Reach teachers through a statewide conference
A story from Utah
The Utah Department of Health hosts an annual professional development conference that aims to reach classroom teachers and share information on a Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program (CSPAP). We spoke with Sarah Roundy, the School Health Coordinator for the Utah Department of Health’s Healthy Living Program, to learn more about the Healthy Body, Healthy Minds Conference.
Specific to classroom physical activity, Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds provides attendees with tools and resources to implement classroom physical activity during the school day. As of 2018, Utah has hosted three conferences, each reaching more than 200 classroom teachers around the state “who are dedicated to figuring out what [classroom physical activity] means and how to get it into their classrooms.”
Key Takeaway
Let classroom teachers lead sessions at a conference. Ms. Roundy asked classroom teachers who were successfully implementing classroom physical activity in their schools to lead breakout sessions at the conference.
“I think it gave [the teachers] the confidence when we asked them to come and teach – [it showed] that they are leaders in their district, they are leaders in the state for this movement for classroom activity. They were a little hesitant at first when I approached them, but giving them that opportunity [to present to their peers at a statewide conference] was a huge success.”