Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Dr. Traci Zilifro


What courses are you currently teaching and what are you most proud of about those courses?
1. Educational Movement in Health and Wellness 243 – I am most proud of relaying the message regarding the importance of physical activity in the schools and instructing future teachers on how to implement strategies to increase physical activity in the schools.

In this class I teach future educators, those who will teach in the gymnasium and those who will teach in the classroom, about how physical activity improves not only physical health but cognition and mental health as well. The research has been done and the statistics are in, we need to get kids moving throughout the school day to improve the quality of their education, as well as their lives.
Second year on the new textbook and it is more of a school wide focus rather than just one class. Same activities just different content.

2. Administration & Management of Physical Activity Programs 332 – I am most proud of preparing students in our Physical Activity & Fitness Management track to carry out the leadership role in which I am sure they will find themselves in the future. We cover concepts such as marketing and risk management of physical activity programs and we go off-campus and design and lead two different programs open to community members.

3. Personal Physical Fitness 141– I am most proud of the fact that I try to make physical fitness relevant to them personally, before they are expected to teach it to anyone else. We, as a department, want to encourage students to “practice what they preach”. We want them to know the facts about physical activity and learn how to scrutinize and identify the fiction. 


What scholarly/service projects are you working on and what are you most proud about those projects?
I do a service project each year with my students in the Administration & Management of Physical Activity Programs class that consists of planning and executing 2 programs in the Slippery Rock Community. One is held after-school at Slippery Rock Area Elementary, the other is held at the Slippery Rock Area Senior Center. Both programs are centered on the idea of increasing physical activity in a way that is enjoyable and will encourage future involvement. Elementary hopscotch, jump-rope, hula hoop, tag games, yard games, golf (First Tee). Disc golf, Frisbee, can jam. Elderly (recreational activities) cornhole, ladder golf, bocchi, wi bowling, Nordic walking, line dancing, any fun incorporation of activity.


What student success stories can you share?
Student success to me is when a student goes into the schools or other physical activity setting and makes a positive change. It takes knowledge, time, energy, and courage to make a difference and it makes me very proud to see our graduates doing just that.
On a smaller scale, every time a student comes back from a field experience and is able to tell me what they saw happening in the gym and why it was good or not so good, I feel that I have made a small difference in improving the awareness of quality physical education.


What do you do for fun during time off/school break?

I spend time with my husband and 2 children. We like to be active in the outdoors at Moraine State park.


What do you like best or appreciate most about Slippery Rock?
I appreciate the small town atmosphere, combined with the perks of having a university close-by. Appreciate the strong history and quality of the Physical Education Program and the faculty is amazing. It pays attention to the quality undergraduate education where large state schools lose that attention.

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