Pitt State hosts KAHPERD convention

Sometimes with teachers, it’s hard to tell who the kids are. As several teachers from around the state were running around trying to knock over (or build up) colored cones, it was a perfect example of one of those situations.
The game was just one of the several breakout sessions available at the 2009 Convention of the Kansas Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (KAHPERD) hosted at Pittsburg State.
More than 450 physical education teachers from all over Kansas came to Pittsburg for the convention. Janice Jewett, PSU associate professor, said this was the fourth or fifth time that PSU has hosted the convention.
“Hosting the convention is fun for us to do,” Jewett said. “It’s a lot of work for the faculty, staff, and students, but it’s very rewarding and gratifying. It’s especially pleasing because we get to showcase the new facility and all of southeast Kansas.”
The convention is scheduled to last three days, Wednesday to Friday, with plenty of classes and breakout sessions. Those breakout sessions included archery, zumba, self-defense, dance, geocaching, tai chi and kung fu, skateboarding, and others.
But part of the focus this year was on teaching fitness courses. Several of the breakout sessions noted this change, including several sessions on nutrition and childhood obesity.
“A lot of that is that we’ve always focused a lot on physical activity,” Jewett said. “The nutritional aspect is more about how to use it. In addition to physical education, more teachers are being asked to teach health, too. They need more ideas about how to teach nutrition.”
Several teachers said the convention was useful for them in several ways. Many noted the variety of activities taught through the convention.
“It’s always a good thing to get new ideas and new games,” said Ashley Miller, teacher at Cedar Hills Elementary in Overland Park. “Kids are always looking for new games to play. It’s always fun to add new activities to the library of games.”
But others noted that the convention is a rare opportunity for physical education teachers.
“For me as a teacher, this is a part of constant professional growth,” said Cindy Johnson of Pleasant Valley Elementary in Wichita. “It’s not just so you can see other people, but also so you can bounce ideas off of them.”
The conference will continue this morning with a half-day of breakout sessions.

Andrew Nash can be reached at andrew.nash@morningsun.net or by calling 231-2600 ext. 132.