Western Michigan University

Bret Van Zanten

Autobiography

Through out my college courses I have been involved with children and youth in multiple
ways doing different activities. As a co-teacher with my classmates, we worked with
kindergarten through 8th grade students. Together we had to come up with our own lesson plans
for a week to keep the students engaged and have fun while still learning. One of my classes was
PE Methods: Special Pops where we learned about students that were cognitive impaired and a
lab of working one on one with a student. I had Latina who is diagnosed with mild MR, deaf, and
myopia. Not knowing any sign language, I was able to work with Latina by guiding her to get
her equipment, go through her step workout, resistance band bicep curl and leg lift, and line
jump activities. By the end of the semester Latina was able to complete all of her workouts with
either a little nudge to start or a demonstration. I have also done my pre-intern at Comstock High
School, and Martin High School where I started off observing the teacher, taking roll, and
running the students through their warm-up. Throughout the semester I would teach a small
group of students, and by the end I was teaching the class as the teacher observed me to give
feedback after the hour.
In my community I am currently a Cub Scout Leader working with scouts that are nine
years of age to earn their Bear badge. Before being a Cub Scout Leader, I was a Boy Scout
Leader helping youth transition from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts age 11-12 years by helping them
earn merit badges while advancing in rank in hopes for them to become an Eagle Scouts. In
church, I have been a primary teacher which involves teaching children from 3-9 years old. I get
to teach doctrine that we believe in, in a way that they will best understand. By either sharing
personal experience, roll playing, or a variety of other activities.

Since March of 2013 I have been working for PESG as a substitute teacher. I have
worked in a few different school districts and schools to get my name out there, and to get a feel
for different atmospheres. By being in the different schools, I have learned that I prefer working
in secondary education rather than elementary age children. I have also learned how to better
manage classroom behavior, and be able to relate more to the students and their learning need.
Substitute teaching is a great way to apply what I have learned from my professors during
lectures. I also worked at RadioShack for two and half years as a sales associate assisting
customers find products that suited their needs.
Some of the things that I enjoy doing are spending time with my wife and three kids
when I am not working or doing homework. We love going on bike rides through Kalamazoo
River Valley Trail and Celery Flats, playing at parks, visiting museums and different attractions
throughout Michigan. I also enjoy playing and watching football, basketball, golf, and disc golf
with friends when we can get together. I enjoy spending time working in my father in laws
workshop where he has lots of tools were I have made different projects such as shoe, book, toy,
food storage shelves, a shed for our bikes, coffee and art table, and manger for my mother in
laws alpacas.
I am a member of MAHPERD Michigan Association for Health, Physical Education,
Recreation & Dance for the past two year and enjoy going to the conventions every year. I have
volunteered for a semester with the GEAR UP program at Loy Norrix helping students with
homework after school, and a semester tutor students at Hillside Middle School. At Hillside, I
mainly helped them with their homework in the math classroom. I have also volunteered with
Special Olympics twice were I was asked to referee during multiple basketball tournaments.

I believe that physical education presents a unique opportunity to contribute to the well
being and development of every student. As a physical educator it is my responsibly to develop
mentally appropriate instruction that allows learners to acquire physical skills, knowledge and
personal social attributes that will facilitate the pursuit of a healthy lifestyle. With heart disease
and obesity on the rise, I feel it my responsibility to teach students how to take care of the most
important thing that they have, their own body and health. By teaching students a wide variety of
sports and physical activities and how they can join clubs, intramural sports, organize activities
with friends, or setting up a workout on their own each student will understand ways to pursue a
healthy lifestyle.