Passion for Physical and Health Education Guides Emily Pastore ’22, G’24, With Her Young Students
By Judith Kelliher
Emily Pastore ’22, G’24, recalls one day when she was in kindergarten that she did not feel well. But she wanted to try and tough it out and go to school because it was a day she had physical education (PE). Pastore only lasted through the PE class before getting sent home.
That love of PE only continued to grow, and her interest in sports and fitness became a priority. She also discovered her passion for working with children when she would help her mother, a 4th grade teacher, set up her classroom.
“I knew sports and fitness and working with kids were my top priorities. This led me to choosing Physical Education and Health Education (PEHE). My neighbor went to Springfield College for PEHE and would always talk so highly of it,” Pastore said. “She brought me to visit it at a young age. After I attended the accepted student’s day, I was sold that Springfield College was my home.”
Today, Pastore is a physical and health education teacher for grades K-5 at the Melrose (Mass.) Public Schools. She teaches physical education to each grade, and then health to kindergarten, second, and fourth graders. Besides teaching, Pastore’s love of sports has led her to coach field hockey, basketball, and softball throughout the school year.
“Getting to teach six different grade levels and two subjects keeps me challenged, and coaching has become a new passion of mine,” she said. “I love getting to implement my knowledge from physical education into the coaching field. It has helped me make a lot of connections within the community I teach in.”
Pastore credits Springfield College with setting her up for success in her career. She notes that the courses provided a strong trajectory to prepare her and other students to student-teach during their senior year.
“You get to take elementary and secondary modules which prepare you well for teaching all grade levels and seeing which clicks for you,” she said. “You also take so many skill and sports classes to learn the specifics on how to teach different games and activities.”
Opportunities outside the classroom also broadened Pastore’s education, including traveling to national conferences in Seattle, Wash., and Cleveland, Ohio, for SHAPE America, the leading membership organization for health and PE professionals. At the conferences, she learned so much from teachers around the world and gained many ideas that she uses to this day.
Following her undergraduate education, Pastore stayed at Springfield College where she earned a graduate degree in Adapted Physical Education. In that program, she taught undergraduate courses and work alongside Nicole Wassell, assistant professor of Physical Education and Health Education.
“I gained so much confidence during this time getting to teach college courses that made me feel very ready to take on a job when I graduated,” Pastore said. “This also was very beneficial for me now as I know how to help those students who need some modifications to help them succeed.”
When looking for a job after graduating, Pastore was told by prospective employers that they were impressed with her knowledge of physical education and health education, and knew she would do a good job in the field because of Springfield College’s reputation.
“The Springfield College PEHE department covers all you will need to know to succeed in the field and you will meet amazing professors who will care about your present and your future,” Pastore said. “You will meet amazing classmates who will help make classes so much more fun and help you get through the hard times.”
Pastore took advantage of offerings at the College not related to her program or classwork. On the first day of New Student Orientation, for example, one of the leaders informed her about the College’s rugby club. Never having played, Pastore was curious enough to try a new sport after playing other high school sports. The experience of playing rugby brought her a new network of friends and taught her to be a leader.
“I was a captain my senior year and during my grad school years. This helped me learn how to coach,” she said “I am forever grateful to have tried a new sport and stuck with it. It really helped me quickly become part of a family early into my college days.”
On top of playing women's rugby, Pastore “played almost every intramural sport possible,” including basketball, soccer, softball, spikeball, and more. She found those opportunities a great way to have fun with friends in an active way. Pastore noted that many people play sports in high school and lose that interest once they get to college.
“Springfield College does an amazing job at having a lot of intramural options for those that want to continue playing the sports they love for fun. This helped me not be afraid to join adult leagues now out of college so I can continue playing,” she said.
In her time on Alden Street, Pastore also worked at East Campus and was an Outdoor Pursuits leader. That eight-day experience of living outside in the woods—canoeing, doing yoga, playing disc golf, and learning archery, turned out to be a “life-changing week” for her. She fell in love with the camp atmosphere which then led her to become a YMCA summer camp director at Camp Lyndon in Sandwich, Mass., for 7-and-8-year-olds.
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