Episode 152: Emily Jones, Ben Schwamberger, Victor Ramsey & Amy Dawson

SHAPE America's Podcast - Professional Development for Health & Physical Education Teachers

Sean is joined by guests from our recruitment and retention task force to discuss For the Love of Health and Physical Education (HPE) Week!

Emily Jones is a Professor of Physical Education Teacher Education, in the School of Kinesiology and Recreation at Illinois State University. She is the current chair of the SHAPE America Recruitment and Retention Task Force and serves at the state level as the chair of the IAHPERD Higher Education Committee. At Illinois State she is program director for the undergraduate PE teacher education and coordinates the fully online master’s in Physical Education Pedagogy sequence at ISU. Dr. Jones conducts research related to recruitment into the field of physical education including the need to increase the diversity of those entering the teaching force. She also conducts research related to school- and community-based physical activity programs and initiatives that enhance health and wellness.

Ben Schwamberger is an Associate Professor of Health and Physical Education, in the Human Performance Department at Minnesota State University, Mankato (MSU, Mankato). He currently serves on the SHAPE America Professional Preparation Council as well as the Recruitment and Retention Task Force and is an active member of his state association MNSHAPE. At MSU, Mankato he is the undergraduate program coordinator for the Health and Physical Education program. Dr. Schwamberger’s research interests relate to physical education and physical activity of homeschool students. Prior to his position in higher education, Dr. Schwamberger was an elementary and high school physical educator and taught within the United States as well as abroad.

Victor Ramsey currently works for the New York City Department of Education where he is an Educational Administrator who currently works as a Curriculum and Training Specialist within the Office of School Wellness Programs as part of the Brooklyn Implementation Team. In this capacity, he is responsible for supporting his team with developing training designs and curriculum review and development and supports health and physical educators and school administrators. He is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor at York College, City University of New York teaching health and physical education classes to undergraduate students. In the latter role, he serves as Faculty Advisor and in the supervision of student teachers. Prior roles, NYCDOE Region 9 Director for Health and Physical Education, Middle School Assistant Principal, Dean of Students, and most notably, a health and physical education teacher. Essentially, a teacher at heart. His research interest is the attitudes and physical activity patterns of girls. He is a proud member of the SHAPE America Recruitment and Retention Task Force. His philosophy of education is grounded on the progressive belief that equity and respect for all students are essential to their growth and development.

Amy Dawson currently works for the New York City Department of Education as a Health Education Instructional Coach within the Office of School Wellness Programs. She was a health teacher for 19 years in Brooklyn public middle schools. She has facilitated full-day professional development workshops in all five boroughs, wrote the NYCDOE Middle School Health Education Scope and Sequence and has presented at both NYSAHPERD and SHAPE America conferences. She served on the New York State Mental Health Education Advisory Council.