CHSE Alumnus Jared Smith Creates Confident Learners Through Physical Education

Why LSU?

I chose LSU because I always wanted to attend the school. I stayed because of all of the connections and relationships I formed while I was there. 

What inspired you to become a teacher and a coach? What do you think has contributed most to your success during your first few years in the profession? 

When I was a high school athlete, my coach was very influential on me finding my place and finding my purpose. This inspired me to want to be that person to other young athletes. While pursuing coaching, I saw the need for quality physical education in our state and developed a love for the field.

I think that my experiences at LSU have contributed the most in my first year as a professional. From my work with Residential Life through undergrad and grad school, to my mentor Dr. Justin Morris, everything and everyone I encountered during my time at LSU was instrumental in setting me up to earn this award. 

What experiences at LSU most prepared you for your career in education?

While at LSU, I got the opportunity to learn from some very solid educators when student teaching and while doing field work for my independent study in graduate school. Additionally, I served as a Resident Assistant for 4 years and a Graduate Residence Coordinator for two years in Residential Life. I believe that all of these experiences helped me to be the most prepared for education. 

What do you enjoy most about working with middle school students?

The thing I enjoy most about working with middle school students is that it is very easy to connect with the kids. At this age, they are mostly trying to find themselves and develop their personalities, so they are very open and honest, for better or worse. This leads to some pretty funny stories and never any dull moments on the job. 

What is one lesson you hope every student takes away from your class?

One lesson I hope all of my students take away from my class is that they are capable of anything they put their minds to. A big component of physical education is to instill confidence in students, so they can engage in physical activity for a lifetime. My goal as a teacher is to instill confidence in my students that even if they aren't necessarily good at something that doesn't mean that they cannot do it.

How do you motivate students with different interests, abilities and backgrounds to stay active? 

I try to motivate my diverse population of students by appealing to their specific interests. I try to tie the skills or sports that we are learning to skills and sports that they are actually interested in. I am always trying to keep the information feeling relevant to them. 

What advice would you give to current LSU students preparing to enter the teaching profession? 

A piece of advice that I would give to students currently pursuing education is to always focus on your why and on the present. It is very easy to get caught up in the comings and goings of daily challenges. It would do you no good to be focused on the past that you can no longer change or the future that you have yet to get to. Take it day by day; remember why you went into the profession; and even when things get hard, you will get through it. 

How did it feel teach students in the same program where you once sat as a student? 

When I taught kinesiology courses, it was a very full circle moment. I never thought I would see myself on the other side of that, but being in that role filled me with a sense of pride in what I was doing and further motivated me to keep going forward. 

Why is it important to you to stay connected to LSU? 

It is important to me to stay connected to LSU because I want to always be able to give back to the university that gave me so much. I have no doubt that I would not be where I am today if not for LSU, so I stay connected to one day be able to help other students gain as much as I have. 

What does being a member of the LSU College of Human Sciences & Education alumni community mean to you? 

Being a CHSE alumnus means being a part of a growing network of folks with the goal of bettering our own individual fields, whether that be kinesiology or education.