Policy

 Leading up to and on the Healthy Activity Day, it was imperitive the yellow group adhered to St. Mary's Health and Physical Education Policy.  In the aims of the policy, it states the aims and rationale behind teaching a health and p.e policy as well as why they teach it. It talks about the importance of not only addressing students' physical health, but social,emotional and mental as well. It addresses the importance of students being able to relate to each other. We adhered to this by having the students in mixed aged groups and in various environments. We directly addressed the school's aim of teaching students the link between exercise and good health through the gymnastics, boxing, cooking, gardening and interactive whiteboard games. Teaching students to understand the rules and fair play associated with health and p.e was also done through the previous stated activities.  Within the rationale of the school's health and p.e policy, they mention the importance of meeting the needs of the whole child and they encourage students to participate in physical activity and learning about and developing skills in a range of sporting activities. Clearly our day encouraged this quite strongly. A significant aspect of the rationale was developing the students' interpersonal skills such as leadership. This was clearly done by having students in groups of various ages. The older students were given the opportunity to act as role models and a leadership figure for the junior students. The day also helped us, as student teachers, to develop our skills in leadership and teaching in a different setting. Most importantly, we were emphasising the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle and this was the also the last point in the rationale.  Ways of implementing their policy encompassed a range of proffessional and well structured learning programs. Listed among these programs is the Sowing the Seeds Program. As we were directly have an association with this program, it is evident we had a responsibility to put as much effort in as possible to help educate the students about living a healthy lifestyle. With enthusiasm and positivity, we presented a range of ways in which to live a healthy lifestyle through our activities.  Overall, I feel the yellow group did a great job at adhering to St. Mary's Health and Physical Education Policy. We successfully ran a healthy activity day whilst still keeping in mind the school's expectations and wishes of keeping the students' learning the highest priority. Having a firm understanding of the school's policy helped with the organisation and preparation of the day. We were able to have a firm grasp on what we could base our healthy activity day on through viewing the policy. .
 * POLICIES ADHERED TO AT ST. MARY'S, RUSHWORTH**