President's Message

As you prepare for the next day's lesson plan, practice plan or finalizing the end of the quarter and final grades.   Think of this for a moment and what it means to you and I.  ADVOCACY!  The member! The person who, on a daily basis reaches the very individuals we speak of and for.  While instructing during this time of crisis with budget constraints at hand, everyone is feeling the crunch at this moment, as is your State CAHPERD.  We need you NOW more than ever!!

In the field of Education, we use buzz words to mean many different things to accomplish what seems to be an constant uphill battle with the public at large.  Stakeholders are known as (parents, business, elected officials, policy makers, union, and teachers).  We use other words to describe action, such as, agents of change, cooperative learners, lifelong learners, collaborative and professional learning communities to name a few.  We use them, to motivate, encourage and inspire action to move forward an ideal or principle for the improvement of our schools, profession and our most prized investments, our students. 

This has led to the recent legislative changes of AB 601-602, the Albany court case upholding the mandated minutes and the continued funding of the Ca. Fitness Gram.  Now it appears, that the most recent block of cuts brought to the table, include the Fitness Gram and it's reporting once again.

CAHPERD can no longer do business as usual.  It cannot survive without the impetus and leadership that we need from those that are in the trenches on a daily basis of what seems to be an endless disregard for both legislative change or contractual agreement.  CAHPERD’s mission must be as an advocate for change and a leader for such change if our profession is to survive.  If we want to continue to be, and pardon the expression, “a dog and pony show” then you have what you have at the expense of advocacy.  Records are records, but they do not mean a thing if we cannot advocate for change.  We cannot move our cause, if we do not have the means to do so.  How can we expect change, if the very people we expect to impact change are not with us, either as a paid advocate or a teacher without the proper means to do so.  Thus, here we are AGAIN, looking down the barrel of what seems to be an eternity of what we are incapable of doing.  Legislative change and enforcement of current mandates!  

Advocacy, begins with YOU!!  It is the pride that you take when you walk out onto the field, blacktop, gym, fitness center or whatever means you have available to you, to instruct your charges on the very emphasis of being "life-long fitness learners".  You must ask yourself, the difficult question and an honest one at that, "How can I expect change from those in position to impact policy, if I and my departmental colleagues are not making the necessary changes to validate change"? 

We want mandates to be enforced!  But we don't teach to the standards!  We want respect from our core subject brethren. But rather than assess on authentic, reliable skill models, with rubrics and lesson design because it is good teaching; we choose not to, to do so, is time consuming.  We would rather have "fun activities", but where does good instructional practices begin?  If we, as a profession are to garner any respect from those in power, WE must be the agent of that change, or our profession will fade away. 

The current economic crisis will dictate it so!!  The Reduction in Force that is happening State wide, will eventually, and most assuredly, impact Physical Education.  If the the 1986 amendments to the Ryan Act of 1974, has any bearing, then it will impact you!  The fully credentialed teacher.  If all you will need is a supplementary authorization or an introductory authorization to teach any course of study. Who is to say that the LEA will not make that change as a cost cutting tool. 

Health curriculum mandates are now being enforced by allowing PE teachers and their departments to instruct the State Mandated Requirements, at the expense of credentialed health teachers.  What high school's have the necessary facilities to instruct 50+ students at one time?  How does this impact the mandated 400 minutes of physical activity as mandated in CA. ED. Code 51222.  Where do you store instructional materials to conduct such instruction?  How do the LEA's, COE's and or the CDE, ensure the very practice of instruction, if they don't have the current means to ensure compliance through Categorical Program Monitoring.

If all we do, is have "participatory grades" based on subjectivity, then, why not have a teacher with less skill and education?  If we don't master the standards, and have our students develop, practice and model those skills in standard form, then why ask for respect?  I am all for the "New PE", but can we infuse math and logic, as well as, how to properly assess and understand the meaning of those numbers and the physiology of exercise behind it?  Can't we use academic language to instruct our students, so that they may have a better command of the meaning and application to one's life long fitness concepts for better understanding?

This is Kinesiology!  Physical Education is one component of that area of study.  You are all, scientists!!  Cool stuff!!  But the public does not know, nor do they understand this.  It is our job to educate them on what we do, everyday!

If we, as advocates for change and being leaders for change are not in the forefront of that change, then what you will get is the "same old, same old" and then it may be too late to expect change, when change has passed us by.

YOU are the Advocate!!  Be the Change!!