Anna Mead's NASPE Teacher of the Year application
The application has five parts about which each applicant wrote. Follow the links below to read what Anna wrote.
If you wish to contact Anna Mead, use the following contact information:
The five criteria
Criteria 1:
Conducts a quality Physical Education program as reflected in NASPE
standards and curriculum guidelines for K-12 Physical Education
programs.
Criteria 2: Utilizes teaching methodologies and plans innovative learning experiences to meet the needs of all students.
Criteria 3:
Serves as a positive role model epitomizing personal health and
fitness, enjoyment of activity, sportsmanship, and sensitivity to the
needs of students.
Criteria 4: Participates in professional development opportunities
Criteria 5: Provides service to the profession through leadership, presentations, and/or writing.
Criteria 1
Conducts a quality Physical Education program as reflected in
NASPE standards and curriculum guidelines for K-12 Physical Education
programs.
“Never believe that a few caring people can’t change the world. For, indeed that’s all who ever have.” Margaret Mead
I have been in several situations throughout my teaching
career where I have taken over for or have had to teach with
professionals that do not accept or embrace quality physical education.
While I have had some days of wondering why I don’t just give up on
them, most of the time I would just continue to be myself and offer
quality physical education. After all, I am here for my students and I
believe they deserve the very best that I can give. Wonderful things
have happened in each one of these instances. Because I never lost site
of my goals or gave up on the standards for my students’ sake, and
because of student pressure, the professionals began moving in the
right direction. So, I love the quote by Margaret Mead and I have lived
it.
Beginning in the year 2000, I have been on the committee
in charge of writing our district Physical Education assessments. These
assessments are closely aligned with our district standards, which
exceed our state standards and are more closely aligned with the
National standards. I am very proud of our district assessment. I
piloted the assessment at Conifer High School before it went district
wide. I was on the team that evaluated the data and made adjustments to
the test. In the fall of 2003, the assessment was given district wide.
Again, I was on the team that evaluated the test and made final
changes. The district assessment will be administered both in fall,
2004, and spring, 2005. It is very exciting to have been part of this
process, as we will have two years of data to examine from which to
learn. My students know that everything we do in class is for a reason.
We have an ultimate goal. They also know that our goals are connected
to our district and national standards.
I believe that assessment is a necessary tool to discover
what my students are learning and also to test my own teaching
methodologies. My students are assessed either formally or informally
in each class period. Because I teach high school students, I use
self-assessment, peer observation, teacher observation, and
questioning. I have used rubrics, checklists, and oral and written
exams. The national standards are my guide in developing activities for
my students. My students have learned about and created their own
fitness portfolio. This portfolio includes pre and post measurements,
measurable goals that are written from the five health related and the
six skill related components. It provides a record with which my
students can keep track of their physical activities for the semester,
and provides an opportunity for my students to compare and contrast the
two food pyramids. They must also keep a log of what they eat for a
week and then analyze their diet and draw conclusions. Finally, they
write an essay on what they learned and how they will continue to stay
fit for life. This project is one way to assess that my students
demonstrate competency and understanding of movement concepts,
principles, strategies and tactics as they apply to the learning and
performance of physical activities. It also shows that they participate
regularly in physical activity. My aerobics classes choreograph,
produce, film, direct, edit, select music, and add graphics for their
final aerobics video. They must include information about the
components of physical education and discuss the importance of good
nutrition in the video. This year we are going to involve the Conifer
High School band and they will supply the music for our video. This
helps students learn to reach out to community resources. It helps them
to reach out to other people and it teaches them the value of inclusion
in the school community. The finished product will then be placed in
our public library located in our school and made available to the
public! This is a true authentic assessment! The students achieve and
maintain a health-enhancing level of physical fitness while working on
the project. They must exhibit responsible personal and social behavior
that respects self and others in a physical activity setting. My
students show that they value physical activity for health, enjoyment,
challenge, self-expression and social interaction.
Because I have a quality physical education program, I am
making changes in my students’ lives. I am creating quality healthy
learners who value themselves and physical activity. I foresee that my
students will continue to change the world as caring people do.
Criteria 2
Utilizes teaching methodologies and plans innovative learning experiences to meet the needs of all students.
