This month pelinks4u is delighted to have Dr. LeaAnn Tyson Martin share her thoughts on "Inspiration" in our guest editorial (below). For many years, LeaAnn has inspired hundreds of physical education majors at her university, as well as audiences nationwide. And as you will read, as a multi-time national handball champion Dr. Martin is a exemplary role model for our profession.

Great news this month for our profession is the refunding of the PEP grant for 2008. More than $75 million will shortly be available for schools and health promoting organizations. We'll let you know as soon as application materials become available. Typically, not much time is allowed between the release of the forms and the deadline for submission. If you're thinking about applying, you should be developing a strategy and compiling background data about your program now.

This month the NASPE Forum has been updated and reorganized, and awaits your questions and comments. We’ve had to deal with spamming problems but think we’re now back in control. The Forum is a great place for you to share and discuss ideas. Please visit.

Remember too, that pelinks4u has a professional calendar of events. If you are organizing an event you can add the details to our calendar. Similar to the Forum, a tab at the top of the page takes you to the calendar.

And finally, I need to share thanks from all readers (and especially me) for the tireless work of Terri the pelinks4u webmaster, who in addition to creating the new look of pelinks4u has updated almost all of the links pages in the left column. Please take a look at this wonderful resource, and be sure to email us with any additions or corrections.

Have a healthy and happy Heart Month.

Sincerely,
Steve Jefferies, pelinks4u publisher

I recently read an article about a person who was a hero and who inspired others. This person was noted for motivating others to give to those less fortunate, despite the fact that the individual was enduring some extreme personal challenges. There are those who inspire others to go beyond the call of duty. There are particular sayings or phrases that inspire people on a daily basis, and there are events whether they are positive or negative, that inspire us to act or think differently.

Reading about a hero caused me to ask myself, "Who or what inspires me?" When I examined my inspirations, I realized that so many things, and so many people motivate me or trigger me to behave in a specific way, as a person and as a professional.

Inspiration to just keep going
I am almost 52 years old. I began kindergarten at the age of 5, and since then, I have either gone to school or taught school. So, for 47 years, my life has revolved around an academic calendar. It is no wonder that each September, I get a bit anxious and a lot excited. With each new year, however, I face the same issues that all other teachers and students face. We get tired, stressed, and often face burnout. Who inspires me to keep going? What inspires me to meet the daily challenges of being an educator?

I work in teacher preparation and have the honor of working with great students and wonderful colleagues. One particular student is a "non-traditional." She is older than the rest, has worked in business for many years, is married, and chose to return to school to become a physical educator. There are a multitude of reasons why Stacy inspires me to just keep going.

She works extremely hard in every single class, despite the fact that she commutes from another town and her time is more limited. She is often in my office, asking so many questions. She has an insatiable desire to learn. Stacy took up running a year ago and found a way to train for her first marathon. She performed so well that she qualified for Boston in her age group. Rewards are elusive in the teaching profession, but it is students like Stacy who inspire me every day, every moment, and every Monday morning.

My colleagues also inspire me. My fellow pedagogist in my department is a tireless worker. If not for Derrick, I would not have co-authored, and co-presented, so many times since his arrival at Western. He keeps me on track with the things that would be so easy for me to neglect, due to administrative duties. My fellow professionals in the department are astoundingly productive, as well as amazing teachers. They (and guilt) inspire me to keep going.

I have had the opportunity to work with some extraordinary professionals on NASPE committees in recent years. Their commitment, dedication, and ideas motivated me to work harder and better. I feel fortunate that I work with so many colleagues in my department, or at other schools/universities, who inspire me. They inspire me to keep at it, and to continue to volunteer for this important work. I am extremely positive about where the profession is going with all of these inspirational people.

Inspiration to change
Inspiration to not just keep going, but to change for the better is critically important. A colleague shared with me what was written on a bumper sticker that he saw: "Change is unavoidable. Growth is a choice." This is particularly meaningful to our profession and our field.

While I could be satisfied doing what I have been doing, there are also people and things that inspire me to do things differently, to change. In March of last year, Bud Turner wrote an editorial about change and not resisting change. NASPE President Craig Buschner, in January of 2007, wrote about effects of change. It is relatively easy to see why we don't change as educators. Our routine is satisfying. We live and work within our comfort zone.

My colleague, Derrick, and I recently conducted a curriculum survey in the state of Washington. We surveyed elementary and secondary physical educators to determine what they were teaching within their curricula, what they planned on eliminating in the next 5 years, and what they planned on adding in the next 5 years.

While it was heartening to see that most teachers were delivering a well-balanced curriculum, it was a bit disappointing to see that very few teachers planned on adding to their curriculum in the next 5 years. It could be argued that all these teachers were already providing the perfect curriculum. But, you might recall from Bud’s editorial, there is much more that can be taught, and teachers benefit from implementing new curricular units. What inspires them to do so? Perhaps it is a request from a supervisor. Perhaps it is seeing what others are doing. For us at Western, it can be gambling on a new trend. If we think "X" will be a logical and probable addition to K-12 physical education curriculum, it would behoove us to prepare our students to teach "X."

To me, the best thing about change is that it can be measured relatively easily. When I was in graduate school, I was introduced to a great book entitled "Taking Charge of Change" by Hord, Rutherford, Huling-Austin, and Hall (1987). This "how to" guide provided a simple way to identify changes (improvements) that can be made, and how to measure these changes in understandable and quantifiable ways. I have used this process multiple times as a professional. For example, I used this tool in a small research project to establish goals and to measure curricular implementation and change. When I see that change has taken place, I am inspired to make more changes.

Inspiration to do the best/be the best
Keeping at it and changing may not be enough. What or who inspires us to go further? What or who inspires us to do the best and be the best? For the longest time, I would tell my students that they needed to go out and make a difference in youngsters' lives, or make a difference in the profession. In fact, that is what I had always wanted to do. As I have matured as a professional and as a person, I realize that I don't want to just make "a" difference. I want to be someone who makes "the" difference. I recently wrote a scholarship recommendation for an exemplary student. I believe this student will make "the" difference in the profession because she is amazing. Making THE difference has changed the way I work and think.

In "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People," Steven Covey asks the reader to identify the legacy he or she wants to leave. It’s a great question for all of us and one that Bud Turner also posed in his editorial last year. As a professional and as an individual, what is the legacy we want to leave? What impact on our students, our school district, and our profession do we want to have? The idea of a legacy inspires me to do my best each day, each class, each lesson. Perhaps the goal is to be an ambassador for the profession, and to be the best educator one can be. Having established these goals, decision-making becomes relatively simple. These goals inspire me to do my best and be my best.

Find it, get it, use it
At times, we all need inspiration to just keep going. Periodically, we are inspired to change. The most powerful inspirations motivate us to do and be our very best. Inspiration comes from many things and many people. In February, when most New Year's resolutions have already been tossed aside and the gyms are no longer crowded, and when the winter months might give us more time for reflection, examining what or who inspires us can invigorate us. We may happen upon something or someone that inspires us, but I challenge each person to find it, get it, and use it. Use these inspirations to not only keep going, and not only to change, but also to be and do the best we can for our profession and ourselves.