Today is my “last first day” as a teacher. After twenty-nine years of teaching I have reached those magic
numbers, 30 years of service and 55 years of age.
Three years ago I inquired if I could retire early. I wanted out. On a daily basis, I was facing more and
more students lining up at the door trying to get out of Physical Education, kids more interested in what
was on their cell phone than what they were about to play, top athletes disengaged from PE, students
that hated PE……. you can imagine what it looked and sounded like when I announced, “Today we are
running the mile.” In addition, I knew kids liked my health class, but I wouldn’t say they loved it. Add to
that the new challenges of APPR, creating meaningful SLO’s, well; let’s just say I couldn’t wait to retire.
After long conversations with Josh Lewis, my coach and Co-Founder of Fit Kids Fit Future we decided to
embark on a life-changing journey to create a solution-minded approach that changed the underlying
philosophy of my classes. With Josh’s expertise and my experience we changed the curriculum to
instruct kids on how to take responsibility for their own health and fitness, and that the lessons they
learn will serve them for life.
Today, after implementing Fit Kids Fit Future curricula in both my health and PE classes for the past
two years, I no longer am counting the days. Oh, it was hard to get up early, it was hard to say goodbye to
my freedom and head into a system that allows teachers 17 minutes for lunch and the exhaustion of a
demanding schedule. But, as the day unfolded, a student told me she would be in my health class, a
senior leaned over and said to her, “That class was Fun!” As my colleague and I told our PE class we
would be tracking their Fit and Ready score, I saw two guys in the back give each other a high five and
say, “Yes”.
I will admit, I am really tired at the end of my “last first day”. Thanks to Fit Kids Fit Future I am also
excited about making each day count.
Tammy Alcott
Co-Founder Fit Kids Fit Future
Comments 4
Oh if I could go back again–you’d inspire me all over again! You are just fabulous. What a mind-blowing program. Enjoy this last year. You have touched sooooooo many lives for the better forever. 😉
I know that you will be missed. Thanks for all your hard work and caring about the kids
I will admit I was not big on gym class through highschool but honestly it made me the person I am today. I would always cry at the mile or other things but now I can run faster and easier and with this being said thank you.
– graduate of 2015.
I never got to say good bye you were my favorite teacher!!! 😢😢😢