I believe that my teaching can help a child grow into an adult who deems his/her body and health to be important considerations, worthy of an investment of time and effort. By providing information on the importance of exercise, a healthy diet, and avoidance of negative behaviors such as smoking and unhealthy eating habits, I believe that my influence extends far beyond the elementary years.

By providing my students with a wide array of activities in which they can experience some level of success, I believe that I am potentially setting them up for a lifetime of physical activity and health benefits. While their immediate health can be measured and improved upon, the more important take-away is the set of skills, knowledge base, and enjoyment of physical activity that they take with them throughout their lives.

I believe that all children, regardless of where they begin, are capable of learning and growing through my guidance. It is my responsibility to treat all children as individuals who come from different backgrounds, family lives, and knowledge, but who all can learn new skills and grow through experiences in my classroom. Their social and emotional well-being is as important as their knowledge and abilities gained in my gym.

I believe that I am an important role model for my students in many ways; as a male educator in an elementary school, as a physical educator and athlete, and as a member of the community living in the neighborhood. My words and actions can reach students in a variety of ways. By sharing my goals, struggles, successes, failures, and things I have overcome, I can set an example for each of my students on a daily basis.

I believe that I can and do have a tremendous impact on the lives of the children who enter my classroom, and I do not take that lightly.