New Breed of Gym Teachers Wants Kids Fit for Life

By Michael Precker

As the battle rages to keep kids fit in an ever-chubbier world, Stacy Turner and Phil Brown are heading to the front lines.

The former classmates at the University of Texas at Arlington are starting jobs as physical education teachers, excited about the possibilities but aware of what they’re up against.

"I see it as my personal responsibility to do whatever I can do to help these kids live a healthy lifestyle," says Mr. Brown.

"My goal is to instill lifelong physical activity," says Ms. Turner.

If that doesn’t sound like an old-fashioned gym class, that’s the idea.

In many schools over the years, PE has endured cutbacks in time, resources and respect. But with health officials warning of an obesity epidemic threatening adults and children, it may never have been more important.

"It’s a new era," Mr. Brown says. "You don’t just roll out the ball and let them play. We need to try to have an impact."

Both teachers are starting at Donna Shepard Intermediate School in Mansfield, which includes fifth- and sixth-graders. Their paths to the school gym were quite different.

Mr. Brown, who’s 41, grew up in Mansfield, worked in construction for 20 years and coached youth sports for fun before deciding to change careers.

"I always loved working with kids," he says. "I was thinking about coaching, but it seems like a lot of kids who aren’t involved in sports just fall through the cracks."

So he went back to school, first at Tarrant County College and then UTA, earning a degree in kinesiology and teaching certification.

Ms. Turner, 23, played soccer for her high school in Houston before moving up here. She started working as a fitness instructor at a child-care center and worked as a personal trainer while studying at UTA. In May, she was honored as the school’s outstanding kinesiology graduate.

"I love kids, and I love fitness," she says. "Everything fell into place."

While the grammar isn’t perfect, her T-shirt proclaims her philosophy: "No child left on their behind."

"So many kids get neglected, especially if they’re not into sports," she says. "They’re the ones who end up hating PE. They don’t care, and they become overweight. We have to change the way they think."

Those are noble goals, especially in a world of video games, pizza buffets and sugary soft drinks. Now what?

Both new teachers say they need to make the most of the time in class, but extend their influence far beyond that.

In the long run, that means helping students sample all kinds of activities, from innovative games and climbing walls to dance and Pilates. It means working in lessons about nutrition and motivation and the lifelong implications of childhood fitness.

"You introduce different activities and if it doesn’t work you try something else," says Ms. Turner, who’s also taking over the school running club. "You want to find something they’ll keep doing on their own."

But starting Aug. 14, the goal for every upcoming class period is simpler: Nobody sits around.

"You have to have a lesson plan every day to get kids moving," says Mr. Brown, who intends to write a grant proposal to build an obstacle course on the school grounds. "I want them to be excited, not knowing every day what they’ll be doing."

Both teachers credit Larry Nelson, one of their professors, with inspiring them. He sees them as part of what he hopes is a renaissance in physical education.

"It’s so important we make it a positive experience," says Dr. Nelson, assistant professor of kinesiology at UTA. "We need to give them activities they’ll continue into adulthood and the understanding why that’s important."

It’s been an uphill battle on several fronts, Dr. Nelson says. Kids stare at video screens instead of running around for hours outside. Schools pressured to improve academic performance find it too easy to sacrifice physical education. Sugar and fast food dominate many adolescent diets.

"We take our health for granted and we should be targeting that first," he says. "So we try to give our teachers a look at all these problems and give them some tools to go out there and make a difference."

Dolly Lambdin, past president of the National Association for Sport & Physical Education, says PE teachers should have a broader role in schools than ever.

"They should be the activity leaders for the school," says Dr. Lambdin, who teaches at the University of Texas at Austin. "We have every child in school, and this is our opportunity to educate them for a healthy lifestyle."

The biggest influence should come from home, she says, but that isn’t always so.

"If 60 percent of the adult population is overweight, how can we expect this will happen?" Dr. Lambdin says. "If 60 percent of adults couldn’t read, we would have literacy programs centered on the home."

What parents can do, she says, is encourage fitness and good nutrition at home, and make sure that their school has the time, resources and emphasis for quality PE.

Susan Springob, a physical education teacher at Webb Elementary in Arlington, spells out the argument for her profession in a sign on her gym door: No Play, No Pass.

Why the twist on the Texas rule governing extra-curricular activities?

"If you move, you’ll be smart and successful," Ms. Springob says. "If you’re not in physical condition, those synapses won’t be firing, you won’t be so alert and you won’t do as well in class."

After more than a decade of teaching, Ms. Springob is as enthusiastic as ever, ready with new games, activities and motivational methods.

"I keep it very fresh and fun," she says. "From the moment I blow the whistle, I want to have so much going on that they can’t be bored. I really feel like I’m making a huge difference in these kids’ lives."

Getting ready for his rookie season, Mr. Brown wants that same feeling.

"I’m a little nervous, but I’m excited," he says. "I can’t wait to actually get in there and start doing it."

E-mail mprecker@dallasnews.com

HOW DOES YOUR CHILD’S GYM CLASS STACK UP?

The National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE), has a checklist for parents to assess their children’s physical education program. These are some of the questions. If any answer is "no," the organization wants parents to get involved to make their school’s program better.

Is physical education taught by a qualified teacher with a degree in physical education?

Is the physical education class size about 25-30 to ensure safe, effective instruction?

Is there adequate equipment for every student to be active?

Is technology incorporated on a regular and continuing basis?

Are indoor and outdoor facilities safe and adequate (so that physical education classes need not be displaced by other activities)?

Does the program provide for maximum participation for every student (inclusion, no elimination games, all students active at once, developmentally appropriate activities)?

Does the program help develop the physical, cognitive, social and emotional aspects of each student?

Do the physical education teachers receive student health information and have a plan for handling emergencies?

Do the physical education teachers communicate with one another and parents frequently?

Do the physical education teachers seek feedback for improvement from students, peers and parents