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PE Teacher Takes Strides For Health

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By DEREK MAUL

Tribune correspondent

Published: June 14, 2008

SEFFNER - Christine Phillips Kiefer has strong opinions when it comes to children's health.

First, she's a mother. Second, she's a middle school physical education teacher with two decades of experience.

With the long summer break under way, two concerns are on her mind. First, she wants to see families establish good health habits. Then, she would like Florida residents to pay attention to Tallahassee's move to change physical education standards.

"Sixth-grade students will have 12 weeks of dance gymnastics and 12 weeks of fitness," she said. "No team sports - just a six-week window on games. For eighth grade, they list crochet as a PE alternative. I'm very offended by that; that's not going to burn calories."

The Florida Standards Web site, etc.usf.edu/flstandards, encourages public feedback - and that's exactly what Kiefer wants. She also would like state Department of Education officials to trust professional teachers regarding day-to-day content.

"We have great facilities at Burnett," she said. "But what I do is determined by weather and rotation and place and time of year. They don't know my schedule in Tallahassee. I'm very creative, but what they're suggesting is going to kill kids' interest and kill the joy out of it for the teachers."

Meanwhile, Kiefer wants families to use the summer break to improve children's health.

"You don't need expensive programs," she said. "Activity doesn't have to cost money. Frisbee, golf, riding bikes, scooters, balloons around the house, Twister, exercise videos. They're all good, but you have to get involved with the kids."

She identified television as a year-round problem.

"They need to shut that off," she said.

A little direction, Kiefer said, goes a long way.

"Kids don't try different things unless we direct them. Creative time comes when you provide guidelines - the freedom to be creative."

Kiefer grew up in Temple Terrace, where her dad taught mechanical engineering and she played all day. "Gymnastics, tennis, volleyball. I biked everywhere," she said. "I was PE student of the year at King High School" in Tampa.

Kiefer attended the University of South Florida and tried her hand at education.

"I found I really liked it," she said.

Since 1989, she has taught at many area elementary and middle schools and joined the staff at Burnett Middle School in 2004.

She has taught adaptive PE, as well as dance, and served as department head several times. Along the way, Kiefer has become convinced that health is a critical contributing factor to achievement.

"If you don't move, you're not going to learn," she said. "Every kid needs to be active every day. On top of that, it's the school's responsibility. It falls in the same category as feeding kids breakfast. With both parents working, someone has to do it. This is reality.

"Kids who exercise sleep well, eat better and don't crave the wrong foods," she said. "They stay focused, and they look healthy."

Kiefer also believes it's time schools step up regarding diet.

"I'm concerned about nutrition," she said. "Schools should provide nothing that's not proper and healthy. We could start by eliminating chocolate milk and strawberry milk with corn syrup. That would be huge. If we only provide acceptable choices, they'll choose something healthy.

"Schools are like too many parents," she said. "They think it's easier to give kids what they want."

Kiefer's summer plans include biking, camping, playing and other family activities with her husband and two children.

"It's not hard," she said. "It just takes a little planning."

MEET CHRISTINE PHILLIPS KIEFER

BORN: Tampa, 1964

EDUCATION: King High School, 1983; University of South Florida, 1988

MARRIED: David Kiefer, 1995

CHILDREN: Riley, 8; Haley, 5

MEMBER: Bell Shoals Baptist Church

NOTABLE QUOTE: "We have great supervisors in this county who help us think outside the box."

Derek Maul can be reached at derekmaul@gmail.com.

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