Every student deserves a quality physical education
experience. The students that I teach and that I have taught over the
years come from a wide and varied background. Many, I’m sorry to say,
have not had a good experience in physical education classes. It
definitely warms my heart and brings tears to my eyes when I hear them
say, “This is the first time that I have liked P.E.!” I also LOVE to
hear adults say that they wish that they could have had a teacher like
me! I lived through some very traumatic experiences growing up and
because of those, I never thought I wanted to be a teacher. It took me
only one semester in college to figure out that I did want to be a
physical education teacher and that I would be the best that I could
be. No child would ever suffer emotional or physical pain while I was
around.
Because I teach high school, I know my students are going
to be adults soon. I carefully point out that the material and concepts
that they are learning are extremely important. I want my students to
learn to love moving and to find healthy activities that they can do
for the rest of their lives. I know that the same approach does not
work for all. When I am presenting written material, I hand out a copy,
show it on an overhead, and verbally go over it. When I am presenting a
physical movement, I talk about it while I am modeling it. It is
important to model good practices and then give the students the
opportunity to have the specific learning experience. I use the
questioning method quite often so I can evaluate whether comprehension
has taken place. I am constantly asking my students which
health-related and skill-related components we are working on. I do
this while we are moving, so they can grasp the idea that they can
relate the concepts they are learning all the time.
On the first day of class and at Back to School Night, I
show a power point presentation of our expectations. This includes our
district standards and the national standards. I spend a great amount
of time talking about respect: discussing sportsmanship, and respecting
themselves, their classmates, our facility, the equipment and me. I
talk about differences and how we will all work together to help each
other be successful. I am constantly modifying game rules. Sometimes
the kids laugh and tease me that I make them up as we go. I make sure
that everyone can be successful in everything that we do. My students
learn the value of diversity and they work to include ALL students, no
matter what their ability or disability. I also work on team building
activities throughout the semester.
I had the wonderful experience of being able to develop
the curriculum for our district’s online physical education course.
This has been and still is a labor of love. I teach students that are
school phobic, have been expelled from school, are pregnant or have
just given birth, have severe medical needs, or are full time online
students. I can report many success stories, and some of the essays at
the end of their portfolios are very emotionally moving.
I developed an adapted physical education class that pairs
peer coaches with special needs students. I call them athletes and
coaches. My students with special needs can earn points for an athletic
letter. (The look on their faces the first time they wear their own
letter jacket to school is priceless!) I run a basketball game at
Conifer High School against our rival Miller School. Miller is an all
special needs school. In January of 2004, we successfully completed our
7th annual game. It was the biggest one yet. Miller brought their
entire student body, which consisted of 125 middle and high school
students. Almost my entire school showed up for the event, which was
held during the day. I run it just like any other athletic event. I had
a singer for the national anthem. The band played and the cheerleaders
cheered. Every administrator was there. A local TV station even covered
the event. This is one way I can show the student body just how awesome
these kids are. Before I began this program, we had trouble with the
student body calling the special students ugly names. They made fun of
them and took advantage of them. Now, I have a waiting list each year
for peer coaches for my class, and it is “cool” to be involved with
them. This event and the peer coach training that I do for my class has
brought about a paradigm shift within the student body.
Criteria 3
Serves as a positive role model epitomizing personal health and
fitness, enjoyment of activity, sportsmanship, and sensitivity to the
needs of students.
I love physical activity and physical education. I grew up
dancing, swimming, running, and playing everything that my parent’s
would let me play. I entered this profession so that I could make a
difference in the lives of my students. Because I was always active, it
became a lifelong habit. Although I do not play everything anymore, I
still play volleyball and tennis. I also still love to be in the pool,
and I have discovered Curves For Women. My students know that I love to
walk and I wear my pedometer as a role model. During my classes, I
stress the affective aspects of physical activity. I encourage students
to move to feel better, no matter what kind of a day they have had. I
am always smiling, laughing and having a great time in class. My
enjoyment of activity is contagious.
