Early Steps Physical Education Curriculum

Children under the age of 8 love to move—be it run, hop, jump, wriggle, squiggle, skip, or tumble. Now, with Early Steps Physical Education Curriculum: Theory and Practice for Children Under 8, you can turn that natural energy and enthusiasm into solid social learning and a lifelong love for healthy and active lifestyles.

Four top educators from Scandinavia, Greece, Cyprus, and the United Kingdom help you understand ways to promote children’s learning and enhance their intrinsic motivation to be physically active. The authors explore pertinent topics for teachers:

• Child-centred teaching methods
• Behavior of effective teachers
• How to develop intrinsic motivation through physical education
• Curriculum standards with goals and objectives describing what children have learned after lessons are implemented

The authors also present the complete physical education curriculum, including 48 lesson plans, for children up to the age of 8. You receive social interaction lesson plans, healthy behavior lesson plans, and evaluation methods.

Each lesson plan has specific goals and objective to be achieved, offers specific points of emphasis to consider as you implement the lesson, and comes with ideas for modifying it according to the children’s needs. These ready-to-use lesson plans provide an instant framework for creating a new program or updating and fortifying your existing program.

Early Steps Physical Education Curriculum offers a top-notch curriculum, well-researched information and instruction, and engaging and fun games that help children develop social skills and acquire a basic knowledge of what it means to be healthy and active as they continue to grow. It’s a great resource for teachers, students, child-care professionals, and all those who work with preschool children or who train those who will work with preschoolers.

Audience

A reference for professionals working with preschool children and a text for future professionals.

Introduction: Moving to Learn and Learning to Move
Evridiki Zachopoulou
Alexander Technological Educational Institute of Thessaloniki, Greece
Ian Pickup
Roehampton University, United Kingdom

Part I: Basics of an Early Childhood Physical Education Curriculum
Chapter 1. Early Childhood Physical Education in Europe
Arja Sääkslahti
University of Jyväskylä, Finland
Jarmo Liukkonen
University of Jyväskylä, Finland
Variations in Institutional Structures
Physical Education in Early Childhood
Societal and Environmental Challenges
Conclusion

Chapter 2. Teaching Methods
Ian Pickup
Roehampton University, United Kingdom
Need for Child-Centred Teaching Methods
Starting From the Child
Selecting What to Observe
Acting on Observations
Teaching Styles to Promote Learning
Using Group Work

Chapter 3. Teacher Behaviours
Niki Tsangaridou
University of Cyprus, Cyprus
Characteristics of Effective Teachers
Essential Instructional Strategies for Teaching Physical Education
Conclusion

Chapter 4. Promoting Children’s Sound Personality Development and Intrinsic Motivation Towards Physical Activity
Jarmo Liukkonen
University of Jyväskylä, Finland
Social Development Through Physical Education
Development of Intrinsic Motivation Through Physical Education
Motivational Climate in Physical Education

Chapter 5. Early Steps Physical Education Curriculum Standards
Jarmo Liukkonen
University of Jyväskylä, Finland
Standard 1
Standard 2

Part II: Implementing the Early Steps Physical Education Curriculum
Chapter 6. Social Interaction Lesson Plans
Chapter 7. Healthy Behaviour Lesson Plans
Chapter 8. Evaluation Methods
Vasilis Grammatikopoulos
University of Thessaly, Greece
Evaluation in Education
Evaluation in Early Childhood Education
Evaluation Objects, Goals, and Criteria
Programme Evaluation in Education
Systems Approach Evaluation
Practical Applications and Forms

Appendix: Description of the Early Steps Project
Evridiki Zachopoulou
Alexander Technological Educational Institute of Thessaloniki, Greece
Index
About the Authors
About the Contributors

Evridiki Zachopoulou, PhD,is an associate professor in the department of early childhood care and education at the Alexander Technological Educational Institution of Thessaloniki in Greece. She researches physical education for young children and teaches physical education to early educators. She has written numerous papers and research articles studying the effectiveness of physical education activities and movement programs on children’s overall development. She has also published extensively in professional journals and magazines in the area of curriculum design. In her leisure time, she enjoys playing tennis and hiking.

 

Jarmo Liukkonen, PhD, is a professor in the department of sport sciences at the University of Jyvaskyla in Finland. He has conducted research on school physical education and teaches physical education to students and coaches. He has written numerous papers and research articles studying the pedagogical aspects of school physical education and youth sports. From 1991 to 2003, he was a member of the European Sport Psychology Association. In his spare time, he enjoys playing badminton, cross-country skiing, and gardening.

 

Ian Pickup, who is completing his PhD, is director of sport and well-being at Roehampton University in London. He has extensive experience teaching physical education from the early years through the university level. He has led physical education teacher education teams at Roehampton and has written texts and chapters to support the development of non-specialist teachers. He is a member of the British Educational Research Association and a fellow of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts and Commerce. He enjoys spending time with his children, playing club-standard squash, and keeping fit in the gym.

 

Niki Tsangaridou, PhD, is an associate professor in the department of education at the University of Cyprus in Nicosia, Cyprus. She has published extensively on teaching and teacher education in physical education and has made numerous presentations on teacher education topics at international conferences and workshops. She is an editorial member of the Journal of Teaching in Physical Education and is a reviewer for other physical education research journals. She has also taught physical education methods courses and conducted workshops and seminars on teaching young children. In 2004, she received the Metzler-Freedman Exemplary Paper Award from the Journal of Teaching in Physical Education. Away from work, she enjoys sports, writing, and music.

 

Child-centered teaching methods enhance early childhood physical education
Understand the need for rest
Work in groups lesson plan