Physical activity is one of the most important behaviors if one is to achieve a lifetime of health and well being. Physical activity among children and adolescents is especially important because of the health related benefits that include: cardio respiratory function, blood pressure control, and most importantly, weight management. A physically active lifestyle adopted early in life will also affect ones ability to be healthy and active for a lifetime. Each individual should have the goal of being active for 60 minutes per day.

There is a dramatic and ever increasing epidemic of obesity and lifestyle related diseases within the population of our youth. While physical education has been drastically reduced throughout our public schools, increased academic demands, and hours spent participating in sedentary lifestyles, has resulted in our children becoming obese and unhealthy. It should be the responsibility of the parents, public school system, and community to promote health, wellness, and physical activity. As a physical education, I take great pride in knowing that I am imparting knowledge and influencing children in many ways, but I feel an even greater accomplishment and satisfaction knowing that I could affect a child's health and well being for a lifetime.

As a physical educator, it is not only important to reach psychomotor goals through activity and discovery, but also to reach cognitive and affective levels of learning. Cognitive learning takes place when children understand learning cues, proper techniques, and healthy lifestyle behaviors. Students also must learn how to work with others, demonstrate positive attitudes, and recognize feelings of success and enjoyment while participating in a quality physical education program. Students can be successful in all areas of physical education when they are given opportunities to explore, discover, manipulate, and practice during instructional time.

A great physical educator of the 21st century should be nothing like PE teachers of the past where activities were only for those who were natural born athletes, the weakest were excluded, elimination games were played, and drill sergeant mentality was accepted. My biggest goal as a physical educator in the 21st century is to keep children physically active and fit throughout a lifetime by providing fun, appropriate, and standards based opportunities to engage in physical activity.