THIS MONTH...
The national AAHPERD Convention is almost here! And for many of us the chance to escape the winter cold couldn’t come soon enough. For those planning to attend the Tampa convention, be aware that the schedule is now online. If you haven’t been there before, I’d highly recommend downloading a copy and planning a tentative schedule before you arrive. With 1000s of people attending and dozens of sessions at the same time, it’s easy to be overwhelmed and miss something interesting. pelinks4u won’t have a booth this year in the Exhibit Hall, but I’ll be at many of the NASPE sponsored sessions. Here’s a link to some of them - http://www.aahperd.org/naspe/template.cfm?template=peDayConvention.html. Hope to see you there!

This month, in addition to a very complete NEWS section, here are highlights of pelinks4u contributions you can read or listen to:

Solving Obesity Part II: A Simple Plan
If it were easy to solve worldwide worsening obesity, it wouldn’t remain a problem today. Millions of dollars are being expended in efforts to reverse the trend. The Robert Woods Johnson Foundation has dedicated itself to reversing the childhood obesity epidemic by 2015. A myriad of national, state, and local organizations are working at solutions. In such a context, it is with much trepidation that I’ve chosen to make some obesity solving suggestions in this month’s issue. Take a look and let me know what you think!

Future Perspectives
Frank Forencich, is the creative mind of Exuberant Animal - http://www.exuberantanimal.com/, a play-based method that promotes the health, function, and performance of individuals and organizations. This month Frank generously shares an essay entitled the “Shaman’s Vision.” Frank presents an insightful, sometimes amusing, but ultimately troublesome perspective of the way that our society has developed, and it’s consequences.

Preschool Healthcare
It’s going to be interesting to see what’s contained in the about-to-be released healthcare initiative of the newly elected federal government. What’s certain however is that any plan is doomed to fail unless we address ways to effectively prevent the onset of debilitating health conditions. This has to begin at birth (or earlier). Michele Silence has devoted her professional life to developing a program that offers physical education to preschoolers - http://www.kid-fit.com/. This month, Michele explains how parents and caregivers can help to develop healthy habits early in life.

Teaching Sportsmanship and Character
One of the many benefits often claimed for physical education is its potential to develop positive personality traits such as sportsmanship and good character. In fact, National Physical Education Standard 5 directly states that a physically educated person "Exhibits responsible personal and social behavior that respects self and others in physical activity settings." This month, elementary physical education teacher and regular pelinks4u contributing editor, Tom Winiecki, shares practical ideas for ways that physical educators can promote and develop sportsmanship and teamwork in their classes.

Teaching Ideas
It's been estimated that five out of six North Americans will be the victims of violent crime, either completed or attempted, at least once in their lifetime. In an article entitled, "Building Girl's Confidence With Self-Defense" Aaron Banks provides information and links to download comprehensive instructional materials that could provide the basis for a physical education instructional unit on self-defense.

A New Approach
From the Philippines, Bienvenido Constantino describes a new approach being taken in physical education classes to improving speed – a necessary quality for most sports (and one that I’m sure explains why I never became a professional athlete!). Bienvenido points out that this approach is one way to spot previously overlooked natural talent.

Adapted Physical Activity
Elyse Morin focuses on the positive effects of physical activity for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease. This neurodegenerative disease typically begins to progressively affect the brain at around age 60. The chances of getting Alzheimer's increases with age, and if a family member has also had the disease. It's predicted that by 2040, about 14 million people living in the United States will have AD or some other form of dementia.

Thanks again for your support for improving the quality of today’s physical education. See you in Tampa, and look forward to a report on the convention next month!

Steve Jefferies, Publisher
pelinks4u

Vote NOW for your 2009 NASPE Board Candidates
Lynn Couturier Dr. Lynn Couturier is currently the Chair of the Physical Education Department at SUNY Cortland. Her prior positions in higher education have involved teaching, coaching, and administration. She has also coached interscholastic and youth sports and taught briefly at the elementary level. Read more.		Beverly Mitchell Beverly Mitchell is currently a professor and the Associate Dean of Education and Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, GA, a school she has taught at since 1985. Prior to Kennesaw, she spent 14 years at Wesleyan College in Macon, GA. Read more.

Listen to each candidate, read more about all of the Board candidates, and then VOTE here