My fundamental philosophy of teaching places the
importance on students participating and learning the concepts of
physical education and not on winning. Because I can’t keep them from
ever being on a team or in an experience where they might lose, I
expect my students to learn from every situation. I just want them to
give it all they’ve got. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, but you
learn from it. It is important for students to understand and
experience difficult times. Our world is very competitive. I help my
students understand how to handle tough situations by encouraging them
to participate to the best of their ability. I am amazed at how
frightened new students are when they first enter class. They expect me
to say that they have to lift 200lbs or something like that. It is a
challenge when students come to my program with the wrong impression
about physical education. It has become part of my mission to correct
these misunderstandings! I am very empathetic and sensitive to the
emotional needs of my students.
One of our district standards addresses responsible
personal and social behaviors. I am a role model for my students by
understanding that each student is an individual with his/her own
background, strengths and weaknesses. I know that what I teach is
important, but not as important as to whom I teach it. I have a student
who is often left alone and lives in the back of a truck with a camper
on top of it. He is often hungry and depressed. I have other students
that have been kicked out of their houses. I have online physical
education students who are pregnant or who have just given birth. I try
to put myself in their shoes. How difficult would it be to try to focus
on school? A kind word, a smile, just listening to them helps them get
through the day. I admire and care for every one of my students.
As a physical education teacher, I believe I must be a
positive role model of fitness. My students know that I lead an active
lifestyle. I have in the last few years begun to have some weight
issues. Through my struggles, I am able to teach and reach many of my
students who are struggling at a young age. I have always had high
expectations for all of my students, my co-workers and especially
myself! I only ask of my students what I would also do myself. Students
really enjoy playing with me or against me. I feel I do my best
teaching when I am on the court with a team, and I help them see how
important it is to pass the volleyball to the setter and for the setter
to set the hitter. I also think that it is good for my students to see
that I make mistakes and how I handle myself when I make a mistake. I
use humor effectively. I treat everyone with respect and, in return, I
am treated with respect.
Sportsmanship is extremely important to me, my students
know that the only acceptable behavior in class is to treat everyone
with respect An administrator observing my class one day commented how
nice, encouraging and helpful my students were to one another. She
complimented me on great teaching. It really made me feel good that she
was able to see what I work so hard to accomplish.
Criteria 4
Participates in professional development opportunities.
Learning is an important aspect of our lives. We are all
lifelong learners. I am constantly looking for classes to take, and new
innovative ways to introduce games, skills, and techniques. I am in my
25th year of teaching and each day I wake up energized. I stay current
with new publications that NASPE has to offer, such as, Concepts and
Principles of Physical Education and Beyond Activities Learning
Experiences to Support the National Physical Education
Standards-Elementary/Secondary. Upon sharing and recommending these
books to our district coordinator for physical education, she then
decided that every PE teacher in our district should benefit from them.
The books were ordered for 234 physical education teachers or 137
schools. The books went into the libraries for the teachers to use as
resources.
I attended our COAHPERD state convention and was able to
attend the pre-convention workshop last year. That was amazing! I came
away with great ideas for my classes. I was also asked to present my
Adapted Physical Education/Peer Coach Unified Special Olympic
“Lettering” Program at the 2003 convention. That was something very new
for me, but I enjoyed the experience and found that the stretch was
good for me. This year I will be presenting three different sessions!
These are my Lettering Program, “Have No Fear Factor-How to Advocate
for Quality Physical Education” and “Sun Safety Awareness”.
I began my masters degree program this year, a lifelong
dream. My schedule is very hectic and I just couldn’t go to traditional
classes, so I am enrolled online. I teach an online class and I know
that classes are much harder online, but I am enjoying the challenge.
I wrote a grant in December of 2003. This was a new
experience for me. This grant was for Sun Safety Awareness. There was
no curriculum for the high school level. As a preliminary to curriculum
development, I had the idea to make a DVD movie for our student body
and our staff to watch on Lobo Trax, which are our video announcements.
I planned a staff professional development in-service on sun safety,
which was well received. I recruited students to work on the movie; I
purchased UV detector cards and watches, sunscreen and lip balm. I
purchased a Wood Light that shows the sun damage on one’s skin. I have
created a newspaper ad that will run in the October issue of our school
newspaper. Four more will run in the upcoming editions, and we will
show part of the DVD on Lobo Trax right before Prom.
