDr. Shingles: Teaching remotelyhas been a slight adjustmentfor Recreation majors, as theyalready have a few Supportiveand Directed Elective coursesthey take online. So, in thatregard, it was not a huge leapfor them to transition into thisformat full-time. That beingsaid, what I found to be a challenge was instructing core orsenior level courses and nothaving the ability to read facialcues and see the proverbial"lightbulb" turn on over students' heads when they finally"get it" or understand a subjectmatter I have been lecturingabout. Typically, these courses are the final face-to-faceinteractions we have with students prior to their internship.Additionally, the last 2-3 courses are composed of content wewant to be sure students havea firm grasp on. It is importantthat faculty have one last opportunity to connect the dotsfrom previous courses. Seniorlevel courses are specificallydesigned to be comprehensiveand inclusive of foundationalknowledge of the nature andscope of the leisure serviceindustry, to go over techniquesand processes used by professionals, and for students toupdate their Philosophy basedon knowledge acquired whilematriculating through the program. As faculty, we often sharewith students the importance ofbeing able to adapt to a givensituation and to commit to being "change agents." Attendinguniversity in the synchronous orasynchronous format hascaused each of us to embraceglobal changes taking place ineach facet of our lives. It is myhope that we are able to maintain the synergy needed forstudents to remain successfulin this current education delivery format, and we all use thisas another opportunity tosharpen or add another skill toour professional development.Prof. McNicholas: In Rec 4540,in order to help facilitate a safedistance networking opportunity, I included a kayaking trip todiscuss opportunities for employment in the Forest Preserve, adventure Rec, and partnerships with other groups.Students really embraced theopportunity to engage in nature.They also valued a block of timewhich involved no technologyand the ability to see each other and talk about our profession, current circumstances,and future aspirations in thefield. In another course, whichis a TBD hybrid, our meetingtime is 5 - 7 PM on Sundays,which was selected throughpolling and discussion with thegroup. I have found that onlineparticipation in this course isvery consistent, and that students have embraced the meeting time (despite the occasionaloverlap with Bears games). Inanother class, we are engagingoutside instructors and speakers to lecture on their workplace engagement as a substitute to volunteer opportunitiesthat are not currently availabledue to contact regulations atcertain public service agencies.Students report the networkingto be supportive of their education and opening doors to theirideas about possible employment in the field.Dr. Buck: PE 2140 MovementConcepts and Dance and PE2611 Principles of Group Exercise are both hybrid. Sometimes, we meet online, andsometimes face to face, but,due to the scheduling of theseclasses back to back and overlapping students between thetwo classes, sometimes thereare students logging in fromhome while the rest of the classis with me on campus. I alsomeet synchronously online forPE 4022, which is working outreally well. I have three otherasynchronous online classes.Issues I have had relate first toorganization– rememberingwhich morning class is meetingonline versus in person, andthen setting up the online linksfor the class to log in. Although Iam a very organized person, Ihave found myself seeminglyturning in circles a few times.The other issue is shared bymany teacher colleagues: howdo I transition a particular lesson into the online environment? Movement Concepts andDance as well as Group Exercise are both full of peer teaching experiences, so I have hadto come up with new ways toteach the material from home.This includes finding videos orusing items around the houseas equipment. For instance,during the rhythms lesson for2140, I used a tupperware container and a wooden spatula fora drum. We still come togetherfor peer teaching (fully maskedand physically distanced). Wehave had some minor“freezing” online, but at thesame time, I have also successfully created breakout rooms forgroup work! And, of course, Igenerally either have a kittenwrapped around my neck orone threatening to pounce onmy space bar. Generally speaking, I think the students aredoing well and are taking thingsin stride. I know they appreciatethe effort that professors areputting forth.Dr. Buck with Teacher’s Pet,GG, and Jesus Miranda during PE 4022.

