10 Questions
Pam Ward
Nicole Case
Issue date: 5/30/08 Section: Headlines
What is your official title at Western? What classes do you teach?
Adjunct lecturer. I teach folk and square dance, social dance, techniques of relaxation, educational gymnastics. I teach a lot of prep for education/physical education majors.
What was your major in college? Did you stick with your original major, or did you change?
I started as physical education/health and planned to go to special education fifth year, didn't make it to fifth year, I was ready to be done.
Why did you choose physical education/health as a major?
I was an athlete growing up. I loved movement. Dance was my first passion. I love the health and body stuff.I loved learning about how it worked.
How long have you been at Western? Where did you work before this?
I started here in '94/'95. First I helped to start a fitness center here in Monmouth in the '80's. I coached high school gymnastics and was the director of Monmouth/Independence children's gymnastics programs. I taught elementary and junior high.
What is your favorite class to teach?
I love everything I teach. I love dance, all of them. Also gymnastics, I competed in that in college, and I like the health wellness side of it. It's hard to choose just one.
Tell me about your Techniques of Relaxation class.
That class has been here for years. I don't know who started it or when, but it's always full. There are two to three sections a term and it always fills up.
Many students scoff at the idea of a class with this subject as the focus. What do you think is the most beneficial part of it?
Probably the most important part is to slow down, really examine what you're doing and how it's affecting your life: body, soul and spirit.
What is the funniest thing that has happened in one of your classes?
One time, class was over and there were about three students sleeping around the room. The whole class had left and they weren't being quiet. These kids were sound asleep and had no idea the class had left.
What are your plans for the future? Do you want to keep teaching your whole life?
My plans are to try to live everyday to the fullest. To continue to grow and learn. To share things I've learned with others, I think that's teaching.
I know that controlling stress and staying positive play huge roles in staying healthy. What do you think is the most important thing to remember in life?
I would say examine what you're thinking and believing. What you think effects how you act and behave. Look at what you're thinking and believing and start to change. Start at that level before you can change what you perceive as truth. •
Adjunct lecturer. I teach folk and square dance, social dance, techniques of relaxation, educational gymnastics. I teach a lot of prep for education/physical education majors.
What was your major in college? Did you stick with your original major, or did you change?
I started as physical education/health and planned to go to special education fifth year, didn't make it to fifth year, I was ready to be done.
Why did you choose physical education/health as a major?
I was an athlete growing up. I loved movement. Dance was my first passion. I love the health and body stuff.I loved learning about how it worked.
How long have you been at Western? Where did you work before this?
I started here in '94/'95. First I helped to start a fitness center here in Monmouth in the '80's. I coached high school gymnastics and was the director of Monmouth/Independence children's gymnastics programs. I taught elementary and junior high.
What is your favorite class to teach?
I love everything I teach. I love dance, all of them. Also gymnastics, I competed in that in college, and I like the health wellness side of it. It's hard to choose just one.
Tell me about your Techniques of Relaxation class.
That class has been here for years. I don't know who started it or when, but it's always full. There are two to three sections a term and it always fills up.
Many students scoff at the idea of a class with this subject as the focus. What do you think is the most beneficial part of it?
Probably the most important part is to slow down, really examine what you're doing and how it's affecting your life: body, soul and spirit.
What is the funniest thing that has happened in one of your classes?
One time, class was over and there were about three students sleeping around the room. The whole class had left and they weren't being quiet. These kids were sound asleep and had no idea the class had left.
What are your plans for the future? Do you want to keep teaching your whole life?
My plans are to try to live everyday to the fullest. To continue to grow and learn. To share things I've learned with others, I think that's teaching.
I know that controlling stress and staying positive play huge roles in staying healthy. What do you think is the most important thing to remember in life?
I would say examine what you're thinking and believing. What you think effects how you act and behave. Look at what you're thinking and believing and start to change. Start at that level before you can change what you perceive as truth. •
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