How to Lead Games

I'm tellin' ya, you've gotta admire today's gym teachers and camp rec directors. No longer can they simply have their students "choose up sides," and give them an arsenal of rubber balls with which they can "bombard" one another in the activity commonly known as Catch-That-Ball-or-Be-Hit-So-Hard-Your-Bruised-Skin-Will-Remain-Forever-Purple. No, today's captains of physical education must: choose games that minimize chances for physical harm; examine the playing field for hidden dangers such as gopher holes and sprinkler heads; make sure the kids are at least briefly introduced to each other before the games begin; be constantly upbeat and enthusiastic; use creative, quick, and random ways of dividing kids into teams; develop stop-action signals to use if the going gets too rough; and, above all, (you knew this was coming!) protect the self-esteem of each and every kid under their care. In this inexpensive tape, Dr. Bill "We Did It!" Michaelis illustrates his sensible tenets in surprisingly natural fashion, demonstrating six different games and incorporating examples of physical and "emotional" safety. Explaining that "we are not playing games; we are providing a positive emotional experience," Michaelis's tape is intended primarily for elementary and middle school rec leaders, who will be exhausted-but-satisfied at day's end, knowing that they juggled self-esteem issues with leading truly enjoyable games. An admirable effort. Highly recommended. Aud: E, I, J, C, P. (K. Glaser)