Skip to main content - Skip to contact information

Active Living Teachers Conference

Vancouver Island University’s (VIU) Sport, Health, and Physical Education (SHAPE) Department are proud to present an Active Living Teachers Conference.  This conference is being offered to VIU students in the teacher preparation program and SHAPE students. Join us for a day of fun, learning new skills or refreshing old skills that will offer exciting alternatives in physical education.

Since we are promoting physical activity, please come to the conference prepared with proper attire and footwear to participate in your sessions.

Workshop Information

1.
Modern Contemporary Dance
2.
Struggling For DPA Ideas?
3.
Zumba
4.
Conditioning & Age-Appropriate Circuits
5.
Disc Sports
6.
Yoga

 

1. MODERN CONTEMPORARY DANCE
Presenter:
Jennifer Gray
Location:
VIU Gymnasium
Target Audience :
K - 12
Time:
8:30 am - 10:00 am (Session #1)
Workshop Description:

This session will introduce teachers to the dance discipline of Modern Contemporary. The instructor will begin with a general dance warm up that can be used in the classroom across the many different age levels. The session will then lead into learning a few combinations of the dance style. This will offer the teachers the opportunity to take the choreography back to the classroom. We will discuss the many different ways Modern Contemporary dance can be integrated into the classroom, as a complete lesson or just as an add-on activity. Lastly, the instructor will talk about attaining motivation within any dance lesson.

Presenter Biography:

Jennifer Gray instructs in ballet, pointe, modern, and jazz at Harbour Dancentre.  Jen has danced for 17 years and has completed her ISTD Modern Advanced 1 and 2, RAD Intermediate Ballet, and her CDTA Associate Teachers certification in Jazz.  Jen is going into her fifth year teaching at Harbour Dancentre and will graduate from Vancouver Island University this fall with a Major in Physical Education and a minor in Psychology. She will then continue studying to complete her teachers degree and looks forward to a career with children, both within and outside that dance world.
Back to workshop list

2. STRUGGLING FOR DPA IDEAS
Presenter:
Kevin Spicer
Location:
VIU Gymnasium
Target Audience :
Upper Elementary, Middle & Secondary
Time:
8:30 pm - 10:00 am (Session #1)
Workshop Description:

Elementary aged children are at a peak stage for nervous system development. The challenge we face is most of their body awareness, coordination, movement mechanics and balance will be developed by the age of 12 making it a critical time for children and young athletes to link their brain to their muscles and joints. This session will focus on how teachers can help students develop movement instead of muscle training.  Simple, fun, and challenging drills including: balance, agility, quickness, core stability, reactivity and strength will be demonstrated.  Participation is a must to use these ideas Monday morning.

Presenter Biography:

Kevin Spicer MEd, BCRPA-PFT has been teaching High School Physical Education and Science for 12 years and has developed two specialty courses at Kwalikum Secondary: Fitness and Sports Conditioning and Strength and Power Training.  His personal training business, Team Achieve Health and Fitness, offers a distinctly unique training system that progressively trains multi-directional movement skills with whole body strength and power. His focus is to enhance performance through the development of athleticism providing athletes of all ages and all sports with improved physical tools to pursue their goals in sport and life.  Kevin is an active member in the community, playing recreational sports, participating in triathlons and coaching community teams.
Back to workshop list

3. ZUMBA
Presenter:
Jana Slaght
Location:
VIU Gymnasium
Target Audience:
K-12
Time:
10:30 am - 12:00 pm (Session #2)
Workshop Description:

This workshop will introduce participants to Zumba. It is the fusion of dance and fitness, along with the music and freedom to unwind, that makes Zumba so addictive. We will start with a master adult zumba class and this will help us to recognize what movements, songs, and teaching methods are appropriate and effective for the school setting. Zumba is a perfect way to get kids moving and grooving without them even realizing they are working hard and being physically active. It is all about having fun and letting loose.

