supportREALteachers.org: Our website is looking for feedback. supportREALteachers.org is the new updated CASPER website that has content (including videos and downloadables) for teachers, parents, administrators, and PETE programs. Topics include: importance of quality physical education, how to evaluate a program, effective teaching strategies, icebreaker and teambuilding activities, instructional dance, web resources, fitness, teaching tools, and more. Our goal is to advocate for quality physical education, and to provide resources to help achieve this goal. Our efforts are based on National Association for Sport and Physical Education standards; the guidelines for physical education published by the American Heart Association, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Academy of Pediatrics; and the extensive body of research on effective teaching in physical education and exercise’s effect on the mind and body. Please share in the forum.   SHOULD COACHES PRACTICE WITH THEIR ATHLETES? I know of a wrestling coach that broke an athletes nose because he was wrestling with him in practice. The coach was suspended, almost fired. Wasn't he just preparing his athletes for matches? Please share in the forum.   FOOTBALL - 2 a days: Should 2 a day practices continue through the school year to help give an edge against a better opponent? Please share in the forum.   BIGGEST PROBLEM WITH ATHLETES: We as coaches usually have certain things that we do not like to have in our athletes. In this thread I would like to see what other peoples' thoughts are on the subject. My biggest personal problem is having an athlete that has all the talent in the world, but is lazy and doesn't achieve their personal greatness. Please share in the forum.   RESPONDING TO INJURIES: When I played football in middle school I got an injury, and when I told my coach about my injury he did not listen to me, and made me finish the practice. Do you think these coaches should assess the injury before responding, or making these children play with injuries? How can we make sure that more coaches actually pay attention to injuries so that these players are not effected in the long run? Please share in the forum.   SPORT CURRICULUM vs FITNESS: I believe that both sport curriculum and fitness curriculum are important to any overall physical education curriculum. However, I believe that sport curriculum is more important than fitness curriculum. In sports, students learn skills, learn strategy, and use aspects of fitness. I think that although both are very important, more time should be spent on sports because students use multiple things in sports but in fitness only 1 or 2 aspects are focused on. My question is, do you think that fitness curriculum is more important than sport curriculum, or is sport more important than fitness? Please share in the forum.   INCORPORATING PE: With all the recent budget plans in education, it is inevitable that some districts will have to let employees go. I hope that the students will not be deprived of an efficient PE program. Physical education can be incorporated into the classroom with the use of pedometers and even learning through movement. However, core subjects such as history and science can also be incorporated into physical education class. I recently learned how to teach students geography by standing up and using your own body as a map. My question is, how else can school subjects be incorporated into PE? It is important for PE instructors to prove their importance in the school district as well. Please share in the forum.   TEACHING AQUATICS: I am currently a sophomore in college, and while receiving my education I want to take all the right steps to get proper certifications. I love aquatic programs, and feel that they will be very beneficial to the students. Not only is it important for everyone to learn basic swimming strokes, but also students will have the opportunity to learn lifetime activities, such as fishing. That being said, what class or certification do I need to be marketable and able to teach aquatics in PE? Please share in the forum.

PARKOUR FITNESS: Parkour is a growing activity among our youth and one that I greatly support because it teaches discipline both mentally and physically. For those not familiar with parkour, you can visit www.americanparkour.com. It has been called urban gymnastics by some, and is a great way for students to get into shape outside of the classroom. No teams or equipment are needed, simply a good pair of running shoes. Parkour teaches us to rely on our own capabilities to get from point A to B, while letting nothing get in our way. Parkour could be taught to students with the hopes of kindling a few fires and igniting some passion towards becoming physically fit. Especially for those students who do not excel at certain sports, but posses the physicality to practice related skills such as jumping and climbing. However, outside of the classroom you have no eyes on the students, and parkour has been taken to extremes beyond what it was originally intended and has led to countless injuries in young men and women. My question is, with the possibility of injury while practicing such skills, would it be a good idea to attempt to teach students parkour? Please share in the forum.