My name is Debra Shockey and during my sophomore year of high school, I was selected to attend the “Upward Bound Program” at Southeastern State College in Durant, Oklahoma (now Southeastern Oklahoma State University). The classes that I enrolled in were made interesting and fun by teachers that had a positive attitude about education. Their small acts of kindness changed my life and motivated me to continue my education.
The decision to be in physical education came from the love of playing sports and games (even if I did not excel at it – I had fun trying). I wanted others to be aware of the fun you can have when you apply and use your knowledge, not only in physical education but also in core subjects. As children succeed in games and sports, their confidence grows - this helps in other aspect of their life.
I began teaching physical education at Emerson Elementary in 1981, I taught physical education to kindergarten through fourth grade, for boys and girls, and coached the fifth grade boys and girls basketball teams – my biggest hurdle was to play approximately twenty-five students in one game and try to win.
Throughout my thirty-seven years of teaching, I have taught physical education to elementary school students, coached basketball for eighteen years (third through fifth grade boys and girls, been assistance coach for seventh through twelfth grade girls), taught high school health and a high school study hall class.