Page 5Volume 12, Issue 1Stormy Pedagogy: I Can’t See What You Say!By Dr. KutameAfter more than six months ofbeing immersed in some formof remote teaching, I find myself thinking about how luckyand rewarding it is to be aneducator but how difficult andexhausting it has really been. Ireally do not envy those elementary and secondary schoolteachers who are faced with theproblems associated withproviding physical educationlessons to their students duringthis pandemic. Perhaps mycolleagues in the department ofHealth Education, Physical Education, and Recreation cameinto college teaching wanting toprepare teachers who wouldtruly go out and have an impacton student learning. However,we never dreamed that wewould not be in the gymnasium,the dance studio, the aquaticscenter, or the classroom usingtools that we know would provide our teacher candidates thebest practices in preparing tobe physical education teachers.We never dreamed we would bein a situation where we couldnot see the facial expression ofstudents and react to the manyconcerns, questions, and needsof our students. In the gymnasium or the classroom, I am oftenbombarded with a ton of decisions that need my immediateattention. It became ratherunsettling for me to wake upafter spring break to find that Icould no longer step into myoffice, the gymnasium, or theclassroom to interact with students and with my colleagues.Instead, I had to reinvent myself. I had to find new ways toteach about teaching. I had touse different pedagogical skillsto teach strategies, principles,and best practices, all doneremotely. I had never had touse BigBlueButton, Zoom, orGoToMeeting and never had toput students in breakoutrooms, but here I was having tolearn how to use these technologies for teaching and learning.I quickly had to abandon mynotion of how and what itmeant to prepare physical education teacher candidates andhow to interact with studentsand colleagues in the profession. I could no longer use thewhite board to make illustrations about what and how toplan units and lessons. I couldno longer get my students tohave authentic teaching experiences working with children inschools. I had to find a newway to put students in groupsfor group discussion or cooperative learning. I must say I amstill adjusting to this new realityof remote teaching and learningas distinct from online teachingand learning. Perhaps, I ambecoming much better prepared for remote teaching thanin March when we returnedfrom Spring break. I have had alot of discerning thoughts onhow to engage students when Icould not see their faces, eitherbecause they did not have thetools for being on camera orthey chose not to appear oncamera. I have had to selfevaluate my own efficacy. Howwas I to assess for active teaching and learning students? Howwas I to contextualize meaningful tasks and how they could beapplied? How was I to monitorthe learning environment? Howwas I to motivate students remotely? I have been an educator for over thirty-five years andmost of it at a college level. Formost of these years, nothing Ilearned through my experiences nor my university educationhad prepared me for whatCovid-19 dumped into my lap. Ifthere is anything I have learned,remote teaching is unlike anyform of traditional teaching. Ihave had to adopt my colleague’s, Dr. Bob Szyman, maxim, “Semper Gumby”. I havehad to educate myself on newtechnologies and learn not tobe afraid to make mistakes. Ihave learned my socialemotional wellbeing was moreimportant than my physical well-being. Most of all, I have neverdoubted that my students areup to any challenge, given theright environment and tools forthem to succeed.“I have had toeducate myselfon newtechnologiesand learn notto be afraid tomakemistakes.”Meet Three New HEPER StudentsName: Katie Hart. Major: Therapeutic Recreation. PreviousInstitution: I am a transfer student from Moraine Valley community College. Why did youchoose your major? I choseTherapeutic Recreation because I have worked with children and adults with specialneeds for the last 16 years, andI truly enjoy it. Career goals:move up to the administrationposition in my current job. Hobby or other interests: anythingactive. I enjoy going kayakingwith my dog and husband, and Ialso enjoy playing volleyball andsoftball.Name: Yanlis Feliz. Major: Tourist sports Recreation. Previousinstitution: Seward County Community College. Why did youchoose your major? I took thiscareer because, since I wasyoung, I liked tourism. Since Iam an athlete, I decided to do asmall combination betweensports and tourism. CareerGoals: My goal is to finish mydegree, then go to my countrywhere tourism is growing andbe able to offer my services asa professional to all my people.Hobby or other interests: I playvolleyball and that's my favoritehobby. Maybe I can be a professional.(continued)Katie Hart