Presenter Biography:

Jana Slaght graduated from VIU with a BA Physical Education in 2011. She is also a BCRPA certified group fitness instructor and has been teaching group fitness for the past three years. Jana enjoys teaching many different types of fitness, but her true passion was realized when she discovered Zumba. Jana has been teaching Zumba to teens and adults for the past two years, but most recently she has become certified as a Zumbatomic instructor. This certification allows her the opportunity to teach Zumba to children and give them the chance to try all that Zumba has to offer. 
Back to workshop list

4. YOUTH SPORT CONDITIONING AND AGE-APPROPRIATE CIRCUITS
Presenter:
Kevin Spicer
Location:
VIU Gymnasium
Target Audience :
Elementary
Time:
10:30 am - 12:00 pm (Session #2)
Workshop Description:

Youth Sport Conditioning will show teachers steps to building a structured core and strength program with foundational components of athleticism through a fun, dynamic, and motivating training environment.  Fast feet, quick reaction skills, speed, endurance, strength and agility are all essential physical attributes that help high school athletes excel at their games.  Coaches and teachers will experience sport specific conditioning skills and drills that improve execution of the game demands using the best ways to improve balance, speed and strength.  Youth Sport Conditioning is available for teachers and coaches involved with young athletes and students from a variety of multi-directional sports including: hockey, soccer, basketball, lacrosse, football, rugby, baseball, tennis, swimming and volleyball.  Participation is a must to use these ideas Monday morning.

Presenter Biography:

Kevin Spicer MEd, BCRPA-PFT has been teaching High School Physical Education and Science for 12 years and has developed two specialty courses at Kwalikum Secondary: Fitness and Sports Conditioning and Strength and Power Training.  His personal training business, Team Achieve Health and Fitness, offers a distinctly unique training system that progressively trains multi-directional movement skills with whole body strength and power. His focus is to enhance performance through the development of athleticism providing athletes of all ages and all sports with improved physical tools to pursue their goals in sport and life.  Kevin is an active member in the community, playing recreational sports, participating in triathlons and coaching community teams.
Back to workshop list

5. DISC SPORTS
Presenter:
Guy LeMasurier
Location:
VIU Gymnasium
Target Audience :
Secondary
Time:
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm (Session #3)
Workshop Description:

FrisbeesTM provide numerous opportunities for fun and physical activity with upper elementary and secondary school students. In addition to being easy to acquire, Frisbees TM can be transported and used in a variety of locations making them a versatile piece of equipment. In this session, participants will be introduced to a number of different FrisbeesTM activities, as well as strategies to organize several Frisbee TM games.

Presenter Biography:

Guy Le Masurier, PhD is a professor of Sport, Health and Physical Education at Vancouver Island University where he teaches physical education pedagogy, research methods, nutrition for health and sport, and several activity-based courses. Guy received his doctoral degree in Exercise & Wellness from Arizona State University and worked as an assistant professor of Kinesiology at Penn State University before returning to Vancouver Island where he grew up. His research focuses on physical activity measurement and promotion among children and adolescents. In addition to teaching and supervising student teachers in elementary and middle school physical education, Guy has conducted and published numerous studies on youth physical activity. He is passionate about physical education pedagogy, and how it can be used to promote physical activity among children and adolescents. Dr. Le Masurier is a co-author of the award-winning Fitness for Life: Middle School (2007) and the recently released Fitness for Life: Elementary School (2010) curricula. In 2010, Guy was inducted as a Fellow to AAHPERD’s Research Consortium. Guy enjoys kayaking, drumming, and most sports. Guy and his wife, Jodi, serve their island community (Protection Island) as volunteer firefighters.
Back to workshop list

6. IMPLEMENTING YOGA INTO YOUR DPA
Presenter:
Dominique Sullivan
Location:
VIU Gymnasium
Target Audience:
K - 12
Time:
1:30 pm - 3:00 pm (Session #3)
Workshop Description:

Struggling to think of ideas for DPA (Daily Physical Activity)? Yoga is a great strategy to DPA in the classroom, library, and gym or in the great outdoors. In this session, participants will learn how to introduce yoga to students and fill the required 30 minutes of physical activity through literature, music and movement. Children’s social emotional health is an essential component to student achievement and success. Yoga can calm or wake students up to help educators set the learning environment. Participants should wear loose clothing and bring a playful attitude to the session.

Presenter Biographies:

Dominique Sullivan completed her Bachelors degree in Education from VIU in 2009 and is a teacher in School District 68. She has been teaching yoga since 2004. She has established a yoga club and also had success training student to teach other children the power of yoga. She understands the unique opportunities/challenges when doing yoga for children. She has taught yoga during a school assembly, taught K-7 and leads a yoga club at the school level. She believes that educators should incorporate yoga into the PE curriculum so that all students can be successful and enjoy PE. Physical education should be both a group and individual process to ensure students become active and fit adults.
Back to workshop list