Dr. Deborah Sheehy brings a passion to her work preparing future physical education teachers and finding innovative ways they can keep their gyms and classrooms places full of activity.
Now those efforts have brought some notable professional recognition for Dr. Sheehy, an associate professor and chair of the Department of Movement Arts, Health Promotion and Leisure Studies.
The Massachusetts Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance in May will be presenting her with its 2015 Honor Award, recognizing her longtime contributions to the field.
Dr. Sheehy called it a “humbling experience” to be honored by a group that she said has been a strong advocate for “quality physical education” and a valued resource to her throughout her career.
As a BSU faculty member since 2007, Dr. Sheehy trains students aspiring to careers in physical education and also researches new techniques in the field. She formerly taught at Springfield College and Minot State University in North Dakota.
One focus of her research, Dr. Sheehy said, has been “making games more accessible” to children in physical education classes and giving them an appreciation for the role game play can in their overall development.
She said her own teaching approach is a “very student centered” one.
“Instead of telling them we are asking them, which makes for a rich learning environment,” she said. (Photo by Nicholas Allende, University News)
