I just published a new website to keep my remote teaching/Economics posts separate from my passion project (Just P.E.). Here is my main site, now: NathanMcClallen.com
Economics content?
My why.
Macro is the world. Fyodor Dostoevsky wrote “Beauty will save the world”, but if the world is to be saved, we have to fix education first.
What do we say to the god of death?
Not today. This more or less summarizes my approach to injuries in P.E. Injuries are an unavoidable aspect of life, physical activity, and athletic competition, but they don't have to happen in my class, on my watch. As a teacher and coach, I strive to be in total control of the environment. There are few... Continue Reading →
Basketball changed my life
This is a re-post from an old blog. I originally posted it during my first-ever week at this school, August 2014. Basketball season started a month ago, and I've been working 12-15 hour weekdays since that first day of tryouts — starting two new teams each week (which includes on-boarding coaches, tryouts, parent meetings, registration/... Continue Reading →
Simone Biles can’t throw
Watch this clip, which has been all over the internet the past few days, and list your top 3 takeaways. Simone Biles throws out first pitch at World Series. No seriously, watch it and make a list. I would accept 2-5 takeaways; you should have more than one. Here are mine: Cool flip. I knew... Continue Reading →
My bad
I handed Economics tests back last week. Before I returned them, I had the students do a warm-up "diary" entry. This was the question: "Why is it that most athletes feel like their coach is on their side, but most students feel like their teacher is against them?" That's paraphrased, I did a good amount... Continue Reading →
Cross country complex
Our cross country runners are the hardest-working athletes at our school, as a group. They also have the fewest "fans" show up to their competitions. In this way, our school is like most schools. Is this wrong? Do we need to "fix" it? Will you be satisfied if I tell you I think the answers... Continue Reading →
Grading participation
Every day, (Good) P.E. teachers evaluate effort, and grade students on participation. Let's examine just how difficult that is to do well. [Side note: regarding my use of (Good). Earlier today I was thinking about how tough it must be to be a police officer right now. This led me to wonder what the perception... Continue Reading →
College football has the same problem as the #MeToo movement
When I'm teaching Economics, I lean heavily on real life examples to explain economic concepts. The "textbook" example of a term may be the most accurate real life example, but it can also be overly complicated, or obscure, or just plain boring. So I enjoy trying to come up with examples targeted to whatever group... Continue Reading →
R.I.P.(E.)
This is more of a journal entry, a bookmark, than anything else. Last year I had the best group of students that I will ever teach in a single section. I'm comfortable saying that, although I also dismiss people who make blanket statements like "high school/college (x chapter) is the best time of your life."... Continue Reading →
The rules of the game
The rules of the game matter, because people respond to incentives. This lesson is a breeze to teach in Economics class, but it's essential to survival as a P.E. teacher. All teachers have to learn how to adapt on the fly, but the physical aspect of P.E. gives it a sense of urgency. Games can... Continue Reading →
Just P.E. 