120 + Physical Education Elementary Teachers Trained by Safe Routes Philly!

On Tuesday, November 2^nd, The Safe Routes Philly team presented a professional development workshop in conjunction with the School District of Philadelphia’s Health, Safety, and Physical Education Department.

After three months of focus groups, best practice research, and many rounds of editing, The Safe Routes Philly Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Teacher’s guide was distributed to over 120 physical education teachers in the School District of Philadelphia (all of our materials will be available, free for download, next week on our new website!).

Teachers volunteered to pose as a parked bus that a volunteer (acting as a child) could not see around as she darted into the road to chase a ball. They also gathered on our simulated intersection to act as bicycles, buses, and cars for a simulation that teaches students the concept that bicycles are legal vehicles that must obey traffic laws!

As we invited the teachers to tell us how they would teach the lessons on their own it was evident that they had a lot of creativity and unique resources to offer. One teacher suggested the use of milk crates to construct the intersection, while others were excited at the prospect of using their scooters to simulate vehicles.

Safe Routes Philly is offering four more Professional Developments over the next few months for 2nd grade and 5^th grade classroom and Physical Education teachers. *School District of Philadelphia teachers who attend will receive Act 48 credits. Please register through PD Planner.

· November 17^th , 4:30 – 7PM, High School of the Future

· December 7^th, 4:30 – 7PM, Fels High School

· January 12^th, 4:30 – 7PM, High School of the Future

· January 24th, 4:30 – 7PM, Fels High School

Safe Routes Philly's train the trainer model is made possible by funding from the

Department of Health and Human Services.