I participate in district professional development
opportunities, as well as classes that will enhance my teaching. Some
of those have been a USTA tennis clinic, Fitness Gram Training, a Best
Practices inservice, and many others. I stay current with my CPR/First
Aid certification, and I will attend the Colorado Health School
Workshop In October of 2004. I facilitated the teaching of our district
assessment protocols to my mountain area schools. I learned cup
stacking and I became a consultant to Bob Fox and Speed Stacks to
develop more appropriate categories for the special needs stackers. I
helped manage the pre-kindergarten, special needs stackers and open
division area at the World Cup Stacking Championships in the spring of
2004.
I was a grant recipient and piloted the use of Polar Heart
Rate Monitors and a hand held Apple Newton in 1997 at Conifer High
School. I learned to sync the information to my computer and provide
printouts for my students.
We have Intouch at our school, which allows parents to
view my grade book online. I attended training to understand how to use
this program. It is exciting that parents can see immediately and
monitor their student’s progress in class.
Professional development opportunities are important to
me and I attend as many as I can. My problem is that I want to do
everythingŠ just ask people who know me!
Criteria 5
Provides service to the profession through leadership, presentations, and/or writing.
The following is a list of leadership qualities that are
the most important to me. I feel that I have naturally expressed these
qualities throughout my life and my career.
Innovative
| Innovative |
|
Self-Starter |
| Empathetic |
|
Catalyst |
| Foresight |
|
Strategic Thinker |
| Good listener |
|
Adaptable |
| Commitment to serving the needs of others |
|
Builds Coalitions |
| Commitment to the growth of others |
|
Flexibility |
| Creative |
|
Team builder |
| Energetic |
|
Motivator |
| Enthusiastic |
|
Vision |
| Sense of humor |
|
Helps Others Excel |
| Integrity |
|
Respect for Others |
| Awareness |
|
Intelligence |
This is the way I choose to live my life. By modeling these
qualities every day for my students and my co-workers, I feel that I am
giving the gift of myself. I embody these qualities because being who I
am I affect the lives of my students. These are the principles that I
live by because I believe that these are the qualities that are worthy
of being passed on.
I serve my school as the department chair for physical
education and I am a member of the following committees: Technology,
Scheduling, Social and Professional Learning Communities.
I am the Cadre Leader for the Mountain Area in our
district. I attend district meetings and then I report to the schools
in my area. I have produced videos for our district’s online physical
education class called, “Contemporary Physical Education.” I also
produce a DVD movie and slideshow for our spring athletic banquet for
adapted physical education/peer coach class. I develop power points to
show our classes and our parents on Back to School Night.
I have had the opportunity to serve the Colorado
Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance,
(COAHPERD) during the last year and hopefully for many years to come. I
have been the Secondary Chair Elect and the Secondary Chair for
2004/2005. I continue to serve as the Recreation Elect. I have
participated on the Professional Development Committee, and then, upon
my return from the No Child Left Behind Forum, I joined the Advocacy
Committee. I have also volunteered to be our Parliamentarian. I created
a flyer entitled “Why We Need Quality Physical Education” to hand out
to our state legislators, to school board members, principals, etc. I
wrote a book review for our state COAHPERD publication and an article
on winning the Sun Safety Grant.
Last year, I presented at our COAHPERD convention on my
“Adapted Physical Education/Peer Coach Unified Special Olympic
‘Lettering’ Program”. This was something very new and different for me.
I enjoyed it so much that I am presenting that session again this year,
(2004), along with two other sessions. I will co-present on “Sun Safety
Awareness” and I will also present, with two of my fellow COAHPERD
executive board members, “Have No Fear Factor-How to Advocate for
Quality Physical Education”.
I was one of two people chosen to represent the state of
Colorado at the No Child Left Behind, (NCLB) forum in Reston, Virginia
in Feb 2004. This was an amazingly inspirational and motivational
experience for me. I loved being there! Upon our return we spoke to the
COAHPERD board members about our experience at the conference:
information on NCLB and advocating for quality physical education. I
was very honored to attend this prestigious event and it is something I
will never forget!