Using Skills acquired from a Conference

Hello there and welcome.

I have just got back to Brandon from a very unique and absolutely fulfilling expierence at the PHE Canada student leadership conference around Ottawa, Ontario.  I learned so much, met some amazing people and got information that is going to help my career moving forward.  This camps aim was leadership and I want to touch briefly on some mentors and a specific touchstone who use technology in their classroom and has seemed to engage and benefit students using it.

I had two specific mentors and I got the best of both worlds in this regard.  Jacki Nylen the PHE President has been through the trenches and taught 37 years in Manitoba.  The other was a younger fellow by the name of Justin Oliver from Nova Scotia and he is starting his 6th year and he is whom I want to speak about.  Justin finds that using modern methods and involving some type of technology engages todays student.  In his pe classes he uses music technology and smartboard to help get students heads in gear.  Dance class can flow easier using itunes and newer, up to date music.  The smartboard can get students involved in discussions of health related topics.

The touchstone speaker was an older gentlemen by the name of Colin.  He comes with a wealth of experience and engaged all of us from the beginning not only with his knowledge in physical education but in technology.  He said and I quote "If you spent 15 mins a day and work with the new technology you will always be up to speed and will never fall behind."  He was a very interesting and tech savvy individual.  His background is very in depth and at one point was one of the most knowledgable in the world in the paraolympic wheel chair racing.  He is newly retired and taught 35 years at Memorial University in Newfoundland.  He had came there from the UK on a 2 year term and ended up making it his home.  He has taken many risks over the years and has gotten involved in many projects with no regrets.  His presentation and in talking to him personally was truly amazing.  A very smart and fun loving man with a heart of gold and a mind geared around new technology.