PETE/HETE program coordinator's primary responsibility is to prepare the next generation of health and physical educators for P-12 landscape. Often times, however, college programs unintentionally omit local P-12 professionals from programming. In this session, students and faculty from Benedictine College seek to bring future professionals and pedagogues together to share ideas and strategies for building relationships with local schools and teachers to 1) benefit professional development of teacher candidates, 2) reinvigorate P-12 teachers, and 3) engage P-12 students in a variety of health and physical education programming. The format of this session will be 1/2 presentation and 1/2 round table discussion!
This presentation highlights the implementation of the Ready Bodies, Learning Minds (RBLM) Motor Lab Program during the 2025–2026 academic year through a collaborative partnership between Coach Kara Roland’s preschool physical education program and Baker University’s Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) program. The purpose of this project is to strengthen preschool students’ school readiness by intentionally developing foundational motor skills, sensory integration, and movement competence that support early learning. Baker students actively teach motor skill stations, facilitate movement exploration, and support individualized learning through intentional instruction. They also implement RBLM assessments, collect observational data, and apply motor development and pedagogy concepts in a real-world setting. Conference attendees will learn practical strategies for implementing an RBLM circuit in their own settings, including how to design, organize, and facilitate developmentally appropriate movement stations that support balance, coordination, and motor skill development. Attendees will leave with adaptable activities and tools to integrate RBLM principles into existing physical education programs.
