Riker Hill Elementary School

Gymnastics

Gymnastics is any physical exercise on the floor or apparatus that is designed to demonstrate or promote endurance, strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and body control.

Gymnastics  is an aesthetic (beauty of movement) activity that uses a variety of stimuli (apparatus, group work) to promote development of the body and mind to answer specific tasks. The beauty of gymnastics movement is related to the function of movement or the shape and line of action. It requires a creative link of flowing actions & smooth transitions from one movement to another. This allows one to apply movement concepts to achieve a satisfying, proficient, aesthetic performance of a single skill or sequence thereby creating

“art through movement”.

Educational gymnastics requires many areas of health and skill related fitness such as muscular strength/ endurance, flexibility, coordination, balance and agility to perform various types of movement skills such as rolls, balances, inverted balances, rotational, transfer of weight skills, traveling skills and turns. This is instructed as an educational format where instruction is differentiated for students based on their individual ability and work progressively at their own comfort level. Performing skills as a physical art form is encouraged by emphasizing: to demonstrate body control and perform each skill to the best of each child’s ability (personal perfection = students personal best), taking time to perform skills correctly and safely without rushing, and fluid movements and smooth transitions from one skill to the next. Through creative practice/design, students demonstrate their deep understanding & appreciation of these concepts by sharing and observing each individuals movement expression & interpretation.

Children benefit from gymnastics in many ways:

§      Improves body management & control

§      Aids in the development of locomotive, non-locomotive, & manipulative skills

§      Promotes health & skill related fitness components including: endurance, strength,  flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance

§      Can improve cognitive and affective outcomes of problem solving, body mechanics, and aesthetics.

§             Promotes confidence in all physical skills and activities

Tahan: 1-9-12

The physical education department is about to begin their gymnastics unit. This unit requires preparation and an understanding of how you play a part in keeping your child safe. Gymnastics and the whittle are the two units we teach where we carefully emphasize the importance of safety and appreciation of the risk that it carries more than any other unit. To help keep your child safe we ask that you support our district rules to be prepared for class. The following must be followed:

Ø    No earrings.       Exception: they are taped, and parent writes a note to the PE teacher giving permission to wear them during physical education with the understanding that earrings could harm their child during class.

Ø    No Jewelry (watches, bracelets (unless medical), necklaces, rings.

Ø    No hooded sweatshirts. Wear shirts underneath so the sweat shirt may be removed.

Ø    Long hair must be tied back. No plastic or metal on head

Ø    Loose clothing (warm-up pants, sweat pants).  No jeans

Ø    No skirts or dresses

Ø    Sneakers must be worn. Children should be encouraged to bring their sneakers if they wear boots during the winter

Thank you for valuing our rules to keep your children safe during this very beneficial unit.

Mr. Tahan

 Safety First

Parents, we need your help to keep your child as safe as possible during physical education classes.

PLEASE

• Hoods and loose strings are a hazard. (If you child must wear these clothes, please be sure they have a tee shirt or something appropriate underneath so they can take the top shirt off during P.E. classes.)

• Long hair should be tied back.

• Hoop earrings, watches and bracelets should not be worn during P.E. classes.

Gymnastics Safety Rules

1                    Appreciate the risk

-Participation in gymnastics, even under the best of conditions, carries with it a reasonable assumption of risk.

-Note the fact that improper behavior during this activity can result in injury, paralysis or worse.

2                    Dress appropriately

-No jewelry, must have sneakers and loose clothing, long hair should be tied back, no skirts or dresses, no hooded sweatshirts, and no hard hair ties or clips.

3                    Check equipment

-Prior to each use, make sure everything is in the proper position.

-Any questions ask the teacher.

-Do not attempt to perform any stunts until the person ahead of you is off the mats and clear of your path.

4                    Be prepared to participate

-Be ready to listen to instructions and safety considerations.

-Make use of time given to practice and improve skills

5                    Establish clear student-teacher communication

-Everyone should know exactly who, what, when, where, how, and why a skill is to be performed.

6                    Master the basics

-Basic skills are the foundation for more advanced skills.

-Proper technique is crucial.

-Never try a stunt beyond the level of that being performed in the class

THANK YOU FOR HELPING US KEEP YOUR CHILD