2008 District Teacher of the Year
Elementary School

- Midwest District -

Name: Sandy Noel School Name: William Hatch Elementary School Street Address: 1000 N. Ridgeland City/State/Zip: Oak Park, Illinois 60302

What are one or two of the newest or most innovative activities that you do with your students in physical education?      

        In 2006, I played a key role in the development of the Walk Across Illinois School Fitness Program. This 20 week program is designed to help teachers incorporate the Walk Across Illinois health initiative into school physical education and health programs. More than 2,500 Illinois students are becoming more physically active while learning facts about their home state in regard to history, geography, social studies and health through interactive, non-competitive games in the gym. And, they are having fun in the process!       

        As part of the "Health is Something That We DO!" message, I have developed new games to teach the benefits of proper Nutrition, Exercise, Water and Sleep. Students play tag games that teach the benefits of healthy snacks ( a makeover of "Steal the Bacon" entitled "Grab and Go" in which many games are going on at the same time and students go for plastic peppers, tomatoes, oranges...). Students also learn the benefits of proper sleep whole playing "Sleepwalker" based on the Star Sleeper website game. We "rap" up the unit by performing a song that I wrote and the students create the choreography in groups.

        Throughout the past eight years, I have taken many brain-based learning, multiple intelligence and integrating the arts courses. Knowing that there are many pathways to learning and kinesthetic is one of the most powerful, I have developed physical education and nutrition classes that teach across the curriculum. Social studies, math, science, language arts can be reinforced through tag games, stations and multicultural games.

What is you philosophy for physical education?

       I believe that physical education class should be the highlight of a student's day. PE must be a place where all students are given maximum opportunity to participate in order to reach their potential. In order for this to happen, teachers must create an environment that is both physically and emotionally safe so that students at every skill level feel comfortable participating. The emphasis must be on getting everyone involved and having fun while getting fit. To provide for maximum participation, I have given my students problem solving strategies such as "rock, paper, scissors" and "do-overs" to mediate their disagreements. These work abulously because the students feel that they are fair. My students learn conflict resolution by actually experiencing it. I believe that physical educators have a unique opportunity to teach fitness, health and life skills, so that our students will appreciate their brain-body and make positive choices for a lifetime. I also believe physical educators need to role-model what we are teaching by complimenting good efforts, respecting individual differences and making healthy choices in our own lives.

       Being chosen as a Teacher of the Year is a tremendous honor. Recognition by peers and colleagues who know and understand the importance of what we physical educators do is especially meaningful. It gives me even more energy to pursue my passion for teaching my students and their parents the importance of a healthy brain-body.

What do you do to help other physical education teachers plan and implement exemplary programs?      

        After writing the Walk Across Illinois School Fitness Program, I facilitated workshops for both Chicago and suburban teachers. Physical educators and recreation department leaders played games and received binders with 20 lessons and all the materials they would need to implement the program. I continue to facilitate workshops each fall and am available to the teachers for any questions they might have in regard to the program or games.

       In addition to presenting each year at IAHPERD, I have presented at the Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois CORE conference. As co-chair of my district's Wellness Council, I update not only my physical education colleagues, but also classroom teachers and administrators on research and articles which stress the importance of exercise and nutrition for learning, memory and performance.

"Mrs. Noel believes in using positive energy and has a good sense of humor. She cares about students' feeling and makes gym a safe place".

"You work so hard to keep our lives so healthy and safe. You know how to make subjects that are so boring really fun. Instead of just talking about food, you actually fixed us a very good breakfast."

"Thank you for teaching me hook ups for concentration, and I thank you for telling us about partially hydrogenation. You also said 8 sips of water can help dehydration. You told us about a tower in France, you let us help the little kids during square dance. For good grades you said we need to have good resting, everything in your class is fun even fitness testing."

"Fit Kids, Smart Kids" - Play games using the multiple intelligences to personalize the importance of nutrition, exercise, water and sleep for learning, memory and performance.

"Globe Travelers" - Travel the seven continents through stations and games to learn about and appreciate the natural and man-made wonders of the world.

"Food for Thought" - Juggle 5 a day, complete the whole grain puzzle, grab and go healthy snacks and learn about calories in - calories out in a workshop that transforms traditional games into interactive nutrition education games.

• Those Who Excel in Illinois, 2002
• Golden Apple, 2006
• USA Today All USA Teacher Team, 2006
• Northeastern District Highlight School Program Award, 2007
• Illinois Elementary P.E. Teacher of the Year 2007

• Midwest District Elementary P.E. Teacher of the Year, 2008