The Jump Rope for Heart training workshop introduced primary school teachers to different jump rope skills, ideas on how to use jump rope activities in their school, and how to infuse other subject areas into the active non-traditional teaching method of jumping rope.

The workshop commenced by exposing teachers to the core principals of Jump Rope for Heart. Teachers were then taken through general warm up activities and introduced to a variety of single jump rope skills as well as partner jump rope skills. The workshop concluded with a presentation on ways the Jump Rope for Heart program can be utilized and adapted to fit the Trinidad and Tobago’s Ministry of Education’s Health and Family Life Education curriculum.

“This workshop changed my views and perceptions of skipping rope” stated a teacher from Victoria district. “It showed me that there is a whole new dimension in it and that you can teach children other things about their health and lifestyle. It showed me that it can be integrated into our mandated curriculum in a positive way”

Once a school becomes involved in the Jump Rope for Heart program they are invited to participate in district jump rope festivals. These festivals provide children with the opportunity to display their skills and creativity in a safe, supportive, non-competitive environment, while offering opportunities to learn about healthy lifestyle habits. Schools are also encouraged to hold their own in-school festival and skipathons. These support and inspire children to remain active by tracking the number of jumps they achieve in a week.

Following the workshop teachers were presented with a package of jump ropes to aid in the implementation of the program. The jump ropes were a donation from the United Way of Trinidad and Tobago. This workshop was made possible through a partnership between the Trinidad and Tobago Alliance for Sport and Physical Education (TTASPE), the United Way of Trinidad and Tobago and the Ministry of Education.