Leading by example

Vol. 17, No. 4, May 2008

It's a case of do as I do, not as I say, for Minister for Education and Training Rod Welford.

At Brisbane's Ironside State School to promote the Year of Physical Activity for Queensland Schools - where he took part in a vigorous skipping exercise with students - Mr Welford said he had been involved with sport and exercise most of his life.

'I grew up as a swimmer and was heavily involved in the lifesaving movement,' he said.

As Surf Lifesaving Queensland's first state coaching director and education officer, Mr Welford set up several education and coaching programs for young surf lifesavers.

At primary school, he swam against several prominent swimmers of the time, including the 'Superfish', Montreal 1976 Olympic bronze medallist Stephen Holland.

Today Mr Welford remains active, swimming up to four kilometres each morning in summer.

'This year I've trained with people like Bronte Barratt, who won the 200 metre freestyle event at the recent Olympic trials in Sydney, as well as Leith Brodie,' he said.

'Both of them are going to the Olympics and it's a real buzz to still be able to train with people like that. They thrash me of course - but if they get too fast I just put my flippers on!'

Mr Welford also recently completed the swim leg in the Mooloolaba Triathlon, with his team coming fourth in the over-40s masters category.

'We're a little disappointed because last year we were winners in the same event,' he said.

It's this long history of sport and exercise, and the associated benefits, that convinced Mr Welford to introduce the Year of Physical Activity in Queensland schools.

He said it was a great chance for teachers to help students get active, something he believes children can miss out on in today's society.

'In the past, they rode pushbikes around suburbs, fell out of trees, climbed over fences and played on monkey bars.

'That's not part of the lifestyle for many children today and when they arrive in the classroom, very often their brains just aren't wired to learn.

'Incorporating in our curriculum opportunities for children to experience fun as well as improving their coordination and thinking skills through physical activity seems to me to be a really beneficial initiative.'

Mr Welford said physical activity had many positives for children, including improving their learning and behaviour.

'Physical activity obviously has physical health benefits but it's the mental health and learning benefits that I want to maximise in the Year of Physical Activity, and maintain as a standard part of our pedagogy in future years,' he said.

'It goes back to what many of our grandmothers said about a healthy body, a healthy mind.

'I'm meeting many teachers who are already experiencing the very real benefits of students being more alert, more focused, and, especially for boys, more calm in the classroom.'

Mr Welford called on principals to engage at least one of their teachers, in most cases health and physical education teachers, to lead professional development activities during the Year of Physical Activity.

'The idea is to help show other teachers, in simple ways that do not disturb the normal curriculum, how physical activity can be incorporated and themed in subjects across the curriculum.'

He encouraged teachers to explore the tips and resources on the website and click on the Year of Physical Activity link to attend one of the coming conferences in Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and Townsville.

For more information, visit the Year of Physical Activity website

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