Page 6Volume 12, Issue 1New Students cont.Name: Anthony Barkan. Major:Physical Education. Previousinstitution: Northeastern IllinoisUniversity. Why did you chooseyour major? I love to help children be happy. Career goals: PEteacher in middle school hopefully. Hobbies or other interests:I work 64 hours a week drivinga semi truck, run a 501c3 nonprofit animal rescue (if anyonewants to adopt a cat, let meknow!), collect rocks and fossils, and, of course, exercise!Yanlis FelizAnthony BarkanDr. Szyman Treading Water on PE 2360The Health Education, PhysicalEducation and Recreation Department last conducted PE/REC 2360 Aquatics for thePhysical Education and Recreation Professional during the FallSemester of 2018. The ChicagoState University Aquatics Centerwas closed during the summerof 2019, so the Fall 2019 offering of the course was cancelledbecause the predicted date ofthe reopening of the aquaticscenter was promoted as Spring2020. Hopes to conduct theclass were dashed and now theplans to renovate the aquaticscenter are underway. There isan anticipated opening date oflate spring or early summerwith the opportunity to beginoffering courses requiring thepool by the Fall of 2021. Ofcourse, there is no guarantee.Efforts to offer the course offcampus during Fall 2020 weresquashed by COVID-19 since allChicago area pools wereclosed. As this newsletter goesto “press”, faculty members areworking with the administrationto secure a site to conduct thecourse off campus for Spring2021 and, if necessary, Fall2021. Until Fall 2018, theAmerican Red Cross (ARC) didnot restrict enrollment in PE/REC 2360. Now, there is a RedCross imposed constraint of 10students per Water Safety Instructor (WSI) Trainer. Also, aChicago Public School policynow in effect requires thatphysical educators who teachswimming as part of a highschool physical education curriculum must have a currentARC WSI certificate and a current ARC Lifeguarding certificate. Faculty members are promoting a lifeguarding unit within PE/REC 2360 for those students who can meet specificprerequisites. No currentHEPER faculty member is aLifeguarding Trainer. Dr. Szy-man and Mr. McNicholas arebonafide ARC WSIs and Szymanis a WSI Trainer (WSIT). PETEand Recreation students weresent a survey in September, theresponses to which will providedata requested by CSU administration so they can consideroptions for offering the coursetwice during 2021 to alleviatethe backlog of students needing PE 2360 to graduate. Todate, a third of the PETE andRecreation students have notcompleted the survey, which istaking responders an averageof 4 minutes, 4 seconds to finish and submit. Please add yourinput to the survey so the faculty are prepared to present asalient argument to the administration, and students will havethe opportunity to take thecourse.“Facultymembers areworking withadministrationto secure asite for Spring2021.”

Chicago State UniversityThe Department of Secondary Education, Professional Studies and Recreation offers:CERTIFICATE IN THERAPEUTIC RECREATION (CTRS).The Certificate in Therapeutic Recreation program is designed to enable individualsto attain the Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) certificate by the 5National Council on Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC). Courses completed in the program may be applied towards a master’s degree. The certificate consists of five required courses and one elective course chosen between two courses.CTRS CERTIFICATION (12‐18 CREDIT HOURS) REC 5000; REC 5280;REC 5300; REC 5320; REC 5430; REC 5440; REC 5500; 1 elective course chosenbetween two courses.Chicago State University9501 S. King DriveJDC 216Chicago, IL 60628Phone: 773-995-2290GENERAL REQUIREMENTS· Be a proficient computer and internet user· Proof of passing the following supportive courses in their bachelor’s degree orwithin five years of entering the certificate program: (1) Anatomy and physiology,(2) Abnormal psychology, (3) Human Growth and Development across the lifespanor equivalent.SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS1. Pass all six courses with a grade of “C” or better.2. Proof of passing the supportive courses.3. Proof of one year of paid work experience under the supervision of a CTRS (orequivalent as determined by NCTRC) or complete an internshipFollow us on Facebook!Find us at Health, PE,and Recreation program at Chicago StateUniversityOur Master’s in PEdegree is 100% online!Email sbuck@csu.edu for more information!Earn your Driver’s Ed andHealth Endorsements with us!Email bbelisle@csu.edu for more information!FIT KIDS LEARN BETTER

Des Plaines River. Unique Brad-ley, Summer Adams, Tina Izzo-Delbovo, and Christina Frangos were led by Prof. McNicholas on a 3 hour paddle. Another new adventure for CSU TR stu-dent Tina Izzo-Delbovo is a partnership with Chicago State University Recreation Program and Chicago Park District Health Promotion manager, Rebecca Tsolakidas. Tina was