If you are one of those people who didn't like gym class at all growing up, talking to Lynn Johnson just might make you want to go back and try it again. You'd want to be sure, though, that you have Lynn--or one of her students--as your physical education teacher this time around.
You may not have enjoyed the subject because you felt it was only for jocks or the already-physically-fit. Everything about Lynn--her words, her actions, her teaching--says that you, and anyone else who thinks that, are dead wrong. Physical education is for everyone, and to Lynn a central part of preparing future P.E. teachers is helping them find ways to include everyone and recognize all achievements.
It's also important that physical education teachers understand their place as professionals and as educators. "P.E. isn't just recess," Lynn stresses. There are important social lessons to be learned and that must be taught. It's important for kids to understand physiology, too. Physical activity is an important part of overall health, and increases students' general learning ability. In her work as part of the faculty of the Professional Physical Education program at UVM Lynn emphasizes these important ideas and the real pedagogical aspects of physical education.
Lynn reports that she "...always wanted to be a teacher," and that once she started she couldn't help but continue. She talks of "Zen dollar moments"--those instances in which that special interaction between teacher and student makes it all worthwhile. In these moments, Lynn feels that she's learning from the kids, and it's this special connection that keeps Lynn teaching.
Lynn's teaching has evolved since her days as an undergraduate at Springfield College. She felt her preparation at Springfield gave her a solid understanding of teaching and assessment, an understanding that helped her in her first job at a private school in New Jersey. But it was at her next job--in Proctor, Vermont--where Lynn began to see a "bigger picture" in teaching physical education. She was teaching with documented purposes, processes, and a curriculum framework in mind. She began to ask herself "Am I teaching the activity, or am I teaching something else?" This kind of meta cognition and reflective practice helped Lynn pursue her masters degree and begin thinking about teaching teachers.
As she continues to prepare teachers for work in the field, and as she continues to grow as a teacher herself, Lynn remains committed to a couple of central ideas--that physical education must include all kids, and that P.E. teachers must understand their place as professionals and as educators. It is with these ideas in mind that Lynn pursues the thoughtful application of a variety of teaching tools, described here.
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